30 Oct 2016

Langkawi Art Biennale Patron

Langkawi Art Biennale 2016 is the first international art event for Yang Mulia Engku Raja as a Patron. He is very excited and looking forward to welcoming all the international and local participating artists. He has extended his invitation to all his friends to support Langkawi art Biennale 2016. He is very passionate over the event and going all out to make Langkawi known as the new art destination. This is a great task, requiring collective effort from all levels and it is no doubt that he is working very hard towards that goal.

21 Oct 2016

Press Conference for Langkawi Art Biennale 2016

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Our honourable Yang Mulia Engku Raja Omar Ikram Bin Raja Abdullah is the Patron of Langkawi Art Biennale 2016.He is all geared up to kick-start the event. He is a great man, an ex international rugby player, full of energy and constantly checking on myself and also the other working committee on the progress of the coming event LAB2016.

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That’s our Patron, Yang Mulia Engku Raja. He took the lead on the press conference to the media what Langkawi Art Biennale 2016 is all about.

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I am glad to meet Pn. Zainariah Johari (Senior Vice President of Yayasan Hasanah) Her presence here at this evening’s press conference is an encouragement, a good start where she will get first-hand information on what Langkawi Art Biennale is about. I am sure she is going to take the first step to see how she is going to support our event. Thank you Pn. Zainariah for attending our press conference. See you in Langkawi!

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I am glad to have Datuk Ab Rahim Bin Md Noor, President of Mata Hati Malaysia Association to join us at today’s press conference held at Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur. He also paints in acrylic and has a great passion for art. Being an art enthusiast, I am glad to see him here to support our press conference. Datuk, see you in Langkawi!

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This is En. Norul Azizi Bin Abdul Ghani, an official representing Yayasan Tunku Kassim. He travels frequently to Alor Setar, Kedah and Langkawi when situation requires him to do various inspections and to arrange various meetings with  people who are keen to contribute and make Lanagkawi Art Biennale a success.

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Pn. Noriyah Osman is the private secretary to the founder of Yayasan Tunku Kassim, Yang Teramat Mulia Dr. Tunku Monsor Ibni Almarhom Tunku Kassim. She came all the way from Alor Setar, Kedah to support our press conference. Throughout our meetings she has always been recording down all the things that we discussed. She contributes the role of ensuring that everyone is focused on their duty respectively. She reports to YTM Tunku Monsor. Thank you for attending our press conference, Pn. Noriyah.

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Friends of LAB2016, Pn.Noriza Bt Jamaludin and Pn. Illaina Bt Ibrahim (owner of BDC Cafe Wangsa Maju).

15 Jun 2016

“TANDU DI RAJA” – KEDAH ROYAL PALANQUIN

In the old days, in the state of Kedah, ‘Tandu di Raja’ was used by the Sultan and other members of the royal family as a form of transport. This palanquin consists of a covered box with chair and two poles on either side. It is beautifully decorated with wood carvings, showing the skill of Kedah craftsmen at that time. A team of palanquin bearers will carry it on their shoulders as they parade through the town and also travel from village to village. It was popular during the reign of Sultan Madzafar Shah II of the Kedah Sultanate, about 500 years ago.

Now, it is mainly used during royal ceremonies, such as to carry gifts called “hantaran” during royal engagements and weddings. These are usually smaller in size. The main palanquin will be to carry the Sultan himself, during his coronation and even for royal weddings. This will required a much bigger and grander palanquin, carried by at least 10 strong men, depending on the distance of the journey. It may be even up to 50 specially trained bearers.

A replica of this old form of “wheel-less” carriage has been built to 90% accuracy, so that we can appreciate this grand mode of transport.

14 Apr 2016

ART TOURISM SHUTTLE FOR LANGKAWI ART BIENNALE 2016

We enclose a link to this Art Tourism Shuttle which was organised here in Kuala Lumpur.  http://artmalaysiagroup.com/seni/detail/25/mcat-art-tour-shuttle-at-kuala-lumpur-city It was a very insightful experience to find out that many people are not aware that there are many wonderful paintings they can enjoy and also buy home. Malaysia indeed has got many good artists and there are also foreigners who are artists living in Malaysia. We will leave this to AsiaWings Holidays to enhance it.

Art Tourism Shuttle is necessary because during the month of November,  it is the rainy season in Langkawi.  But rain or shine this Art Tourism Shuttle will run on a fixed schedule to all the hotels to pick up tourists. On their way journeying to the exhibition, the tourists will be given questionnaires for them to indicated whether they are on the island for the first time to purposely attend Langkawi Art Biennale or maybe they are art collectors themselves back home where they also attend art exhibitions and even buy paintings.  During the journey, the idea is to gather information on how we can to continue to work with AsiaWings Holidays to improve this Art Tourism Shuttle service for future Langkawi Art Biennale events.

