VIDEO ESSAY: ARCHIPELAGHOST
DATE: Available on YouTube
Archipelaghost, a video essay on Indonesian artists Tita Salina and Irwan Ahmett by Malaysian arts practitioners Mark Teh and Faiq Syazwan Kuhiri, reflects on the work 1001st Island - The Most Sustainable Island In Archipelago.
In this regional artistic project, supported by Goethe-Institut Indonesien, Teh and Faiq create a video essay in five fragments, inspired and informed by the works of Tita and her partner Irwan. The video zooms in and out of different aspects and layers of their artistic practice - from Tita’s first solo work, 1001st Island – The Most Sustainable Island in the Archipelago (2015) - to their poetic, playful and urgent interventions in Jakarta, the fast-sinking city they call home. It is also about their decade-long engagement in and along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where complex issues relating to humanity, migration, injustice, and ecology intersect.
More info here.
VIRTUAL TALK: MALAYSIA NOW: ARTS AND CULTURE MOSAIC
Date and Time: Nov 23, 6.45pm
Part of the British Council's Partner South East Asia: Arts and Culture Matters event, this virtual talk brings audiences on a retrospective as well as forward looking journey at the opportunities and diversity of the arts and culture landscape in Malaysia and highlights collaboration pathways between Malaysian and British arts sectors and practitioners.
The first part of the session will shine a spotlight on a multimedia, cross-disciplinary project. In the second part, it will unpack two research reports on Malaysia’s arts sectors and cultural cities, with the aim of further identifying areas of connections and collaborations between the two countries.
The featured speakers include playwright/researcher Dr Ann Lee, Instant Cafe Theatre’s co-founder Jo Kukathas and Pusaka’s creative director Pauline Fan.
Malaysia Now: Arts and Culture Mosaic will stream for free. Link to the streaming site will be provided upon registration.
More info here.
VIRTUAL ART TALK: BAYU UTOMO RADJIKIN’S 'BUJANG BERANI'
Date and Time: Nov 20, 10am
Sculptor/artist Mat Ali Mat Som will dissect Sabah-born artist/gallerist Bayu Utomo Radjikin’s Bujang Berani (1991) sculpture in this new edition of Pendidikan Seni EDU@NAG, a National Art Gallery online initiative where artists discuss influential Malaysian works relating to visual art and beyond.
Bayu’s works throw a sharp spotlight on public and personal identity, social commentary and international political tensions. His artistic discipline ranges from sculptures to figurativa painting.
Bayu, the director of indie art space Hom Art Trans, is one of the founders of artist collective Matahati, formed in 1989.
Appreciation Of Bayu Utomo Radjikin’s Bujang Berani will be streamed for free on the National Art Gallery’s Facebook page.
More info here.
MPOPLAYSON: MALAYSIAN COMPOSERS SERIES – CHAMBER CONCERT
Date and Time: Unlimited
The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra’s (MPO) Malaysian Composers series continues this week with its final chamber music offering by local composers.
In the last part, which is available now, catch Ilysia Tan’s Addiction To Perfection (a piece derived from the purpose of observing physical and social concerns), Ainolnaim Azizol’s Fragments I (a work written for the 2014 Asian Composers League Young Composers Competition in Japan) and Vivian Chua’s Dance Of The Wind And Sea (a fusion work of Malaysian melodic and rhythmic patterns with Western harmonies).
The Malaysian Composers Series is done in collaboration with the Malaysian Composers Collective (MCC). Established in 2007, the MCC has been actively promoting Malaysian composers at home and abroad.
The new series can be streamed for free on the MPO TV Youtube channel.
Viewers can tour the Sabah Art Gallery now from the comfort of their homes. Photo: Handout
VIRTUAL EXHIBITION: 36TH SABAH ANNUAL ART SELECTION 2021
Date and Time: Unlimited
Head over to Sabah, virtually, and check out this state-wide art selection in the 36th Sabah Annual Art Selection 2021 art show.
This year’s theme is “Gunung Kinabalu” and “Sabah – Norma Baharu”.
Freandy Jose’s pencil work Posogit – Obiyai Koi Noh Oi Aki (Posogit – Ampunilah Kami Wahai Aki) won this year’s Sabah Annual Art Selection. It centres on a ritual to appease the mountain spirits on Mount Kinabalu.
The 36th Sabah Annual Art Selection 2021 can be viewed on Sabah Art Gallery’s virtual platform.
VIRTUAL SERIES: OPEN ARTS CLASSES
Date: Nov 20-21 (10am and 2pm sessions)
The Open Arts Classes (OAC), a free virtual learning series under Art In The City (AITC) 2021 concludes this weekend with four classes.
On Nov 20, Paul Augustin, Penang House Of Music director, will talk (10am onwards) about music preservation in Malaysia and the role and importance of music, culture, and the arts to society. This will be followed by a session with Adiguru Zamzuriah Zahari who will spotlight the traditional art form of Mak Yong (2pm onwards).
On Nov 21, artist and cultural worker Eleanor Goroh will conduct a workshop (10am) about Borneo beads in contemporary fashion and dance music. Later on at 2pm, gallerist Lim Wei-Ling will give an introduction to art collecting, insider tips on how to identify a real artist, determining art values and identifying strong artworks.
The OAC offers a rare chance to experience a “class session” with the movers and shakers in the arts and culture scene.
OAC will be streamed via Zoom. Each class in the series has a classroom size of 500 students.
More info here.
