KOTA KINABALU, Feb 13 ― Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Mohamaddin Ketapi has asked for a report on the removal of four art pieces by prominent Malaysian contemporary artist Ahmad Fuad Osman from the National Art Gallery (NAG), or Balai Seni Negara, in Kuala Lumpur.

The minister said that he has already asked for a report on the “missing” artwork and will hold a discussion with the relevant people if any necessary action should be taken.

“I was made to understand some pieces hilang (went missing). I don’t know who ‘stole’ them. So when it’s missing, that means it’s empty. When it’s empty, we have removed it.

“People are not here to look at walls, they’re here to look at art,” he said when speaking to reporters after attending the opening of the Adventure Travel Conference and Mart 2020 here today.

“So today, they will have a meeting and report to me. When I have it, I will have another discussion to discuss any further action that is best possible to solve this problem,” he said.

It was recently reported that four of Ahmad Fuad’s art pieces were removed on February 4, despite being approved as part of an exhibition titled At The End Of The Day Even Art Is Not Important (1990-2019) which had been opened to the public since October 28 last year.

The pieces which were removed are: An untitled two-part 2002 work featuring “Missing” poster paintings of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, an LED panel; a UV print on mirror titled Dreaming Of Being A Somebody Afraid Of Being A Nobody (2019), an oil painting Imitating The Mountain (2004) and an installation work Mak Bapak Borek, Anak Cucu Cicit Pun Rintik (2016-2018).

Prior to their removal, Ahmad Fuad said that he had received good feedback, but that on January 21, NAG officially informed him that it wanted to remove the four art pieces because a NAG board member had complained about them.

NAG has also said it had contacted the artist by phone on December 24 to inform him of its intentions.

Ahmad Fuad described the move as unacceptable and profoundly troubling, saying it was arbitrary, unjustified and an abuse of institutional power.