By Dr Mohd Zamri Jusoh
There
are various types of motive embedded to Malay wood carving. However, the
original idea came from the development of Islamic civilization in the Middle East
of Asia. This explains why the motive of arts which are basically growth up
from such beautiful and meaningful calligraphic writing, then to be expressed
in the architectural monuments and buildings to generate the highest level of
Islamic art terminology [1]. Furthermore, at the early age of the arts and
design for wood carving, the wood carvers used the Islamic technology approach
to improvise the art to higher level, including the geometrical motive with
spectacular shapes and designs. In Malaysia, one of the most beautiful and
popular pattern in wood carving is the floral motive. The floral motive is the
expression by the wood carver based on nature of floral elements that can be
founded in their living areas. Any competent wood carver can interpret and
generate such intricate floral elements in their product based on his own
inspiration [2]. The interesting part is, a good wood carver can redraw the
floral element and even makes it more attractive by adding their own styles and
techniques to the wood carving product so that the wood carving product is
beautiful and has many striking features compared to the actual floral
elements.
The
wood carver in Malaysia has an enormous contribution to the wood carving with
floral pattern. Usually, they use a small part of any actual floral element and
then modify the whole picture by using their own imagination [3]. Basically the
floral motive is based on every part of the floral element can be easily
observed in the nature of floral element in surrounding environments [4].The
basic elements in wood carving with floral pattern are listed as follows: [5]
i.
Sources
ii.
Stems
iii.
Leaves
iv.
Flowers
v.
Fruits
The
sources are the most important element in any wood carving with floral pattern.
The sources can be determined as the starting point or the first element of the
whole floral element. Based on observations, the floral can be growth in
natural substances such as soil, vase, water, seed and main flower. Another
element that is so important for the floral pattern is the stem. The stem is
related to the branches, sticks and twigs of trees. The size and diameter of
the stem in any wood carving with floral pattern is not a matter, but the
variation of shape and direction of the stem can shows the physical character
of the whole floral element used in the wood carving product. In many ways, the
leaves can be one of physical complement that can be used by wood carver to
decorate and design any species of floral existence. The leaves can be drawn
and carved at anywhere in the wood carving panel as it can be used to cover any
empty place in the wood carving panel. The flower element is the main character
in any wood carving with floral pattern. This is because the flowers are the
most beautiful part of the wood carving product. The wood carving with floral
pattern still includes some numbers of flower element located whether at the
middle of the wood carving panel or usually located symmetrically with each
other. The fruits element in wood carving with floral pattern is another
element that is important to complete the floral motive for a single plant. The
shape and characteristic of the fruit element usually based on the actual shape
of the fruit for such plant species.
References
1.
Rosnawati 2005, The Language of the Lankasukan Motive, Indonesia and the Malay World,
Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. Vol. 33 pp 97-111
2.
Noraim A. Sharif 2010, Seni Kraf Pilihan Terengganu- Seni Ukir Kayu. Yayasan Diraja Sultan
Mizan, p52
3.
Farish A. Noor, Eddin Khoo 2003, Spirit of Wood: The Art of Malay Woodcarver,
Periplus Edition ,pp 9-25
4.
Ismail Said, Zumahiran Kamarudin 2009, Carving motifs in timber houses of Kelantan
and Terengganu, South East Asian Technical Universities Consortium
(SEATUC), pp 45-49
5.
Norhaiza Nordin 2009. Ukiran kayu Warisan Melayu. Perbadanan Kraftangan Malaysia. First
Edition. p9
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