School of Architecture, Building and DesignFoundation in Natural and Built EnvironmentsEnglish II: ENG 30605ENGLISH FINAL PROJECT: RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT REPORTFNBE April Intake 2014

Group members:Arvindhan a/l Balasingam0319753Canisius Bong Wei Pheng 0318914Chow Hong Da0318571Ong Eu Xuan 0319050Ong Jia Min 0318003Maximilian Lim Jake Yang 0319604Tan Yit Fong 0319133

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, BUILDING AND DESIGNFOUNDATION IN NATURAL BUILD ENVIRONMENTPRESENTATION TITLE: English Final Project: Research Assignment ReportGROUP MEMBERS:NamesPresentation / Research Report Roles.

Arvindhan a/l Balasingam 0319753Description of the history of trade/business

Canisius Bong Wei Pheng 0318914Description of Wei-Ling gallery & Transcript

Chow Hong Da 0318571Comparative Analysis (GM Choo art gallery), Transcript

Maximilian Lim Jake Yang 0319604Comparative Analysis (Wei-Ling gallery)

Ong Eu Xuan 0319050Video & artistic cover

Ong Jia Min 0318003Description of GM Choo art agallery

Tan Yit Fong 0319133Compilation of report & slides for presentation

ENGLISH II / ENGLISH 2 (ELG 30605 / ENG 0205)LECTURER: CASSANDRA WIJESURIASUBMISSION & PRESENTATION DATE: 15th January 2015TABLE OF CONTENTSNO.TITLEPAGE NO.

1.Artistic cover1

2.Cover page2

3.Table of Contents3

4Acknowledgement4

5.Key Summary2.1 The Brief2.2 Methodology5 - 6

6.Research report3.1 Description of the history of the trade3.2 Description of the business3.3 Comparative Analysis3.4 Summary of comparative analysis3.5 Conclusion7 - 17

7.Recommendation18 - 19

8.Bibliography20

9.Appendices4.1 Photos4.2 Price list4.3 Minutes4.4 Research Questions4.5 Contact details of Interviewees4.6 Schedule of Visit4.7 Transcript21 37

10.References38 - 39

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTWe would like to express our deepest appreciation to all those who provided us the possibility to carry out this report. A special appreciation and gratitude we give to our course instructor Ms. Cassandra Rashika Wijesuria for the coordination of this assignment. On top of that, we would also like to thank her for her encouragement and guidance throughout the process of writing this report.Furthermore we would also like to acknowledge much appreciation of GM Choo whom took the time out to explain about his business, GM Choo Art Gallery Sdn. Bhd. and also Shaza Sofi, associate of Wei-Ling Gallery, whom gave permission and access to the coveted gallery alongside shedding some light on the business Wei-Ling Gallery Sdn. Bhd.Last but not least, we would also like to extend our acknowledgement to the School of Architecture, Building and Design of Taylors University for providing this opportunity and our fellow friends and family members for their support as well.

KEY SUMMARYThe art galleries that we have chosen to interview is the regionally acclaimed Wei-Ling gallery, with business throughout the country, and GM Choo art gallery, a critically acclaimed gallery in its own right too.We had chosen to interview the headquarters of Wei-Ling Gallery in the heart of Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur (8 Jalan Scott, Brickfields, 50470 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) due to their contribution to the local contemporary art scene. On the other hand, GM Choo Art Gallery, located in the famous tourist spot of Malacca, Jonker Street (53& 54 Jalan Tokong 74200 Melaka) is instead known for upholding the traditional arts of Malaysia, especially batik.Hence, due to the differences in the type of art each gallery sells and their location, this report investigates the different type of strategies and competitive characteristics adopted in the already struggling Malaysian art trade.

2.1 THE BRIEF A comparative analysis of two businesses of a similar industry in different geographical locations that would be achieved through comparative research and use of rhetorical strategies presented in the form of a report and verbal presentation. This is done through the study of two of the same kind of trade/business that are exemplars of their trade through researching a series of primary sources on a site visit and reliable secondary ones.

2.2 METHODOLOGYData CollectionPhysical trips were made to both galleries after prior contact of both galleries. We were lucky enough to land interviews with the owner and artist himself, GM Choo, at GM Choo Art Gallery and with the associate, Shaza Sofi at Wei-Ling Gallery. However, on both occasions we were not granted permission to take videos of the interviewees, hence we recorded the interview audio through our mobile devices and note taking. In addition we were given privilege to snap photos, which is usually a violation at art galleries. Both art galleries also provided us with brochures (which you can refer in the appendices) and we prepared discussion questions to ensure a constructive interview. At GM Choo Art Gallery, the interview was conducted in Mandarin due to the interviewees preference while at Wei-Ling it was conducted in English.

