St Regis
Kuala Lumpur
Grace Thunders

Interview

Did you have an idea of the type and size of the space you wanted ‘Grace Thunders’ to be showcased in the St. Regis?

I knew I wanted to be challenged creatively and to work at large scale, and the Hotel lobby with its incredibly high ceilings would allow this.

I wanted to create something epic, something far larger than life.

What emotions would you like your art to inspire/invoke when patrons of the St. Regis glimpse ‘Grace Thunders’ for the first time?

I think most of us live in small temporary stories. Our apps, phones, and tablets hold our gaze much of the time. I wanted to break that eye contact and create a much larger drama unfolding for guests in the hotel space. I want the viewer to be transported to a place & time they’ve never been before, a place too dangerous for any person. I wanted to take the viewer right into the epicentre of a Polo game amidst the charging thunder of the ponies. I can’t dictate or conjure the emotional response from each person, all the artist can do is try to take the viewer on a visual journey, the emotional response will be unique for each individual, but my hope is that the work would be inspiring.

Why did you decide to depict a dramatic Polo Game in your specially commissioned piece for the St. Regis?

Polo has a rich heritage in both Malaysia and the UK, and it was something that we discussed in great detail. The horse is a common language for mankind, and the relationship between man and horse is something that crosses culture and history. The relationship between man and horse is something timeless, and I felt it would speak a universal language beyond race, age or gender. The inspiration began with a frustration. I was bored and uninspired with how such a dangerous, dynamic sport such as Polo had been photographed historically. I wanted to push the boundaries on how the images were captured, and shooting with long lenses from the safety of the side-lines of the field would never allow me to achieve this. I had to shoot with the camera directly under the thundering hooves to get the images I wanted. Danger is intrinsic to the sport, that had to be experienced and felt.

How do you believe your diptych of two hand-etched leather installations fits in with the general aesthetic of the St. Regis Kuala Lumpur?

It’s difficult to answer that honestly as I had not seen much of the hotel’s aesthetic when I started to create the artwork in 2011. The hotel had not been built back then. My focus was to create a singular theme in my own work and trust Carmen Chua and her team at the St Regis with the setting of the art piece, she has been instrumental in pulling together the general aesthetic for the hotel. My focus was the art and the story it was telling.

What was it like working and collaborating with the St. Regis Kuala Lumpur on this project? Was it different to the process you normally employ when you work on an art piece?

Yes it was very different. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve but I had to communicate that vision and get the whole KL team excited before I ever took one photo or ever etched one hide. I had to bring the team on a creative journey with me, which is unusual for an artist, as it’s often a solitary, lonely journey. This was a collaboration of desires and ideas and we all pulled together to achieve something special. I especially enjoyed working with Carmen Chua and over the 6 years we’ve become friends and she has become a collector of my other pieces.

Are you proud of the finished pieces of art?

Very proud. These Polo pieces are some of the best works I’ve ever made. I know these installations will open the doors for more polo & equestrian pieces around the world. Nobody has ever made equestrian art like this before, it’s unique and I’m planning a show of new Polo pieces in the years to come.