Translating the Sacred and the Profane
Zikri Rahman takes us on a short tour of the way that artists have used symbols of statehood to commemorate, challenge and expand the idea, and meaning of nationhood in Malaysia.
Malaysia
A bangsawan guru, a graffiti artist and an anthropologist who composed iconic rock songs
Mira Sharon remembers the artists and cultural workers from Malaysia we lost in 2022.
Building Practice: Arts Spaces in Malaysia
The arts ecosystems in many parts of Southeast Asia are under-resourced. In this environment, independent arts spaces provide invaluable opportunities and support to the wider community. Deborah Augustin interviews the people behind four arts spaces in Malaysia to learn more about their work and how they have survived in an evolving landscape.
Memori Menonton “Two Lines In a Square”: Penjara Bahasa dan Sang Tahanan Bebas Separa
Azrin Fauzi mengulas “Two Lines in A Square”, persembahan yang dilancar di Taipei dan Kuala Lumpur dari dua perspektif berbeza.
Yang Ditapis, Yang Terlepas
Zikri Rahman menghuraikan tentang filem-filem yang ditapis secara tegas dan peluang yang terlepas akibat tindakan tersebut.
Ghaib: Can the Unheard Speak?
Faisal Tehrani’s ‘Ghaib’, a complex portrayal of family, agency and voice, contends that real emancipation is still elusive in our society.
Hurt Need Undo Live: A Mantra of Possibilities
In his latest exhibition, Jerome Kugan embraces his amorphous self and allows themes of religion, sexuality and nudity to intertwine ever so delicately.
Crackhouse Comedy Club: A Timeline of a Growing Controversy
It’s been more than six weeks since a video clip of a performance started circulating online in Malaysia. The ever widening fallout has just claimed its latest victim, with the lifetime ban on the co-owners of Crackhouse Comedy Club from owning business in Kuala Lumpur. Mira Sharon tracks the controversy through a timeline of key events – it’s a long ride, so buckle up.
Kuiz: Sejauh Manakah Pengetahuan Anda Tentang Penapisan Seni di Malaysia?
Baik buku yang dilarang mahupun frasa yang tabu, dunia seni kita telah menyaksikan semuanya. Ikuti kuiz kami untuk mengetahui tentang penapisan seni di Malaysia!
Quiz: How Much do you Know About Arts Censorship in Malaysia?
From banned publications to forbidden phrases, the arts has seen it all. Take our quiz, here to learn about arts censorship in Malaysia!
A Response to ‘Every Thought I’ve Ever Had: Contemplating the Origin of the Sun’
Veteran playwright Leow Puay Tin is intrigued by the methods used by a trio of young performance makers to sustain a 12-hour performance.
Parastoo Theatre: Art, Refuge, Action
The pioneering theatre company, founded and run by Afghan theatre maker and refugee, Saleh Sepas, is creating a practice that enriches the cultural landscape for all Malaysians.
Ilham Art Show 2022: An Introspection Into What Was
From technological frustrations to climate catastrophes to queer representation, the Ilham Art Show has it all. Mira Sharon untangles the pieces which prize on the themes of family, love and loss.
Ke Mana Tumpahnya Tuah… Kalau Tidak Ke Hati
Dalam dunia filem, terdapat pelbagai canggah dan cabang yang membuatkan filem tersebut menarik. Daniyal Kadir meluahkan perspektifnya tentang filem “Spilt Gravy” dengan tumpangan pendapat berkaitan penapisan filem.
Where Flows Blessings but to the Heart
Daniyal Kadir is moved by the long awaited Jit Murad film, “Spilt Gravy” directed by Zahim Albakri.
Being and Becoming: Of Femininities in the Malay World Through 50 Images (Seminars)
A series of four seminars was presented by researchers behind Being and Becoming: Of Femininities in the Malay World Through 50 Images.