Data PresentationAfter our initial research of the specific galleries and visitations, we presented our data and data analysis in this report alongside a verbal presentation that was aided by Prezi presentation slides. The data analysis was done through not only following and researching according to the framework provided to us but also analyzing the comparisons between both galleries.

RESEARCH REPORT3.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE HISTORY OF TRADE (ART GALLERIES) AND WHAT IT INVOLVESAccording to the Oxford Dictionary, trade, by definition is the action of buying and selling goods and services. The origin of trading started since the time humans learned to communicate with each other. This dates back to the prehistoric times whereby people bartered goods with each other even before the modernization of currency. From that, the act of trading has been used and improved constantly throughout history. Based on the events that had happened during history, man has emphasize on the importance of trade and how it is vital to civilization as it keeps them prospered and connected. Trading artworksis also a trendthat has been practiced by traders all around the world. Paintings by different culture of people have been passed around from continent to continent. Through the ranges of the innovation of trade, various styles of selling artworks have been invented. During the latter part of the 17th century, the people of England have sold art through art auctions. An auction, by definition, is a public sale in which property or items of merchandise are sold to the higher bidder. Moreover, art has also been displayed and showcased in art galleries, partly to act as a function to promote art to collectors and those who are interested. Art galleries, in general, are solely for the display or sale of artworks either by renowned or freshmen artists. Art galleries consist of a diversity of artworks, either in 2D or even 3D. These artworks range from contemporary art to the most classics of paintings dating back to the early eighties. They usually promote the artist's work through exhibitions sponsored by cultivating collectors, making press contacts, and trying to get critical reviews. Art galleries are essential in the world of fine art as they provide a window for young artists to survive the difficult trade. Such galleries also play an important role in showing off works of masterpiece both locally and internationally.Some art galleries are non-profitable organizations whereas almost sixty per cent of the remaining commercial art galleries are money-based organizations looking to sell out valuable works of arts. Most motives of reputable art galleries are to display artworks of young-emerging artists, regardless both local and international ones to stand a chance to make a name in the diverse-artistic world. The remaining sixty per cent however sell art works that are from renowned artists that have created prolific histories in the world of art. Though most famous artworks are not put up for sale, for instance the Mona Lisa, these art works are up in galleries for future generations to reminisce about. Galleries in museums, contemporary art shelves, vanity galleries as well as university art museums are just the tip of the iceberg on the variety of art galleries existing in this world. The history of Malaysian art begun with the regional craftworks and arts in which the trade secrets have been passed down for generations [1]. They were sold in makeshift markets called pasar by the locals and had a wide price range, mostly at an affordable rate. Until this day, numerous Malaysian art galleries retains this kind of traditional laidback aesthetic that is unpretentious and inviting such as a gallery we have chosen to study, G M Choo Art Gallery. On the other hand, the earliest record of proper contemporary art exhibitions was during the 18th century when there had been a rise of art associations established such as the Penang Impressionists and United Artists Malaysia [2]. Only during the 1950s did a community of mostly Chinese and European art traders allowed for the establishment of upscale art galleries and finally a National Art Gallery in 1958 [3]. Hence, although the lines of these two types of art galleries have yet to be blurred, it has allowed for a rich budding art scene right here in Malaysia.

3.2 DESCRIPTION OF THE BUSINESSWEI-LING GALLERYWei-Ling Gallery is one of the most well-known contemporary art galleries in Malaysia. Their objective is to nurture and showcase the contemporary art works by local artists. The gallery focuses young contemporary artists to support and develop their careers so to shape the next generation of Malaysias contemporary artists [4]. Wei-Ling gallery consists of 3 branches. One is located in Brickfields which is 0.6km away from KL Sentral. Another is located on the 6th floor open-air rooftop garden of The Garden mall. The 3rd gallery is located on the ground floor of the E&O Hotel in Penang [5]. The founder and director of the gallery is Lim Wei Ling. Her associates consists of a few of her colleagues: Lim Siew Boon and Shaza Sofi (who are in charge of the Wei Ling Gallery in Brickfields), Neo Lee ( who is in charge of Wei Ling Gallery in The Gardens) and Tatyana Aziz ( who is in charge of Wei Ling Gallery in Penang) [5].The Wei-Ling Gallery was previously known as The Townhouse Gallery and it started in a townhouse in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. It was first set up by Lim Wei Ling and YohanRajan in May 2002 [4]. The gallery that we visited was the Wei-Ling Gallery in Brickfields. The building that houses the gallery was a pre-war building that was devastated by a fire in 2004 [8]. It was then restored and used as an architectural studio by Prof. Ar. Jimmy Lim (father of Lim Wei Ling). It won several awards for cultural conservation and re-use of a building [7]. Soon after, the gallery started to exhibit the works of foreign artists. During 2005, Wei-Ling Gallery moved its current premises to this building. The Brickfields branch also plays host up to 12 exhibitions annually.In December of 2006, they showcased the works of 18 Malaysian contemporary artists in Karachi, Pakistan. In April 2008, they also became the first Malaysian gallery to participate in the China International gallery exposition (CIGE), an international art fair that focuses on contemporary art [4].The gallery also focuses on selling contemporary art pieces, sculptures and photographs. Statistically, they have an inconsistent number of visitors and customers annually. Over the past 3-5 years, Wei-Ling Gallery expanded their business by opening another contemporary art gallery in The Garden Mall called Wei-Ling Contemporary Art Gallery. This new space will showcase new exhibitions as there is greater access of the works and greater awareness of the local art scene [9].Wei-Ling gallery has many competitors that are located around Kuala Lumpur. The gallery is not the only successful gallery in the city. According to culturetrip.com, Kuala Lumpurs must visit contemporary art galleries include not only Wei-Ling gallery, but also Petronas Gallery, TAKSU gallery and Richard Koh art gallery [6]. We do not see each other as competitors but a team of exhibitors who are determined to promote contemporary art to the people of Malaysia, said Sofi, the associate of Wei-Ling gallery. Even if they do not think of each other as competition, [9] Wei-Ling gallery stands out from the other galleries by exhibiting the works of foreign artists as their secondary focus.