This year, we have AsiaWings Holidays to lead a group of tourist guides who are knowledgeable in art and also very passionate in art. They will organise the Art Tourism Shuttle. This shuttle will be on a regular schedule to pick up tourists from all the participating hotels within the Langkawi Island. This is a new feature for Langkawi island where an Art Tourism Shuttle is going around from hotels to pick up tourists to see art at Langkawi International Convention Centre.

 

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2 Mar 2016

ALFONS HUG – BIENNALE BOOK CLUB TALK

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On 2 March 2016, I was privileged to have attended a talk by Alfons Hug, curator, critic & exhibition organiser. Currently director of the Goethe-Institute in Singapore, his involvement in art biennales is extensive. Since 2002 he has curated many biennales including 25th & 26th Bienal de São Paulo, Brazil with 670,000 visitors and 917,000 visitors respectively. He is also acclaimed for curating the 1st. and 2nd Bienal of Montevideo, Uruguay.

It was a wonderful and informative art biennale talk organised by the National Visual Art Gallery of Malaysia. He spoke of the need for art biennales, the challenges and the future of these events.

After the talk, we had dinner with the speaker, Alfons Hug and Director of Goethe Institute, Malaysia. Clearly he is passionate about his curatorial work, as he continued to give in-depth information and shared his experiences organising the art biennales during the dinner.

Many thanks and appreciation to Madam Zanita Anuar the Director of the Office of the KL Biennale and Rolf Stehle the Director of Goethe Institute for bringing in Alfons Hug to speak on how wonderful it is to have an art biennale!

27 Feb 2016

Meeting with Art Sowers

Art Sowers is a community of art movement to encourage, empower and edify artists to be transforming agents in the world through God’s creativity. It is the purpose of Art Sowers to nurture artists, designers, and academics from all the various branches of creative by providing a sanctuary in which to gather, learn, collaborate and create. Art Sowers believes that art that sow people’s heart plays a significant role in the pursuit of truth.

26 Feb 2016

Meeting with Retrospective of Biennales exhibition

Pn. Zanita Anuar (Director of the Office of the KL Biennale) together with Pn. Jennifer P. Linggi, (Manager & Curator, Sabah Art Gallery, Kota Kinabalu) had a discussion at ArtMalaysia’s office today. It was regarding the previous Langkawi Art Biennale 2014, which will be featured in the upcoming Retrospective of Biennales exhibition this November 2016 at National Visual Arts gallery of Malaysia. This exhibition is part of their research for the KL Art Biennale 2017

19 Feb 2016

APPOINTMENT OF AMBASSADOR FOR LANGKAWI ART BIENNALE 2016

Yayasan Tunku Kassim recently appointed Dato’ Syed Sobri Syed Hashim to be the Ambassador for Langkawi Art Biennale 2016. Despite his busy schedule, Dato’ has agreed to take up this position and will be working closely with ArtMalaysia; to meet up with state officials, procure sponsors and garner support from various quarters.

We welcome Dato’ Syed Sobri Syed Hashim to this endeavour!

12 Feb 2016

COLLABORATION with ANGKATAN PELUKIS SEMALAYSIA (APS)

After a meeting with En. Hassan Bin Mohd Ghazali, Chairman of Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia and his committee to finalise the matter on Friday, 12 February 2016, we are pleased to announce that Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia (APS) will be collaborating with the organisers of Langkawi Art Biennale 2016 by bringing in their artists to participate and also conducting various art based programmes during the 10 days event.

This also includes collaboration with Angkatan Pelukis Kedah (APK) and Langkawi Artist Visual Art Association (LAVAA).

The 2 main programmes scheduled are –

  • LAKAR LUKIS LANGKAWI III which will be the 3rd of the series of Lakar (sketch), Lukis (draw) and Langkawi event which APS began in 2014. Scenic and inspiring locations on beautiful Langkawi are chosen for artists to do live sketching and drawing plein air. Then some cultural assimilation with the locals such as artistically sprucing up community or religious centres, ie an artistic ‘gotong royong’ of sorts and finally feasting with the villagers in true Malaysian hospitality! A special exhibition of the art works done will be organised later back in Kuala Lumpur.
  • Live WATERCOLOUR COMPETITION will be held in Langkawi Art Biennale 2016’s venue. Visitors can view how the experienced artists yield their brushes and put their delicate paint on paper to create wonderful, spontaneous art works.

We are excited to have APS on board.  Many thanks to En Amirudin Bin Ariffin, Vice-Chairman (1),  Angkatan Pelukis SeMalaysia for initiating this meeting.