25Sep

Sabah annual art exhibition set to inspire, gets 614 entries

KOTA KINABALU: The 32nd Sabah Annual Art Exhibition this year received 614 entries, the most participation since its inception in 1985. A major annual art exhibition starting next month until January next year, the event will showcase 90 selected pieces by secondary school students and professional artists. Organiser Sabah Art Gallery (SAG) said the winners will be announced during the presentation ceremony on Oct 20, which will be officiated by Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Tun Juhar Mahiruddin. “As usual, we have two school categories (lower and upper secondary) and and open category for artists. “But what is interesting this year is we got 614 entries, the highest in 32 years because on average we have received 350 entries; so this year it nearly doubles. “The reason was due to participation from the six zones (for schools in Sabah) which have increased drastically. “Sandakan for example sent in 164 entries compared to the usual below 20 entries. This was achieved due to collaboration with the Education Department,” said SAG curator Jennifer Linggi when contacted. She added that while the theme remained the same which is ‘Sabah in My Point of View’ where pieces involved any subjects or topics related to the State, it was evident that the standard of artworks have improved. “There were improvement in terms of of techniques as well as signs of deeper understanding and interpretation of current situation and social matters. “For example, a rhinoceros-related piece using doodle technique following the death of Puntung in the middle of this year, showed environmental awareness and at the same time utilises current contemporary style (of art). “We also received a lot more Khat calligraphy entries this year.” she added. Source : New Straits Times
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20Sep

Plenty on offer at Borneo Eco Film Fest

Kota Kinabalu: Visitors will be able to enjoy a three-day festival featuring art, exhibitions, workshops and free talks at the 2017 Borneo Eco Film Festival (BEFF). The film festival promises a fun, informative and interactive weekend for all at Suria Sabah's fifth and sixth floor from Sept 22-24. Programme Director Melissa Leong said this year's programme includes the first ever BEFF Eco Art Carnival, wax-straw making workshop, green storytelling for children and panel sessions. "The Eco Art Carnival features the collaborative work of artists who will be showcasing eco-themed art installations which is a great opportunity to check out and purchase the art and craftwork of local craftmakers and artisans," she said. Three main art groups will be participating, namely Persatuan Seni Visual Sabah (PSVS), Decorative Art and Craft Club and the collective from University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF). One of the artistic highlights in BEFF this year is an Orang Utan Art Installation, called "Love Me, Love My Home" featuring painted portraits of Sabah's iconic primate. These portraits, which are also for sale will be hung on tree branches along the corridor leading to the venue, symbolically replicating the degraded habitat of the Orang Utan and visitors are invited to write and hang their eco-friendly pledge on these branches. PSVS spokesperson and local artist Christianne Goonting, explained that this installation will serve as a reminder that humans must learn to sustainably co-exist with our natural surroundings. "We must acknowledge the fact that our world supports a huge variety of life and we need to respect this. We need to share and live together and not rob the animal kingdom of their natural habitat," she said. Meanwhile, children aged seven and above are invited to join a free wax straw-making workshop on Sunday, Sept 24. Conducted by Carolyn Lau, founder of the citizen-led initiative 'Tak Nak Straw!' the workshop aims to encourage people to explore alternatives to plastic straws. "It seems like such a small thing but single-use plastic straws are really bad for the environment. It takes hundreds of years to break down. They fill up landfills and end up in waterways and the ocean, which then endangers our marine life," explained Melissa. "This year, we are screening a film called 'Straws' which shows why we need to rethink the habit of using plastic straws. 'Straws' will be screened followed by the wax straw-making workshop on Sunday, 12.30pm, Sept 24. Additionally, there will be free talks and panel sessions where members of the public can interact with experts and engage in discussion on the various environmental and social issues featured in this year's film line-up. This year, there will be a special talk on Mount Kinabalu by The Sabah Society, a panel on access to education for underprivileged children and a light-hearted session on the pursuit of happiness and living a positive life by Dr. Sivakumar Kumaresan. The three-day festival is an annual non-profit event celebrating Borneo's biocultural diversity through showcasing environmental films and nurturing local community filmmaking. Source: Daily Express
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22Aug