G M CHOO ART GALLERYG M CHOO gallery has been opened for about 7 years ago and the founder of G M CHOO gallery is none other than Choo Git Man, better known by G M Choo. His self-managed gallery is located at 53 & 54 JalanTokong, 75200 Melaka and is unique only to Melaka as GM CHOO gallery does not have any branches. With approximately only 5 employees working, which includes a clerk and three painters that are under apprenticeship for the past few years, and G M Choo himself [10], the art gallery is a quaint gem in Jonker Street that tourists and locals peer into.As you step into the cemented floor of the shop, you will immediately notice a great deal of shelves that have numerous paintings crammed unto it that eventually spill onto the floor and the floor above, and the shop next door. Not to forget the extension space that the makeshift tent creates. There is hardly aesthetic in displaying the artworks which creates an atmosphere that is carefree and inviting, as everyone who walks into the store gets to meet the artist himself unlike most uptight galleries.The main products sold in the gallery are the famed and framed batik paintings. Beside batik paintings there are also art commissions for paintings such as Chinese styled koi paintings and scenic views of Malaysia, particularly Malacca [11]. Although the number of costumers is small compared to those in the food and beverage or retail industry, he still earns quite a sum especially in his acclaimed batik painting, due to the big range in price of paintings that suit any passerbys or budding art collectors wallet. They range from RM 3 for a 2.5cmx15cm batik bookmark to a RM 3,000 blue batik painting of a scenic view of Terengganu. GM Choo did mention that he does receive about 2 sales per month for the more expensive artworks which is what keeps his business going. This is due to the fact that the price of each painting depends on the time and effort taken to finish the drawing and the material [10]. Materials that GM Choo specializes in include oil, acrylic, cloth water colours, cloth and mixed media, used in a variety of paintings.This business started off in 1990. Although having a late start in the business, now at 67 years of age when he first started the business, he still seems to wield his brushes like a magical wand. Choo is absolutely captivated in his own art work and art as put in his own words as his love, his hobby and his business rolled into one [10]. He micro-manages everything in his own passive ways from the location of the art gallery, to promote the traditional arts to the tourists and locals alike, to answering calls for request for an interview for a university assignment. His prime motivation for starting this business is his passion towards art, especially batik paintings. Having lived in Terengganu for almost 30 years, Choo has been strongly influenced by the richness of the traditional Malaysia art form [12]. The recent developments of GM CHOOs art works are listed as follows [13]:2007 Batik Art Exhibition Kluang Johor 08/01/2007 - 07/02/2007 JB 9 Evolution Artist Exhibition 09/09/2007 - 30/09/2007 Malaysian Art Competition 2007 28/02/2008 - 10/03/2008 National Handicraft Expo 2008 19/08/2009 Merdeka Fine Art 22/05/2010 - 23/05/2010 Tun Tan Cheng Lock Memorial Programme25/07/2010 - 29/07/2010 Malaysian Handicraft Promotion 2010 Kompleks Bukit Jambul26/08/2010 - 31/08/2010 Malaysian Handicraft Promotion 2010 Dataran Pahlawan Megamall Bandar Hilir, Melaka 08/12/2010 - 30/12/2010 GM Choo's Art Review TMS Art Gallery

