About Selva
Selva is a Melbourne-based artist who uses shapes, colours, and lines to make contemporary abstract paintings. He delicately combines a naive untutored approach with understated sophistication to create the artworks.
Originally from Malaysia, Selva left his chosen profession for the love of making art. The colourful and playful paintings are designed to speak to the inner child in the audience.
Art Studio
 |  |  |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
CV
ARTIST STATEMENT
My art practice - which comprises artworks and introspection - is part of an inward journey towards self-discovery and spiritual awareness. The artworks consist of paintings and the introspection expresses in words my innermost thoughts, observations, and realisation about the nature of existence. The artworks and writing appear discrete on the surface but, they are inextricably intertwined. The creative process reduces mental noise and allows me to quietly contemplate the question 'Who am I?' beyond the body, mind, and emotions, which in turn, gives birth to intuitive thoughts and guidance.
Inspiration to create comes by way of thoughts and feelings that prompt me to make art using a naive and untutored approach. I employ simple shapes, purposeful colours, and lyrical lines to make paintings that are intended to reach out to the inner child in the audience and arouse these oft-dormant qualities: curiosity, imagination, and playfulness.
My work is a blend of modern and contemporary art with a subtle evocation of Suprematism, Bauhaus, De Stijl, and Surrealism. I am influenced by painters like Paul Klee, Vasily Kandinsky, and Joan Miro, as well as artists like Cy Twombly who use musings, poems, mythology, and existential philosophy as a conceptual foundation for their abstract art.
INFLUENCE
South-East Asian Textile, Australian Aboriginal Art, Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, Bauhaus, Surrealism.
Paul Klee, Vasily Kandinsky, Joan Miro, Kazimir Malevich, Hilma Klimt
EXHIBITION / SHOW
Group, Artists Studio 106
Group, Space2B
Solo, Art @ St Francis
Solo, Bird's Gallery
Group, Brunswick Street Gallery
Group, No Vacancy Gallery
Warranwood Art Show
Art Lounge, Cambridge Studio Gallery
Group, Studio 2, Northcote Town Hall
Solo, Brightspace Gallery
Group, Melbourne Exhibiting Artists
Parallax (13) Art Fair, London
Solo, Bird's Gallery
Vogue Apartments @ South Yarra
Society Apartments @ South Yarra
Group, Gallery #9
FEATURE
Bluethumb (Australia) – Featured Artist
Contemporary Art Book (GAA - UK) Vol II
Artfinder (London) – 'Art of the Day'
Artfinder (London) – Featured Artist
PRESS
'Lawyer's First Love' (Melbourne)
'From Legal to Semi-Abstract Realm' (Malaysia)
Click HERE to read the articles
Q & A
Are you a full-time artist?
I am committed to making art full time. Unless you are among the fortunate few, it is challenging to earn living solely from selling art. At the moment, I work as a casual employee in an art store to supplement my income.
What's your background?
I was born in Penang, Malaysia. I am a second-generation Malaysian of South Indian heritage. My mother tongue is Tamil. I received primary and most of my secondary education in a government-run Malay-medium school. I completed secondary education in Australia with a Victorian High School Certificate under an international student exchange programme. I went on to obtain a bachelor's degree and professional qualifications in the United Kingdom. I lived and worked in Kuala Lumpur before moving to Melbourne in 2005.
When did you start your art career?
I've always been creative and dabbled in making art throughout my life. As a teenager, I was keen on pursuing a fine art degree, but family obligations took me in a different direction. In 2013, I threw caution to the wind and gave up my chosen profession to go on an inward journey of self-discovery and to follow my dream of making art full time.
Have you had any formal art training?
I am primarily a self-taught artist. I have had a modest amount of instruction during a short course at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne.
Why do you make this type of art?
The artworks are an integral part of my quest to discover 'Who am I?' beyond the body, mind, and emotions. Each piece captures a moment in time along the journey.
What inspires you to paint?
Mostly, inspiration comes from within. Sometimes, I am moved by artful images or interesting works by other artists.
What would you like to say to the audience?
The artworks are intended to speak to the inner child in the audience. I would be pleased if those who come into contact with my work took a little time to contemplate these three questions without over-analysing: 'Does this art engage my attention?'; 'What do I see?'; 'How do I feel?'