Sabah has talented artists among multiracial community

KOTA KINABALU: The multiracial Sabah community with diverse backgrounds has the potential to unearth talented artists. Deputy Chairman of the Sabah Cultural Board Datuk Jaimin Samitah said the Sabah Art Gallery (BSLS) is one of the main platforms for communities around the South West Coast and Sabah in general to showcase their talents. He pointed out that how a simple sketch could be turned into a wonderful art piece. “Paintings and sculptures, and handicrafts among others started off with sketches. And if they are great works, we will share with the public through exhibitions,” he said. He believed there are people who could translate an idea into beautiful arts. It can be said that art covers every aspects of human life. In this modern era, artworks are seen as increasingly important as lovers demand for different dimensions of art forms, he said. “Many think this art is trivial but it is actually one of the earliest areas in which creators produce works for the betterment of society,” Jaimin said officiating the 32nd Annual Choice of Works in South West Coast at the Sabah Art Gallery here, yesterday. “The number of participation is increasing year to year, especially target groups from school students. “This year’s participation has doubled up compared to last year,” Jaimin said. “I understand that the division level has been completed last week and on August 24, the state-level assessment will be carried out by our local artists,” he added. Jaimin also urged BSLS to encourage participants to produce more quality and creative works. “I congratulate those who have been selected to win the prizes and not forgetting to the less successful, do not give up on your goal and continue to work on it.” Jaimin also presented prizes to more than 15 winners including individuals from the open category. Among the winning students were from SM Stella Maris, SMK Shan Tao and SM All Saints. Winners of categories A and B took home RM300 and certificates while for open category is RM1,500 cash and certificate. Also present was the manager and curator of Sabah Art Gallery, Jennifer Linggi Source: New Sabah Times
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22Aug

Puntung the Sumatran rhino immortalised in painting

KOTA KINABALU: A 16-year-old girl has immortalised the near-extinct Sumatran rhino in her painting. Monica Vun Yi Jing titled her artwork “Kenangan si Puntung bersama alam semula jadi” (A memory of Puntung with nature) to commemorate the loss of Puntung, one of the country’s last remaining Sumatran rhinos. Puntung, a female Sumatran rhino that lived at the Tabin Wildlife Reserve in Lahad Datu, suffered from skin cancer and was put down in June. Vun said she was saddened over Puntung’s demise, and that she was inspired to produce the painting for the 32th Annual Artworks held in conjunction with the Yang di-Pertua Negeri’s official birthday. “The drawing depicts the endangered species in the wild and the local motifs drawn on Puntung's body represent the various ethnic groups in Sabah. “I spent about RM135 to complete this art within a month and a half,” she said during the prize presentation ceremony at Sabah Art Gallery here today. Vun’s artwork is among 614 entries submitted by students and members of the public from the southwest coast division. Also present were Deputy Sabah Cultural Board chairman Datuk Jaimin Samitah and the gallery’s curator Jennifer Linggi. Jaimin said the event required participants to do study subjects related to the state before translating them into paintings. “There will be 90 artworks to be chosen to be displayed at the gallery. “The public will have the opportunity to visit the three-month-long exhibition at the gallery here after the final awards presentation in September.”
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02Aug

House of British Artist in Sabah To Be Turned Into Gallery

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah is honouring British teacher and artist Tina Rimmer by converting her Likas home into an art gallery. Sabah Art Gallery curator Jennifer Linggi said this was to enable the public to have glimpse into Rimmer's life “The house will serve as a showcase of the simple life Tina lived,” she said after the launching of a three-month exhibition of Tina’s works at the Sabah Art Gallery here on Tuesday. The exhibition will run until Dec 1. Linggi said Tina had moved into the house in 1996 and the house has remained empty since her May 5 death, just three months short of her 100th birthday on Aug 1. Rimmer, who made Sabah her home in 1949 is best known for her portraits of ordinary folk and her paintings of tamu or traditional farmers’ markets. She produced more than 1,000 artworks since she started painting and sketching everyday scenes around Sabah. Tina, originally from Devon, came to then-North Borneo then in 1949 as an Education Officer. She was one of the original lecturers at Kent Teacher's Training College in Tuaran in 1951 and later taught at Siew Ching Chinese School and Saint Dominic's Secondary School in Lahad Datu. Tina married Bert Rimmer, a planter in Lahad Datu in 1959 and they settled in a farm where she learned to rear cattle and to plant fruits before moving to Tamparuli in 1974 Meanwhile, in his speech at the opening of the exhibition, state Tourism, Culture and Environment minister Datuk Seri Masidi Manjun said Rimmer had contributed the state by capturing scenes of life in Sabah. He added that Rimmer had also brought comfort to families of terminally ill patients with her portraits of those in palliative care. “There was no doubt of Tina’s love for Sabah and the people here,” Masidi said.
Source: The Star
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