3.3 COMPARATIVE ANALYSISWEI-LING GALLERY1. Number of contemporary art galleries in KL: 92. Top 3 contemporary art galleries: a) Galeri Petronasb)Valentine Willie Fine Artc) TAKSU Gallery

a) Galeri Petronas

GALERI PETRONASis formedby PETRONAS, Malaysia's national oil and gas company. GALERI PETRONAS manages and administers the PETRONAS sponsorship programme for visual arts. As such, the corporation provides and maintains the gallery as a world-class venue for Malaysian artists to display their artworks. The gallery also hosts foreign exhibitions to encourage exchanges between local and foreign artists for their mutual benefit.

b) Valentine Willie Fine Art

Valentine Willie Fine Art Founded as a pioneer consultancy for modern and contemporary Southeast Asian art in 1996. We strive to represent the best of regional work, from the historically important to the cutting edge and run a busy yearly program of exhibitions at our galleries while also working with regional institutions and independent initiatives on touring and offsite projects.

c) TAKSU GalleryEstablished in 1989, TAKSU is a leading Southeast Asian contemporary art gallery and specialist. Representing a wide selection of fine art with a distinctly urban edge, TAKSU is at the forefront of the contemporary art industry in the region. From young talents to critically acclaimed names in the industry, TAKSUs stable of artists are distinguished by talent, academia, as well as regional and international awards. [6]

3. How do the businesses compete with their competitors? Strategies and how successful:

They do not see other contemporary art galleries as competitors. In their opinion, everyone are in the same phase and have their own strategies in handling their business. As for Wei-Ling Gallery, they aim to promote new local artists and exhibit their works in the gallery. Occasionally, local artists come to them to promote their own works. Their main focus is to observe the growth of contemporary art in Malaysia. Wei-Ling Gallery is one of Malaysias top contemporary art galleries. Besides that, the Wei Ling gallery in Brickfields has won a few architectural awards for adaptive re-use of a building. This promotes the gallery through the architecture of the building.

4. What are the obstacles faced by new business who wish to enter their markets today? Are they easy or difficult to overcome? Why?It can be tough to find artists to exhibit their works in new galleries because certain artists would rather go to more popular galleries to promote their works. 5. What is the nature of their markets, and justifications.

Wei ling Gallery is a perfectly competitive market. It exhibits various works from local artists and sells these works to those who are interested in these artworks. [9]

G M CHOO ART GALLERY1. Number of contemporary art galleries in Jonker Street, Melaka: 202. Top 3 contemporary art galleries: a) Li Chi Mao Art Houseb) The Orang Utan House c) Tham Siew Inn Artist Gallery

a) Li Chi Mao Art House11 Lorong Hang Jebat

Dedicate to the works of Taiwan powerhouse, Yang Di-Pertua Prof. Li Chi Mao, he is but scholar, calligrapher, brush maestro and art educationist all in one. A Living Legend Artist, entitled in 2007, he has been honoured by numerous presidents around the world. It is hard to miss the Chinese master junkboat that houses the art gallery that was modelled after the great China explorer Admiral Zheng-he, so do step steep into the oriental representations from none other than Li Chi Mao. [15]

b) The Orang Utan House59 Lorong Hang Jebat

In the words of Valentine Willie, Cham stays away from the chocolate-box art-kittens and still life and swaying coconut trees and resorts to bold and downright weird that show the philosophy of his art which is the dualism of life and the attraction of opposites; Yin and Yang. Trained in France and a member of the prestigious Association des Artistes Independants, he has chosen staying here (Melaka) and fighting despite the fact that his works have made their way in more than 40 countries. [16] [17]

c) Tham Siew Inn Artist Gallery49, Jalan Tun Tan Cheng LockHome to the works of the president and/or vice president of the Klang Artist Society, Malaysian Watercolour Society and the Malaysian Watercolour Organization that has exploded on an international scale. Sakura Bank, Samsung Electronics and Tourism Malaysia are just some of the worldwide collectors of his work. Not to mention, Tham Siew Inns watercolours have crossed 4 continents and been exhibited in 40 countries making a name for himself that is unparalleled. [18]

How do the business compete with their competitors? What strategies were employed and how successful are they? Each artist has their own style. As such, art galleries tend to not have much competition within each other. Our products are very different from one another, hence I guess you can say that is our strategy. We are also located in close proximity which proves to be an advantage as tourists and locals can visit one place, particularly Jalan Tokong and Heeren Street at Jonker Walk, inviting more customers in. I feel though that the traditional arts here do better as tourists want to immerse themselves in our culture and locals want to uphold their place as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.What are the obstacles faced by new businesses who wish to enter their markets today? Are they easy or difficult to overcome? Why? The obstacles that are faced by G M CHOO gallery include the government poor handling of the taxes. As such, the people have less buying power and the art industries suffered from it. GM CHOO said that it is not easy to overcome this problem because this problem is under the governments hands and the artist can only hope that the government would do something about it. What is the nature of their markets and your justifications? The nature of the market in Melaka is perfect business and type of competition. This is because every artist has their own style and each costumer has their own taste towards art. For example, the Orang Utan House presents more modern pop art that are a hit with the young adults while the Clay House down the street sells a traditional art that I dont. As such, no art gallery truly has the market power to influence the prices of artworks. [10]

