Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 31 August 2021: Malaysian-born artist Alice Chang Guerra, owner of Lai Lai Art Studio and chair of IM Group Foundation, has revealed her latest artwork and initiative: ‘The Three Graces of Malaysia’ to coincide with Malaysia’s 64th year of independence and to raise funds for children in need.
The three 2-meter-high sculptures, currently on show in an exhibition – with fellow artist Datuk Luciano Mirri at Kuala Lumpur’s Four Points Hotel by Sheraton – are currently on sale. All proceeds will go through IM Group Foundation, which is currently fundraising for autistic children in Malaysia.
Inspired by Antonio Canova’s neoclassical nineteenth-century marble sculpture – ‘The Three Graces’ – Guerra explained she was attracted to the story of the three daughters of Zeus, who were professed to be able to grant humanity with gifts; Euphrosyne (mirth), Aglaia (elegance) and Thalia (youth and beauty). “I felt a connection that evolved strongly in me to produce a very personal work, as a woman; as a sister, daughter and mother – able to grant more than mirth, elegance and beauty but to represent strength, courage and determination – the mother of a nation, if not the world, who carries the generations to come,” specified Guerra, “The 3 Graces of Malaysia – Siti, Ah Lian and Shanti – represent the women of our nation tied by the harmony, cultural and racial diversity of our country.”
The artworks, made from cement and recycled pieces of broken ceramics, symbolically carry a powerful message of global hope, as Alice explained “…the pandemic has had a tremendous impact on everyone at a phycological and professional level. The Three Malaysia Graces show that, even from broken pieces, we can rebuild a beautiful tomorrow.”
The recently rebranded IM Group (previously Inkmaker Group) which, with its combined strength of brands: Inkmaker, Rexson, Vale-tech, Swesa, Teko and Tecnopails offers total process-engineering solutions – within the industries of paint, coatings, ink, specialty-chemicals, adhesives, corrugated packaging, food packaging, pharma, cosmetic, textiles and more – has a host of initiatives and activities, planned by IM Group Foundation for 2021, of working within the communities where it operates globally.
