KOTA KINABALU: In conjunction with the 1Malaysia Contemporary Art Tourism (1MCAT), Visual Arts Association Sabah (PSVS), National Visual Arts Gallery (BSVN) and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) realised the second Malaysian Artists Meetup Programme with the theme of “Kurung Kurung Ta ‘ Tamu” housed at the UMS campus last weekend.

The programme saw 130 artists from all over the country sharing, innovating and expressing their emotions through the medium of colour on the canvas in addition to recording the beauty of the flora and fauna available at UMS.

“I thank the organisers who chose UMS as the location for the national artists assembly that is synonymous with the ethnic Bajau term, ‘Kurung Kurung Ta ‘ Tamu’.”

“UMS has a landscape beauty with a backdrop of the ocean, lush green foliage, amid the UMS EcoCampus,” said UMS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd Harun Abdullah who also officiated the programme.

Harun said together with the national artists, the aesthetic values can be recorded through visual touches that could eventually generate economic gains for the creative industry.

“UMS supports local artists to continue to develop the creative arts industry that can be applied in their career or even cultural life. I also called for such programmes to be made into an annual event and be recorded in the UMS calendar involving all art students in the various branches of artistic activity “he said.

Harun also intends to create a special gallery that can accommodate each ethnic treasures in Sabah which can be used as a reference point for researchers from within and outside the country.

“Through this programme, the painters are given from morning to evening to prepare the sketches of the landscapes found in the campus.”

Among the landscape painters’ centre of attention was the Chancellery, UMS Mosque, Chancellor Hall and ODEC beach.

All artists are also contesting their works created and exhibited during the opening ceremony night. Also on display was the result of the work and the artists involved when the first programme was carried out in Kundasang last year.

The artist who emerged as the first place winner was Mohd Saffuan Abdulilhawa of Sabah who received a cash prize of RM700 followed by Mohd Adzran Omar frm Kelantan who win RM500 and Dzulkifli Abd. Rahman from Sabah who win RM300 and consolation of RM100 were also given to six painters.

Source: Daily Express