3.4 SUMMARY OF COMAPRATIVE ANALYSISWEI-LING GALLERYG M CHOO ART GALLERY

Lim Wei LingFOUNDERG M Choo

5 employees (excluding 22 artists that they fund)WORKERS6 employees (3 trainees, a clerk & himself)

Brickfields (HQ) The Gardens Mall E&O Hotel PenangLOCATIONMalacca, a town recently declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO in 2008

3NO. OF BRANCHES0

InconsistentNO. OF CUSTOMERS2 per month

Weekdays: 12p.m.-7p.m.Sat: 10a.m.- 5p.m.BUSINESS HOURSWeekdays: 8a.m.-7p.m.Weekends: 8a.m.-4p.m.

Contemporary artMAIN PRODUCTBatik painting

Sculpture, Photography, BooksOTHER TYPES OF PRODUCTSOil Paintings, Abstract Art Painting, Landscape Art Painting, Batik Stamping Art

Produce and fund new/good local artistsSTRATEGYIncrease publicity through showcasing more artwork at exhibitions

Expansion of the current platform of our local arts to an international scaleFUTURE PLANS

To travel more such as parts of China to hone his skills until he retires

Everyone and anyone who has an interest in art / Tourists (expose them to the local art scene)TARGET MARKETA wide range from children to the old

[9][10]

RECOMMENDATIONSThe Wei-Ling gallery in Brickfields is built in an interesting pre-war building that has been beautifully refurnished which meets the requirements of an outstanding contemporary art gallery while GM Choo art gallery has its rustic charm with its Chinese Palladian shophouse. But even a top art gallery has its flaws and can be improved further. Based on our research regarding both the galleries, we have proposed a few recommendations on the future plans of this gallery. WEI-LING GALLERYa) Reorganizing use of spaceWhat is important in a good art gallery is space. Walking into the gallery through the entrance, one will see a large collection of antiques and old furniture that crowd the space. Because of this, there is only a limited amount of space that a group of people can pass through. A large group of visitors will feel cramped as they walking through this area of the gallery. We suggest that the gallery make more space for people to walk by so that visitors may enjoy the art pieces without having to give way for others to walk.b) No. of staffFurthermore, the staff members in the gallery seemed too busy to address to the visitors. "Never forget the basics, no matter how busy: always acknowledge a visitor's presence; never underestimate your clients," quoted writers and reviewers from Artinfo Canada, a hub for Canadian news. So, we recommend the staffs to keep themselves in check and always acknowledge their visitors. In addition to that, there were only a small number of staffs working in the gallery. We visited both the Wei-Ling Contemporary Art Gallery in The Gardens Mall and the Wei-Ling Art Gallery in Brickfields. Based on our experiences, there was only one staff member manning the gallery in The Gardens Mall and only a few people working in the gallery in Brickfields. From this, we propose that they increase the number of workers.

Figure 1: Disorganized paintings on the floor and artworks that are out of reach of Canisius view

GM CHOO ART GALLERY(a) Renovate/ Expansion of space

The store is quite old and traditional. If the store is renovated with better technologies such as having air conditioning the art gallery would attract more customers due comfortable ambience. Costumers wont stay long if the gallery is hot and stuffy due to the tropical weather of Malacca. This lowers the probability of potential customers and eventually, sales. Besides that, expansion of space would better the coordination of the placing of paintings and would make room for the many more to come as it would allow customers to better navigate the gallery without worrying about tripping over the many paintings piled up around the floor.

(b) Display of paintings

When we visited the gallery, we noticed that he had his artworks in disarray with all kinds of paintings stacked up and competing against one another. Most of the paintings couldnt be viewed either. The different types of paintings such as the Batik art paintings and oil paintings were simply placed, uncategorized and untitled. Our recommendation is that G M Choo Art Gallery would hire a professional to organize in a manner not only best displays his art works but create a visually interesting space. There should also be categories based on the type of art pieces.

