RECLAIMING THE MEANING IN HIS REALITY
'....The image is a conciousness; it must have its own meaning, as does every other sort of conciousness. Its appearance in the course of thought is never the effect of the change connection: it plays a role.'
Jean Paul Sartre
It is interesting to note how Shahriman’s sculptures have evolved over the years. Despite his repeated use of spare parts and metal rods, his incorporation of sharp pointed metal pieces, Shahriman has quite cleverly created one series of sculptures distinctly different from the other. While retaining his identity in all his works, Shahriman’s sculptures have gone through a transformation from the rough, crude, menacing pieces of his earlier days to the more detailed and gentler forms they are today. This transformation is perhaps a reflection of the artist’s maturity and acquisition of skill and craftsmanship. Certainly, they are testimonial of his past and present experiences, his likes and dislikes and his feelings at that point in time.
His interest and study of the human anatomy that lasted for many years, for example, gave birth to his series "Gerak Tempur" and Gerak Tempur Peralihan"; his love for weapons resulted in "Killing Tools", and now his commitment in his search for truth, faith and his study of religion and ceremonies related to them, has given rise to this new series "Api, Bayangan & Kemenyan". Undeniably how Shahriman arranges his thought, feelings, imagination and ideas into works of art, are to be commended. His incorporation of function in the pieces in "Killing Tools" and in "Api, Bayangan & Kemenyan", series has created a new dimension in what can be defined as a piece of art. In this series " Api, Bayangan & Kemenyan", Shahriman’s pieces are not just meant to be admired for their aesthetic beauty but is intended to be thought provoking as were his earlier pieces
