Culture

As part of its continuous efforts to raise greater awareness on the vibrant Malaysian arts and culture scene while making art more accessible to the public, CENDANA together with Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur are bringing back the second edition of Art In The City (AITC) with a slew of exciting programmes and activities to engage with the local audiences.

Themed “I heART KL”, AITC 2019 taking place on 18 to 27 October 2019, will feature three site-specific commissioned art installations by Malaysian artists, a video competition, Lucky Pao Market, public art forum and workshop as well as fringe activities which aim to celebrate the diverse artistic, creativity, compassion and imagination of Malaysians.

Public sculpture and installation programme.

Following an open call for public art in June to find for the best artistic proposal to keep the city’s vibrancy charged, the final artists are Filamen, Joshua Teo and Pamela Tan. Besides site-specific activations, there will be workshops conducted by the artists in conjunction with their commission period. The artworks finalized by the Selection Panel and curator Snow Ng will be available along the River of Life from 18 October 2019 until February 2020.

There will be Public Art Workshop conducted by Aisyah Baharuddin an Interdisciplinary artist and social activist based in Batu Pahat, Johor. She is deeply involved in the development of Contemporary Art in Malaysia since 2004. And Singapore artist Lim Soo Ngee, whose approach to sculpture is immensely intimate, musing over the different relationships between humanity, the environment, and society. To register, please email [email protected]

I heART KL video competition.

With a goal to celebrate the multitude of creativity, CENDANA launched a video competition to invite Malaysians to present an interesting narrative of what makes Kuala Lumpur unique through the lens of arts and culture.

The call-out received overwhelming responses and 8 entries have been selected for the public to vote on CENDANA’s Facebook page for their favorite video. The winner will win attractive cash prizes and enjoy special screening sessions at the Lucky Pao Market.

CENDANA video competition screening:

Date: 19 October 2019

Time: 5pm to 11pm

Location: Lucky Pao Market, Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur

Lucky Pao market.

Jalan Raja will be transformed into a creative marketplace to bring the historic landscape of Kuala Lumpur to life with surprises, feel-good moments and unforgettable experiences for the public. Lucky Pao is a gathering of artisans featuring local crafts, creations, artworks as well as the best local music performances like Kyoto Protocol, Johny Comes Lately, Bizhu and The Nadir Music Collective, in addition to community activations.

On top of that, it will be a feast of senses, which promises to transport you to the street markets of Malaysia with popular rakyat food, delicacies, and market stalls.

Date: 19 October 2019

Time: 5pm to 11pm

Location: Jalan Raja, Kuala Lumpur

Entry: Free

Time, place and challenges: A public art forum.

A forum and workshop will be organized to discuss the role of arts and culture in public spaces to share best practices and experiences within the country, regionally and internationally. The forum on 20 October from 10am to 5pm features Nani Kahar, Dr Rosli Zakaria, Tetawowe Atelier, Aisyah Baharuddin, Lim Soo Ngee (Singapore), Ahmad Khairudin (Indonesia), Snow Ng and moderated by Pang Khee Teik.

A two-day Public Art Workshop will also be taking place on 21-22 October 2019 from 10am to 6pm. Both programs will take place at RUANG by Think City. Register via [email protected]

Other fringe activities include:

* Panggung Rakyat on 19 October 2019 I 8.30pm to 11pm: The program serves as a public arts platform at Jalan Raja that seeks to educate, engage and energize Malaysia’s unique arts and cultural heritage through a series of curated authentic traditional performances and interactive workshops, displays and talks. October will feature the Ronggeng performance from Nusantara Performing Arts Research Center (NusParc).

* Walking/Gallery Tours on 18 to 27 October 2019: Curated tours in collaboration with The Art Seni to highlight other art exhibitions and shows happening around Kuala Lumpur. Sign up for Art In The City Walking Tour at a minimal fee and join the tour from 10 to 11am, 5 to 6pm and 6 to 7pm on 19 October 2019. The curated tours by The Art Seni Tour will be available for booking until January 2020. To register, please contact Aza at +6017 330 0012.

* Sketchwalk by KL Sketchnation on 20 October 2019: Join for a stroll in Kuala Lumpur and experience Art In The City with your sketchbook and pens! It’s a beginner-friendly event and there will also be sketching demonstrations. Register via +6012 205 1990.

* ACE Bootcamp Indie Music on 30 October 2019: Independent musicians, promoters, recording labels, artist managers and cultural workers in the music businesses are encouraged to attend the networking session at the ACE Bootcamp Indie Music edition at The Bee, Publika. The boot camp aims to support and stretch the ambition of independent musicians and music workers through targeted content mentored by music heavyweights in the industry, including Dato’ Ahmad Izham Omar, CEO of Primeworks Studio, Jennifer Thompson, Managing Director of J Two Entertainment, Rahul Kukreja, lead guitarist for One Buck Short and Director of The Bee, and other great minds. Register to the network via [email protected]

For more information on Art in the City 2019, go here.

Related: All Eyes on the Work of These Four Malaysian Artists in Italy