Figure 3: Different types of paintings of different orientations hung on almost whatever space the wall could holdFigure 2: Batik paintings stacked upon one another, collecting dust

BIBLIOGRAPHY Arts.com.my. (2014). History of Malaysian Art. Retrieved 10 January 2015, from Khuan, D. T. C. (1994). Pioneers of Malaysian Art.The Art Gallery, Penang.(2015). Retrieved 10 January 2015, from Oxford Dictionary (n.d.) Retrieved 13 January 2015, from http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/tradeSocial Studies for Kids (n.d) Retrieved 13 January 2015, from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/economics/theimportanceoftrade1.htmDavies, Glyn (2002) [1995]. Ideas: A History of Money from Ancient Times to the Present DaySarah Thornton, Financial machinations at auctions, The Economist, economist.com, November 18, 2011.ArtFacts.Net Ltd., L. (2015).Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur - Overview.Artfacts.net. Retrieved 12 January 2015, from World Heritage Committee. (2009, 31st March). Decisions Adopted at the 32nd Session of the World Heritage Committee. UNESCO. Quebec City, 2008 Retrieved from Canada A. (October 17, 2012). Four Top Art Dealers Answer "What Makes Your Gallery Successful?" Retrieved January 12, 2015, from Sangeeta M., Chitra S. (March 2011) Creating a Difference- The Store Ambience in Modern Day Retailing. Global Journal of Management and Business Research, 1 (3) ISSN: 0975-5853

APPENDICESFigure 4: Exterior of Wei-Ling Gallery Headquarters (Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur)Figure 5: A local artwork featuring Indian culture (a wedding)Figure 6: Interior of the Wei-Ling Gallery

APPENDIX .1- PHOTOS WEI-LING GALLERY

Figure 6Figure 4Figure 5Figure 10 & 11: Wei-Ling Contemporary (The Gardens Mall branch) interior & exterior (Figure 12)Figure 12Figure 11Figure 8: Some awards won by the gallery shown such as The Aga Khan Award for Architecture and PAM 2006 Awards In architectureFigure 9: Interview with Shaza Sofi (Associate of Wei-Ling gallery)

Figure 7: Our group members Maximilian and Canisius admiring the oil paintings

G M CHOO ART GALLERY

(Clockwise) Figure 1: Framed batik paintings that start from approximately RM 700Figure 2: The artist and founder of the self-titled gallery- G M ChooFigure 3: Upstairs there is an armchair and mattress placed next to his artworks showing that he has made this gallery his home; literally

Figure 2: We saw earlier that the art gallery is his home. Peering into another room on the upper level, we discover it is also his workspaceFigure 1: Trying our hand at batik painting for RM 30/per piece.

APPENDIX .2- PRICE LIST (for items below RM 50)Both galleries also sell mini artworks or affordable souvenirs. The prices of the artworks that cost above RM1000 from Wei-Ling gallery and RM 50 from GM Choo Art Gallery have been undisclosed by both galleries.WEI-LING GALLERY*Varies according to exhibitions. This list was created according to the Ivan Lam 20 exhibitionNo.ItemUnit price (RM)

1.Perspex block art pieces20.00

2.Ivan Lam: Twenty the Book20.00

3.Coma 38/500brochure30.00

GM CHOO ART GALLERYNo.ItemUnit price (RM)Other pricings

1.Batik Bookmarks4.003 for RM10.00

2.Batik postcards5.006 for RM 25.00

3.Batik handkerchiefs6.003 for RM 15.00

4.Batik scarves (cotton)35.00

5.Batik scarves (silk)45.00

6.Small frame of batik15.00

7.Batik horoscopes6.00

8.Paint your own batik30.00

APPENDIX .3- MINUTES

DATE:1st January 2015

TIME:3:00p.m.-7:00p.m.

VENUE:Amphitheatre, Taylors University

NAMES OF GROUP MEMBERSTUTORIAL GROUPROLE

Arvindhan a/l BalasingamTuesday -

Canisius Bong Wei PhengThursday-

Chow Hong DaMonday-

Maximilian Lim Jake YangMonday-

Ong Eu XuanThursday-

Ong Jia MinThursday-

Tan Yit FongTuesday-

NO.ACTIVITYACTION TAKEN BY

1. Discussion on requirements of the brief and the types of businesses that interests usAll

2.Research on businesses which fulfilled the briefs requirementsAll

3.Contacting the art galleries via e-mail and phone requesting for an interview with a representativeCanisius & Yit Fong

4.Generating suitable interview questions to be askedAll

5.Allocation of photographer, note-taker, interviewer and translator during the site visitAll

DATE:9th January 2015

TIME:9.15 a.m.-2:00p.m.

