On view May 9, 2019 - September 8, 2019

Anne Samat

Greatest Love  

Anne Samat, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is the latest in a succession of international artists-in-residence hosted by Hudson Valley MOCA. Using intricately-woven textiles and found objects, Samat builds elaborate totems evoking her familial lineage. This is her first solo exhibition in the United States.

“The message really is love. I am a citizen of the world, and all of this comes from me. I can’t speak to other peoples’ experiences, but maybe they can find their own truth in the work” - Anne Samat

In her new body of iconic wall hangings, Samat has infused her familial history into woven structures and symbols. The pieces embody her story; each sculpture is a totem to a different family member, starting with Samat’s mother and working down three generations to her first nephew. Handmade ropes cascade from armatures of radiating garden rakes. Found objects abound, simultaneously cultural, formal and figurative. A pair of plastic funnels double as breasts, forks and spoons serve as a warp, and cassette tapes hang from chain-like 80s-era neckpieces. These 99¢ store finds and cultural markers blend seamlessly with Samat’s intricate weavings to produce a family mythology that transcends time and geography.

Anne Samat (b. 1973, Malacca, Malaysia) graduated in 1995 from Mara Institute of Technology, in Malaysia. She holds a Bachelor Degree in Art and Design with a major in Weaving and a minor in Print and Resist. She is represented by Richard Koh Fine Art in Malaysia and has exhibited internationally. Her work appears in public collections throughout Malaysia including the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, where Samat lives and works.