Art Talk: KL light artist Jun Ong and his exhibition ‘Krystal Valley’
An illuminating showcase
You’ll know a Jun Ong artwork when you see one. With his signature use of geometry and entrancing manipulation of light to form structures such as corals, branches and starbursts, Ong’s creations are the perfect example of what installation art aims to do: seize you with wonder and rapture.
View this post on Instagram
Since 2015, the Kuala Lumpur-based light artist has been creating captivating masterpieces that detail his prowess in transforming artificial light and its interaction with space and the surrounding environment. His works have been featured at major art festivals such as Art SG (2023), Taiwan Lantern Festival (2023), Art Central Hong Kong (2018), and iLight Marina Bay Singapore (2016 and 2023).
View this post on Instagram
For all that his illuminating creations are known for, his latest exhibition Krystal Valley, currently showing at the National Art Gallery, takes a slight departure from his usual practice. While light is still being used, the medium plays a supporting role to highlight the key focus of: found objects.
In this exhibition, Ong explores another long-term passion of his which is the formation of crystals and the mysticism surrounding them. The materials he collected, including some personal items, were used to recreate the look of these precious gems to an almost uncanny level.
Ahead, we speak to Ong to learn more about the creative processes behind Krystal Valley’s immersive landscape, the cosmic connection we all share with the earth, and the power of lost memories.
Please introduce yourself and share with us how you got started in the art scene.
“My name is Jun, I am a light artist and a mixed-media installation artist. I’m actually trained in architecture so I worked a lot with structures and spaces. I think this reflects a lot in my light installations. I started my career about 10 years ago and I ended up really liking working with lighting because you can incorporate so many different elements such as sound, movements, and materials with it. I think it’s a very versatile medium to work with, especially for installations.
Did you naturally gravitate towards lighting as your main medium or was it after a series of experimentations?
“At the time, I was still kind of fresh out of school in Europe and while I was there, I got really exposed to various interesting mediums. I loved seeing how lighting was used in artworks and I just felt a connection with it. The concept of using artificial lighting and also natural lighting for installations was something that I think people don’t know much about at least in this part of the world. It’s quite niche so I thought it would be interesting to explore something like this.”
View this post on Instagram
What do you tend to focus on when creating your pieces?
“I’m a very spatial kind of artist so I’m drawn to geometrical forms and that bleeds into all my works. I also take a lot of inspiration from natural phenomena and the world around us such as starbursts, supernovas and outer space in general. But also I’m interested in what’s happening on earth too in the most literal sense.
“For example, Krystal Valley is inspired by the world of minerals and geology. I try to use mediums that I’m familiar with such as lighting and space to tell a story that might otherwise be quite a dry subject—science, physics, the environment—so I try to tell that story in a more immersive and interactive way.
“I’m also very interested in human behaviour and I love that with installation art, you’re able to see how people react to a certain work compared to a traditional painting. With three-dimensional art, there are more facets that people of all ages can find a connection with. Whether you’re a kid, an adult or an old person, the experience is going to be unique and distinct to you.”
How different is Krystal Valley compared to your previous installations?
“Krystal Valley is definitely a slight departure from my previous works. In a lot of my pieces in the past, I showcase lighting at its essence. However, in this case, I focus more on the materials that I worked with and how to incorporate objects into the crystal structures. Lighting is still part of it but it doesn’t take centre stage now. There’s also more play on textures and a deeper personal narrative woven into Krystal Valley. For example, some of the objects used are my personal belongings which I never included in my past works.
“The brief I received from the National Art Gallery was pretty loose so it gave me room to explore what I wanted to do. I think they expected the usual Jun Ong light installation with the bright lights and crazy patterns so they were actually quite surprised when I proposed crystals [laughs]. But I thought it was a good opportunity for me to show a completely different side to my past body of works and they were on board.”
All the crystals featured in the exhibition are made out of found objects. Why did you decide to go with this approach?
“The objects used to belong to different people. They used to mean something to someone before they were discarded. And so this project is also about exploring and perhaps reigniting those memories that may have disappeared; finding those lost connections again.
“And to me, the idea of how crystals form is beautiful and intriguing to me. They’re happening right now below our feet and yet, no one takes notice. Like us, these crystals are slowly being formed through pressure and time. One way I look at this entire exhibition is as if it’s a curated landfill. It’s filled with ‘junk’, things that people don’t usually want to look at, but each object tells a story and I hope people can find connections with them.”
How has your understanding of crystals and geology changed throughout your preparation for this project?
“I felt like this exhibition was a personal journey for me because I had to do a lot of research about crystals—I’m not an expert by any means [laughs]. I met up with a lot of local geologists and crystal ‘hunters’ who go out looking for this stuff. I think most people have the same perception about crystals: they’re pretty to look at and they sort of possess mystic abilities. This was something I wanted to investigate too. If my crystals look like crystals but are not crystals at all, do they still exude the same aura? Or is it all just a placebo effect?
What is your stance on it?
“I believe crystals do possess some abilities and are sacred objects. Even just us sitting here [gestures around the exhibition space], I already feel quite protected, comfortable and safe without the presence of real crystals.
You’ve also incorporated sound into this exhibition. Tell us more about why you chose to also include this in Krystal Valley.
“I always believe that lighting should be experienced with the other senses such as sound, vibrations, and even smell. For this project, I worked with Jonah Lim, an incredible sound artist. We wanted to create something that felt super trippy and glitchy—kind of like a sound bath but twisted [laughs]. We also featured city sounds to invoke that feeling like you’re walking through the city as you pass by the different crystals.
“After all, Krystal Valley is a play on Klang Valley. We wanted to recreate the idea that this place used to be green until the city developed. That’s what the sounds remind us of—it feels as though there’s an energy from the earth that is being drowned out and overpowered by the city. It’s a reminder that while urban expansion is important and needed for cities to grow, it has to be done responsibly for us to grow and coexist with the earth.”
In your opinion, how has the art installation scene evolved in Malaysia?
“I think the art installation realm is still quite new in Malaysia. The public is still mostly used to more traditional art and sculptures with conventional materials so I think showcasing something like this would show people a different side of what artists in Malaysia can explore.
“Working on such a large-scale project like Krystal Valley comes with so many intricacies and requires a ton of support. This project is partially supported by the Ministry of Tourism so I’m very thankful for that. But it does show that you require a strong team and it’s a long process.
Installation art allows us to create a lot more interesting moments; we’re not bounded or restricted by the frames of a canvas. For instance, we’re planning a series of activations such as a meditation session with a sound artist for Krystal Valley. I love that we can create more impactful ways of creating art where you can empower a large community with our pieces. It would be great if stakeholders and clients are aware of how much work and support we need to bring those visions to life.”
Lastly, what are your hopes with Krystal Valley?
“It’ll be great if people can find a personal connection with it. I’ve had people come up to me and tell me that they also owned the same watch that I featured in the exhibition. It’s pretty cool to find that similarity with strangers. Even though these materials are discarded and the memories are long gone, people can still reconnect with them in different ways.
“Secondly, I hope people can discover and understand more about our environment. Geology is such a universal subject matter. You may think these crystals come from far away places such as America but you can also get crystals from Puchong and JB. When you think about it, we all exist on the same planet and these crystals are found everywhere. On that same note, I also hope people think about not only buying crystals but where they come from and do so responsibly too.”
For more art-related reads, head here.
| SHARE THE STORY | |
| Explore More |
