Front Row

A performance called Mix Bill of Contemporary Dance Works features a collaboration between UK and Malaysian dancers. The show brings together Kenny Shim & Collective from Malaysia, and Mobius Dance from the UK, to explore the kinds of works that can be created when dancers of different backgrounds and approaches come together. We speak with Gianluca Vincentini, artistic director of Mobius Dance, and dancer/choreographer Kenny Shim, about what we can expect from the show.

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The inaugural Lukis Tulis Festival is a visual arts festival that highlights emerging Malaysian artists. Initiated by two women - Ratna Rashidi and Shereen Sukha - who themselves came to art later in life, the festival aims to make visual arts a more accessible and less intimidating space both for artists and the general public. We speak with the two founders about what we can expect from the event.

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Mak Yong, the age-old operatic dance drama from Kelantan, can be difficult for a modern audience to take in. “Wayang Mak Yong Stories” attempts to acquaint the public to the stories from Mak Yong, by presenting them through shadow theatre. We speak with the show’s director Shabera Shaik, and performer Tristen ZiJuin, about presenting these stories through a different medium.

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Carnatic music from South India and classical Hindustani music from North India come together in a duet of strings, in a show called “Duologue III”, featuring sitarist Samuel J. Dass and violinist Hariraam Tingyuan Lam. We speak with Hariraam about creating a musical conversation.

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Hariraam and Abbirami learnt the Indian classical style of playing the violin from a very young age, having been trained in the style of Indian Carnatic violin maestro Lalgudi G Jayaraman. The two violinists will be performing together in “Two Violins”, a recital that aims to encourage a deeper appreciation of Carnatic music.

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An exhibition of mixed-media installations at the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery explores the idea of Malaysian heritage. Titled “Pusaka: Embracing our Heritage for the Future”, the exhibition features a diverse collection of installations by 12 Malaysian artists that explore themes like education, economy, sports, literature, and nature, among others. We speak with some of the people involved.

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The paintings in Lina Tan’s debut exhibition feature items that many of us will find both familiar and nostalgic - such as a cassette tape, matchboxes, or a sardine can. Aptly called “Stuff”, the exhibition explores our attachments to these seemingly mundane things. We speak with Lina to learn more about her art in the show.

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The “Don’t Let…” theatre series brings together different directors to present bite-sized productions of a wide array of works. This time, in honour of our National Laureate Usman Awang’s 90th birthday on July 12, the series is taking on his writings, in a multilingual, multigenre production. We speak with the series’ producer Easee Gan, and one of the directors, Zheng Xi Yong, about bringing this iconic Malaysian writer’s works to the stage.

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Art Battle is a global movement where artists compete against each other to create work within a limited amount of time. We’ve had three Art Battles here in Malaysia so far, and for the latest edition, Art Battle Malaysia is collaborating with UNHCR Malaysia to feature young artists who are refugees. We speak with Art Battle Malaysia founder Ruby Subramaniam and Yante Ismail of UNHCR Malaysia about how the competition adds a different dimension to visual art, while also giving the participating artists a valuable platform for self-expression.

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