VENUE:Student life Centre, Taylors Lakeside Campus

NAMES OF GROUP MEMBERSTUTORIAL GROUPROLE

Arvindhan a/l BalasingamTuesday Description of the history of trade/business

Canisius Bong Wei PhengThursdayDescription of Wei-Ling gallery

Chow Hong DaMondayComparative Analysis (GM Choo art gallery)

Maximilian Lim Jake YangMondayComparative Analysis (Wei-Ling gallery)

Ong Eu XuanThursdayVideo & artistic cover

Ong Jia MinThursdayDescription of GM Choo art agallery

Tan Yit FongTuesdayCompilation of report & slides for presentation

NO.ACTIVITYACTION TAKEN BY

1.Allocation of roles for report and presentationAll

2.Research, transfer and analysis of data (interview notes, audio recording, photos etc.)All

3.Writing of reports and points for presentation slidesAll

APPENDIX .4-RESEARCH QUESTIONS1) When was the business founded? 2) Who are the key founders? 3) What prompted the founders to start this business? 4) What are your main products? 5) Who are your customers? 6) What is the business annual revenue figure? 7) How many branch offices/stores do you have (if applicable)? 8) Can you provide us a brief history of your business and its most recent developments? 9) Do you have many competitors? Who are they? Who are your top 3 competitors? 10) Is the business constantly facing strong competition from other competitors? What strategies have they used to compete with you? 11) How much capital is required to start this business? What, if any, specialized field of knowledge do you need to run this business? 12) Generally, do you feel it is easy or hard to enter this market? Why?13) How do you compete with your competitors i.e. what strategies do you employ to divert customers away from your competitors? 14) How often do you release a new product (this assumes the business sells differentiated products)? 15) Are your pricing decisions strongly affected by your competitors?

APPENDIX .5- CONTACT DETAILS OF INTERVIEWEES

WEI-LING GALLERYName: Shaza SofiJob Position: AssociateOffice phone number: 03-22601106E-mail address: weiling@weiling-gallery.com, weilingcontemporary@gmail.com

G M CHOO ART GALLERYName: Choo Git MunJob Position: Founder, owner and artistOffice phone number: 06-2829892/ 016-7739098E-mail address: gmchoobatik@gmail.com

APPENDIX .6- SCHEDULE OF VISITWEI-LING GALLERY (Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur)Wednesday, 7th January 2015TimeAgenda2.00 p.mDeparture from Taylors Lakeside Campus 4.30 p.mArrived in KL Sentral4.50 p.mArrived in Wei-Ling's Art Gallery5.10 p.mMet Shaza Sofi (Associate of Wei-Ling Gallery)5.20 p.mInterview began6.30 p.mEnd of interview6.35 p.mA tour of the gallery7.00 p.mDeparture from Wei-Ling's Art Gallery8.25 p.mArrival at Taylors Lakeside Campus

GM CHOO ART GALLERY (Jalan Tokong, Malacca)Saturday, 3rd of January 2015TimeAgenda8.00 a.mDeparture from Taylor Lakeside Campus 10.30 a.mArrived in Melaka Bandaraya11.00 a.mArrived in G M CHOO's Art Gallery11.30 a.mMet G M CHOO himself, artist and founder of the gallery11.35 a.mInterview began12.30 p.mEnd of interview1.00 p.mA tour of the gallery1.30 p.mBatik painting (guided by GM CHOO)2.30 p.mDepart from GM CHOO's Art Gallery3.00 p.mSurvey for other art galleries around GM CHOO4.00 p.mDeparture from Melaka Bandaraya6.30 p.mArrival at Taylors Lakeside Campus

APPENDIX .7- TRANSCRIPTWEI-LING GALLERYMax: So, when was the business founded? Sofi: The Gallery was started in 2002. It used to be Townhouse Gallery before it became Wei Ling Gallery.Max: Is Wei Ling the founder of the gallery? Is she the only founder?Sofi: Yes, She's the only founder and the director of the gallery.Max: So, what kind of art does Wei-Ling Gallery focus selling? Sofi: Our main focus is contemporary art. Although we also host exhibitions, local contemporary is our main focus.Max: So how many branches do you guys have?Sofi: We have 3. We have this one, in Brickfields. Wei Ling Contemporary at The Gardens Mall, which we just relocated to a larger space, and one in Penang at E&O Hotel.Max: So do you guys have any competitors?Sofia: I don't quite think we look it that way. If you are in this industry, it is because you wanted to see the growth of local art. Hence it is more like a community rather than a competitive industry.Max: So, I see that the gallery is housed in a pre-war building.Sofi: Yes, it's a pretty old building. It used to be by Wei Ling's father. He is an architect, Professor Jimmy Lim.Max: So generally, do you find it hard to manage this gallery?Sofia: It's not difficult. I wouldn't say it's difficult. Obviously it's difficult in the beginning but we enjoy it.Max: Currently, are the people at Wei-Ling looking to expand the business physically?Sofi: Im not so sure about that one.Max: What is your position in this gallery?Sofia: I'm just an associate of the gallery.Canisius: What is the main product that the gallery sells?Sofia: Well, we don't call it as product, it's actually art. So yeah, we sell photography, sculpture, we have installation. There isn't a particular type of art.Canisius: How often you guys produce this product, sorry, art?Sofia: Its not how often we produce. It's all by different artists. Some artists produce only produce two artworks a year. Some only produce one for years. It's not us at Wei-Ling who produce. It's our artists who produced the artworks and we source for them. There isn't a timeline for it.Max: Do they usually come to the people at Wei-ling or does the gallery approach them?Sofia: It work both ways.Max: Oh okay, I think that's all. Thank You.

