Malaysian light artist Jun Ong illuminates how crystals and personal relics create a connection between people and geology

The topographical artwork is a commentary of sorts that centres on humanity and geology.

Jun Ong is also the co-founder of Pow Ideas (All photos: Sam Fong/The Edge)

At what point do landfills become landmarks? Like inverted treasure troves, they are not filled with riches but things we have chosen to leave behind: discarded ambitions, outgrown desires and personal junk. Yet, it is precisely in these chaotic heaps that unexpected creativity and beauty can rise from the rubble.

In Jun Ong’s latest exhibition Krystal Valley at The National Art Gallery (NAG or Balai Seni Negara) in Kuala Lumpur, one begins to imagine the landfill not just as a vast, inert dump but as a living and breathing organism harbouring residues of human stories. The light and mixed media artist, best known for initiating creative collective Pow Ideas with co-founder Kyle E in 2015, derives inspiration from the urban theme of Klang Valley, portraying it as a monument to our overconsumption and, paradoxically, an area teeming with minerals and valuables. Said “treasures” are displayed in the form of artificial crystals resembling precious gems.

Waste materials such as scrap metal, electronic boards and plastics are incorporated into the “crystals”, which form a three-dimensional collage that unites memories and old objects owned and scavenged by the artist.

“The whole process started when I was working with my dad, who volunteers at a recycling centre that’s pretty close to my studio,” says Ong. “While going through the stash, we found a lot of passed-down objects that were well kept such as CD-ROMs, old magazines, circuit boards and even necklaces. It’s really interesting to dig through somebody’s archive and wonder what actually happened when this person had a certain object at the time.

“I even included remnants of charcoal, burnt from some incense found at a Buddhist temple across my house, into a water-like crystal. So, everything was very organic. I didn’t really think much of the kind of items I wanted to find.”

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Heirloom silver and gold jewellery populate the 'Celestite'

Presented as part of NAG’s ongoing Hanya Satu: Single exhibition and supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture under the Geran Sokongan Sektor Kebudayaan, Krystal Valley is the eighth artwork to be displayed, following those by names such as multimedia practitioner Abdul Shakir and mixed media artist Red Hong Yi.

Ong’s topographical artwork, which took him and his team six months to complete by hand (the longest duration they have worked on an installation), is a commentary of sorts that centres on humanity and geology. Mundane paraphernalia that bear the mark of use have been given a new lease of life by pairing Ong’s choice of crystals and their regenerative properties: heirloom silver and gold jewellery shine in celestite that reflects calm and wealth; dichroic sheets; the aforementioned burnt charcoal; used Hewlett-Packard CD-ROMs; and upcycled acrylic panels from the artist’s 2023 Prism project are featured in a rhodonite that connotes compassion and healing.

These glowing “crystals”, each embodying an identity established through the passage of time and pressure, are mimicked as archaeological finds embedded in rockscapes. Their character and metaphysical properties, frozen yet fluid enough to inherit change thanks to the act of “crystallisation”, eventually inform the “valley” that grows into a futuristic assemblage. The exhibition is also permeated by audio with an intense glitch (curated by soundscape artist Jona Lim), conjuring up the scenario of one stumbling upon a broken radio.

“I’m trying to draw parallels between the Klang Valley and landfills — is the former a junkyard of forgotten items or a mineral-rich natural geographical formation? Landfills are super interesting since those are places where everyone’s history collides. However, no one actually gives a s*** about them. Imagine the lives of strangers suddenly intertwining because all [our stuff] ends up in the same place. That gives me chills,” admits Ong.

Choosing crystal as the main medium was deliberate, as the contemporary artist has always been intrigued by the semi-rare stone’s billion-dollar industry as well as its pseudoscientific claims that promise protection, reincarnation and spiritual cleansing.

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'Fluorite', studded with faulty radio and telephone circuit boards

“I’ve been into crystals for many years. It’s a very personal journey. I’m also influenced by my 93-year-old grandmother, who, until today, makes them into brooches, earrings, rings, bangles … and wears them because they calm her down. But do they really? This intersection between geology and gemology can be likened to how we live in the city. Learning how these healing agents are formed can also shape the way we look at our environment. With a lot of my projects, it’s always been discovering something or exploring a subject matter I’m not familiar with. In this case, it’s crystal.”

Ong particularly resonates with aragonite, a beaming crystalline hanging overhead that illuminates the space like a guiding star.

“Most crystals are found in the ground but this dynamic-looking one is sourced underwater. If you’ve been following my works, you’d know I play a lot with geometry. This is quite similar to Astra [a sculpture he designed that symbolises the supernova phenomenon perched atop Singapore’s One Raffles Place], which references things that happen beyond Earth. It’s also my interpretation: If I were to see a real star, what form would it take?”

Ong is not one to play by the rulebook, as evidenced by his wide-ranging portfolio that includes commissioned works such as Doppelgänger, which examines the existence of multiple parallel universes, for The Hour Glass, as well as the avant-garde light centrepiece anchoring Swiss watchmaker Roger Dubuis’ first Malaysian boutique in Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. He is currently putting together a permanent public installation in Shenzhen, marking his first project in China.

“There needs to be strong funding when you do installation art, compared with traditional fine arts or two-dimensional paintings. Many people don’t know the amount of energy and money that go into producing it. With more opportunities for collaboration, you could also create bigger conversations.

“There’s a lot of support for public art, especially for national galleries in Singapore and China. I don’t know what the Balai’s plans are, but I’d love to promote it as our Malaysian art institution,” confesses Ong, whose five-storey light installation in Penang, Star, was nominated for World’s Best in Spatial Art at the Media Architecture Biennale 2016 in Sydney.

Pow Ideas, responsible for designing some of KL’s visually arresting dining spots such as Merchant’s Lane, Wildflowers and The Swimming Club, will be celebrating its 10th anniversary next year. How does Ong intend to expand the business while prioritising his ambitions?

“I feel Pow is growing into its own entity. It hasn’t been easy for the past few years, especially with Covid-19, but things are picking up. Kyle and I are still doing exciting projects. I’d still love to be involved but probably in a different capacity now. After all, I’m still a co-founder. Pow will always be my baby, like a little crystal that’s being conceived. You want to be part of it in every way possible.”

Krystal Valley is showing daily at The National Art Gallery from 10am to 5pm until Nov 11.


This article first appeared on Oct 7, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia.

 

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