Front Row

The National Art Gallery, or Balai Seni Negara, is the premier national institution for the visual arts. What does it have planned for 2020 and beyond, and what role does it see itself playing when it comes to educating the Malaysian public on the visual arts? And what can we expect from the Kuala Biennale 2020? We speak with Zanita Anuar, Director of Exhibition Services, Collection and Conservation, and curator Intan Rafiza Abu Bakar, both from the National Art Gallery.

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As 2019 comes to a close, we look back at the ups and downs, the hits and misses, of the Malaysian arts over the past year. Here, we speak with The Star’s culture editor Daryl Goh and artists Ruby Subramaniam and Blankmalaysia, about the local visual arts scene in 2019, and what they hope 2020 will bring. Click here to listen to part 1.

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Local stand-comic Luwita Hana Randhawa has decided to explore her experiences of being an introvert in the most antithetical way possible - by getting up onstage to talk about it. We speak with Luwita about being an introvert and a comedian, and how these two aspects some together in her performance.

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As 2019 comes to a close, we look back at the ups and downs, the hits and misses, of the Malaysian arts over the past year. Here, we speak with actor Chacko Vadaketh, director/playwright Khairi Anwar, and dance producer Bilqis Hijjas, about the local performing arts scene in 2019, and what they hope 2020 will bring. Click here to listen to part 2.

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An art exhibition called “Domestic Bliss” brings together an artist and curator each from Malaysia and Vietnam to present a joint show here in Malaysia. The exhibition is a collaboration between ILHAM Gallery here in KL and The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in Ho Chi Minh City. We speak with the exhibition’s curators Khatijah Rahmat and Le Thuan Uyen, about this cross-cultural artistic collaboration and how the theme of “domestic bliss” allows for an exploration of home and belonging.

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A musical theatre production called “Lost/Found” follows the journeys of four different people who are each lost in some way. We speak with the show’s director Christopher Ling and composer/book writer Nick Choo about why this is a theme that resonates with people, and how they brought the different stories to life.

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In conjunction with Human Rights Day, we look at the work of a poet from Syria who is a refugee in Malaysia since 2016. Mwaffaq Al-Hajjar has become a well-known name in Malaysia’s poetry scene over the last few years, and he has published his first anthology, called Poetic Entropy. We speak with Mwaffaq about his journey as a poet, and how he uses his poetry to reflect on his own experiences with displacement and equality.

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Self-care has become a bit of a buzzword these days, but it can mean different things to different people. For dancer January Low, the idea of self-care is tied up with being both a mother and an artist. And this is what she explores in her upcoming mixed media production. We speak with January about her evolving ideas of how performing, and her desire to make her artistic practice a sustainable part of her life.

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Self-care has become a bit of a buzzword these days, but it can mean different things to different people. For dancer January Low, the idea of self-care is tied up with being both a mother and an artist. And this is what she explores in her upcoming mixed media production. We speak with January about her evolving ideas of how performing, and her desire to make her artistic practice a sustainable part of her life.

A dance theatre production, When Bells Meet Buckets, is bringing together bucket drumming and bharatanatyam, to tell stories of young people from Malaysia’s urban poor communities. The show, presented by GoodKids Malaysia and LS Creation, is the result of programmes that introduced these young people to the arts as a means of self-expression and self-empowerment. We speak with GoodKids Malaysia co-founder Koggelavani Muniandy, LS Creation founder Lavanya Selvaratnam, and performer Jeeva Gothadan about the production, and about the role the arts can play in empowering communities.

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