G M CHOO ART GALLERYWhen did you start the business?About twenty five years ago, Ive opened this shop until today.So, you are the founder of this shop, I presume?Yes.How old were you when you opened this shop?Around 69 years old.?Why do you wish to open an art gallery?Ive worked in studios for a decade, I even had my art sent to other galleries for sale.So you had past experience as an artist, why did you chose to open a gallery here?I find that here in Melaka, many tourists come here for a holiday. By opening a shop here, I can both sell my art, and produce artworks for distribution to other galleries.So, what is your shops main products?batikbatikbatikMy shop mainly sells batik art, which is mostly done by local malays in Malaysia, and I am one of the few Chinese batik artists. Other than that, I sell oil paintings, some of which I bought from other artists to resell.What are your main clients?Its a mixed bag. We have foreigners and locals who equally like my art. Local malays and Chinese love my batik art.?What is the annual profit of your shop?I earn around a few thousand in a year.Do you have other branches?No, but I do sell my art to galleries at Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and other places.Could you tell us a little bit of your shops history?At first the shop was great business, as the local economy was great, but ever since the economic crisis in Malaysia occurred seven years ago, my business has been getting worse as time goes on. Today, due to poor management of the government, the business has been slowly decaying.Well, do you have any competitors?Every artist has their own style, so competition is minimal.Could you list out a few competitors?In Melaka you can find twenty to thirty galleries, a dozen famous ones you can find on the world map.Do you think their shops will be competing with your business?To me I always strive for second, never aiming for the best. My products are varied, so my shop will attract more customers.How much money did you need to start this business?Around 3 million ringgit, with two thirds of it used for rent and renovations.What do you need to take caution of when you started this business?batikStarting a business like this requires a bit of foresight. In Melaka, my shop is the only batik art gallery, so competition is minimal. As an artist, we must know what good art is, and change artworks that are not good enough. We also have to look at others art, observe more on the publics demands and abosorb peoples good points.How much does an artwork cost?The price can range from a few hundred to five hundred million. How many pieces of art could you produce in a year?As an artist, creating artwork has more freedom in time. Sometimes I wish to challenge myself, I could take months to create a masterpiece. Sometimes I can make simple artworks in a few weeks time.How do you set the price of a piece of artwork?I would see each individual artwork by the time taken, the materials used, and the complexity of the artwork.If others sell their artworks at a high price, would you do the same?No, as I have my own price for my artwork.

REFERENCES[1] Arts.com.my. (2014). History of Malaysian Art. Retrieved 10 January 2015, from [2] Khuan, D. T. C. (1994). Pioneers of Malaysian Art.The Art Gallery, Penang.[3] (2015). Retrieved 10 January 2015, from [4] The Space. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2015, from [5] Contact Wei-Ling Gallery. (n.d.). Retrieved January 11, 2015, from [6] Keyte, M. (n.d.). Kuala Lumpurs 10 Must-Visit Contemporary Art Museums. Retrieved January 11, 2015, from [7] Our Work. (n.d.). Retrived January 9, 2015, from [8] Wei-Ling Gallery [Brochure]. (n.d.) Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur: Wei-Ling Gallery[9] Sofi, S. Gallery Associate, January 5, 2015.[10] GM Choo, GM Choo Art Gallery Owner, January 3, 2015.[11] GM Choo Art Gallery [Brochure]. (n.d.) Jalan Tokong, Melaka: GM Choo Art Gallery[12] Cecilia Tan, James & Danny. (2010). GM Choo- The Optimistic Kung Fu Artist. myBatik December issue. Retrieved 10 January 2015 from http://mybatik.org.my/[13] (2010).GM CHOO ART GALLERY.Malaccabatik.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10 January 2015, from [14] (n.d.). G M Choo. ArtMalaysia Retrieved 10 January 2015, from [15] (2015) The Li Chi Mao Art House. Retrieved 11 January 2015, from [16] The Orang Utan House [Brochure]. (n.d.) Lorong Hang Jebat, Melaka: The Orang Utan House[17] Thomas Fuller (1999, August 14-15). Charles Chams Art Challenges Malaysia.International Herald Tribune.[18] Tham Siew Inn Artist Gallery [Brochure]. (n.d.) Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, Melaka: Tham Siew Inn Artist Gallery