Imaginings of Nationhood: on “Negaraku”, a Collector’s Show by Bingley Sim and Ima Nurbinsha
6 min read
A NATION IS, first and foremost, the story of an idea. That’s what we mean by “nation-building”—what’s…
Kopi Jackfruit Monkey—Feeling Life in George Town
3 min read
I HAVE ALWAYS loved two things in life: travel and art. Combining these, my wife and I have travelled the world, stopping in particularly inspiring locations li...
Hussin Hourmain: Embedding Jawi Calligraphy in Contemporary Art
4 min read
Images by Core Design Gallery.HUSIN HOURMAIN, a 61-year-old contemporary Malaysian visual artist, is famed for his abstract expressionist works of contemporary...
Sounds and Silence: Experimental Music Permeates Penang Spaces
8 min read
Photos by Shankar Laxminarayan and courtesy of Kamal Sabran.
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“The Islander Surge”: Exploring Cultural Uniqueness in Music
4 min read
An island’s cultural traditions and social contexts often render “islanders” with unique yet versatile identities. Hence, they are sometimes described as having...
Witness Collection: The Struggles that Span the Creation of Astonishing Art
5 min read
THE BLAME GAME often takes off when multiple stakeholders are involved. Let’s look at Penang’s art industry. One time, I wrote about the media’s role in promoti...
Readings@Tanjong: Experiential Waves of Stories and Poetry
5 min read
READINGS@TANJONG was established in 2023 as a bimonthly reading event featuring literary works by Penang writers. Produced by Dabble Dabble Jer Collective (DDJ....
Penang as Launchpad for Fine Arts Graduates to Craft Art Careers?
4 min read
FORMAL FINE ARTS programmes remain relatively uncommon in tertiary education institutions in Malaysia, and in Penang, only Equator College and the School of The...
The Vibrancy, Variety—and Silent Endurance—of Indian Cultures on Show
3 min read
FARIZA ARIFFIN, a Muslim of Indian descent—who also happens to be my sister, had a eureka moment after watching a Chinese play at Auditorium A, KOMTAR, earlier...
The Muralz: A Movie Animating Solidarity and Hope
3 min read
GEORGE TOWN’S MURALS take centre stage in The Muralz, a remarkable animated creation featuring a devoted food delivery driver who befriends Pahlawan Nasi Lemak,...
Stunning Paintings of Birds of Malaysia by Choo Beng Teong
3 min read
ORNITHOLOGY IS THE study of birds—and Choo Beng Teong has devoted his career to it by creating anatomically precise paintings, most of which have been showcased...
Foo Hong Tatt's Poetry in Paint
5 min read
FOO HONG TATT was born on 9 April 1940, several months before World War II descended upon Malaya. He recalls hiding with his family at their estate in the hills...