Spectrum of Nature in SIFA 2022
ArtsEquator interviews four artists whose works depict nature in different spectrums, at the upcoming Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022. Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022 is just days away, with a diverse array of programmes, including at the intersections of art and nature. ArtsEquator speaks with four participating artists, each of whose works depict …
“Spilt Gravy Ke Mana Tumpahnya Kuah” Makes Us Consider Time, History and the Prickly Question of Family
After years of waiting, Spilt Gravy Ke Mana Tumpahnya Kuah hits the screens in Malaysia on 9th June. We speak to Datuk Zahim Albakri (director/co-screenwriter) and June Tan (co-screenwriter) on what it took for the film, adapted from a play, to reach this moment. One privilege of being an artist is the experience of creating …
10 Things You Should Know About: Silat
In the next segment of our 10 Things You Should Know series, researchers Faisal Nordin and Muhammad Jailani Abu Talib compile a string of riveting facts about the Southeast Asian cultural form, Silat. This series on Malay cultural forms and traditions is commissioned by Wisma Geylang Serai. 10 Things You Should Know comprises short animated …
5 Advertisements That Are So Southeast Asian
Some advertisements are works of art. These contain well-told stories, interesting characters, and meaningful insights, while making a marketing message go down that much more smoothly. Mira Sharon recommends 5 advertisements you can watch to learn more about what makes us Southeast Asians tick. To tell stories is a beautiful act, and advertisements are an …
Spectres of May 13, 1969
Eddie Wong writes of the various spectres around the riots of May 13 1969 that continue to haunt the Malaysian psyche till today. He conjures up new ways of thinking of ghosts and their connections with the living, and pays tribute to those who continue to contribute to the much-needed conversation around this topic. This …
8 Picks from the Dreamy, Mind-Bending SIFA 2022
Singapore International Festival of Arts 2022 is just around the corner, with a slate of offerings that are as multidisciplinary, dreamy and mind-bending as they are spectacular and thought provoking. ArtsEquator recommends 8 shows to catch. SIFA 2022 takes place from 20 May to 5 June 2022. With the much anticipated upcoming edition of the …
COVID-19 and the Arts in Southeast Asia – 2 years on
In March 2020, we spoke to 10 arts and culture workers from across Southeast Asia, in a bid to capture the sentiments on the ground as it shifted during the early days of the pandemic. Now two years later, we revisit the same artists to see what has changed, and what has stayed the same. …
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Dalam kenangan: Rahman B.
Shahrul Mizad Ashari berkongsi luahan tentang Tokoh Seniman Negara, Rahman B, seniman bangsawan ikonik yang meninggal dunia pada 2 Mac 2022. “Jadi, Cikgu rasa Bangsawan ni sebenarnya…,” kata-kata ini tidak akan kedengaran lagi setiap kali memulakan bicara. Kata-kata seorang adiguru Bangsawan, setiap kali bermula kelas praktikal di dalam Studio Tari Utama di Akademi Seni Budaya …
Exploring The End Of The Golden Era Of Singapore Cinema
Once dubbed the Hollywood of Southeast Asia, Singapore has a rich and proud place in Southeast Asia’s cinema history. Films as a medium and art form have always possessed great potential to convey crucial messages and influence the cultural zeitgeist of their times. Take a look at today’s pop culture and how Hollywood and its …
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Jit Murad: Your Imagination Will Make Us Smile
In examining the legacy of the late, celebrated Malaysian playwright Jit Murad, Fasyali Fadzly identifies the shoulders that Jit stood on, and the way his works, in turn, provide pathways for future theatre makers. Even though I am a Malaysian theatre practitioner, I am not friends with Jit Murad. We are divided by differing practices, …
Jit Murad: Imaginasimu Akan Buat Kami Tersenyum
Walaupun saya bergiat di dalam bidang teater di Malaysia, saya bukan kawan Jit Murad. Perbezaan praktis, latar belakang dan generasi menjadi jurang antara kami. Mungkin beliau juga tidak mengenali saya. Mungkin. Banyak perbezaan antara kami dan mungkin inilah yang menjadikan peluang untuk kami bertembung di lapangan yang sama, tipis. Melihat rakan-rakan seniman yang lain menceritakan …
Barbarian Invasion: Malaysian New Wave’s return to self
While watching his pupil spar, the martial arts master instructs, “Trust your instinct, feel your own body. Only then you can express yourself…” “Sifu,” the pupil replies, “What is myself?” The scene above captures the premise of Barbarian Invasion, a film written and directed by Tan Chui Mui, who also plays its lead role. The …
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Air Con: Who Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
Who do you want to be when you grow up? At the end of the play AIR CON, the character William (Nick Davis) asks the character Asif (Ryan Lee Bhaskaran) this question. This stuck with me because I found myself asking the question: What happens when a play grows up? Does it? Are plays allowed …
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The working processes of artists: Daly Filsuf
“I want to bring all the Asian kinds of music to the world, with our language,” says rapper and music producer Daly Filsuf. In this video, the artist talks about dikir barat as a genre, and how he has fused elements of dikir barat and Malay traditional music into his work with Malay hip hop …