What art do you most identify with?
I love all forms of artistic expression. Artworks could be realistic or abstract; it's not so much the genre or level of skill, but how the artwork speaks to me that matters. I like some artworks for their aesthetics and others for their imaginative or intellectual content.
What is your attitude towards creativity in society?
Creativity is woven into everything that we see, hear and do. Art is creativity in its purest form. By making time for art, one can find relief from the tedium of everyday life and seek balance in a world unduly focused on material success.
How do you name the artworks?
The artworks are untitled. They are referenced by sequential numbers, such as S261/2018, S262/2018, etc.
Why don't you give the artworks a title?
Art lovers tend to view artworks through the lens of the artist; often, they are influenced by names and titles. By abstaining from descriptions, I allow my audience to have a subjective visceral experience.
What is the purpose of repetition in your work?
In my work, repetition represents theme, rhythm, and movement in what seems random juxtapositions of shapes, colours, and lines. Some artists might find any type of repetition a challenge because they consider it uninspiring and boring. However, I believe that it's not possible to explore the furthest depth of one's creativity without keeping your focus in one direction.
What’s integral to the work of an emerging artist?
I believe it's consistency. Artists who consistently produce artworks that exhibit focus, personal voice, and aesthetic sensibility show a strong commitment to their practice; they have the potential to gain a devoted following and pique the interest of serious collectors.
What’s your favourite memory of childhood?
I grew up in a small town (Taiping, Perak) in Malaysia that is known for its natural surroundings: tropical jungle, hills, rivers, waterfalls, and lakes. We lived in a working-class neighbourhood where most parents could hardly make ends meet; so, children were left to their own devices for fun and entertainment. My fondest memories of childhood are mainly of times spent outdoors playing and having all sorts of adventure. Those close to me know I am still a fun-loving, playful, and mischievous kid at heart.
How has your lifestyle changed since you began this artistic-cum-spiritual journey?
My lifestyle has not changed much. I enjoy what others enjoy but my needs and wants have reduced substantially. I am more at peace with myself and my surrounding knowing that everything will work itself out according to a natural order; however, I do get caught up with the drama of everyday life, though to a much lesser degree now. I remain a student who is continuously learning and refining his ways because spiritual awareness is a practice, not an achievement.
That said, I do not, however, believe the practice leads to a boring and restrictive lifestyle; on the contrary, it has the potential to liberate us from the shackles of misconceptions and renew our sense of freedom and playfulness. I share my introspective contemplations with those who feel an affinity towards the 'Oneness' of existence; it's not my intention to persuade anyone to subscribe to this perspective.
What's your take on the ingredients of enduring happiness?
I believe one's happiness depends largely on appreciating these three elements: the nature of our inner essence, the subjectivity of existence, and the role of attention in recurring experiences.
We are spirit and matter in one manifestation. Freedom and happiness are our innate nature. Our intellect is the impediment. The more we presume to know, the less we understand. The less we know, the closer we get to the truth. The first step to finding our way back is to discard layer by layer all dogmatic beliefs (secular or religious) and return the mind to a state of infancy. When the mind has childlike qualities, our inner voice will be able to guide us to understand our true nature by means of intuition and by linking fragments of information (like pieces of a puzzle) from various sources.
Everyone is experiencing a subjective reality. There is no such thing as objective reality because two people seemingly at the same place and time could be having completely different experiences. There is no way of objectively verifying what someone is seeing, hearing, and feeling. What we perceive to be someone's experience is an interpretation rooted in our reality, not necessarily theirs; as such, there is nothing for us to compare.
Attention is what attracts and keeps something in our personal experience. We give attention to things through our thoughts, words, and actions. The subtlest forms of attention are curiosity and interest. As long as we keep our attention on an unpleasant person, thing, event, or situation, we'll continue to have similar experiences in one form or another. Any change brought about by force or manipulation will be short-lived. Acceptance and letting go are the only ways to change.
What does being an artist mean to you?
To me, being an artist is experiencing inner peace, joy, and contentment through creativity and self-expression.
What are your aspirations and goals?
As an artist, I hope to consistently produce and exhibit new works. Personally, I aim to be inwardly focused and simply be myself - warts and all - through the ebb and flow of life experiences.