Art

You are currently browsing the archive for the Art category.

PARAH – A Must Watch

February 2, 2012 in Art, Theatre by Zain

Not because Malaysians need to support local theatre, but because it is a good play. 1st to 6th February 2012.

Due to the overwhelming response, where last night when I watched, there were people who paid just to sit on the floor, they have added another day on the roster. Click here for more info.

After a string of unimpressive plays, I’ve not gone to a theatre for a long time but was persuaded for this and it paid of. This one was well written overall, and I especially like Kahoe’s first monologue. I like how various angles were touched and covered well.

Secondly, from my observation in Malaysia, whenever history is contested (for school syllabus or outside that), it’s always questioning the facts. Rarely do we look at how history is written, where the words used can affect its understanding and articulation, and lead to a totally distorted view of what took place. This play brought out this thought cleverly.

Well done to Jo, Alfian, the actors and Instant Cafe Theatre. I hope this is not taken out of context nor as a sense of exaggeration, but the play lifted me as well as the standards of Malaysian theatre. The last time I was this captivated, was Rhythm in Bronze’s gamelan show, Alih PungGONG that coincidentally was staged on the exact same location.

Tags: ,

Stupid People

January 1, 2012 in Art, Literature, Self by Zain

Some weeks ago, I put out many tweets on stupid people that others found amusing. Below is a compilation. Like some works of art, which I am not conclusively equating this with, I am not going to explain what I’ve done here. It is for you to make what you want of it.

You don’t call them stupid people. You call them friends.

Stupid people are made equal. They live in your world. That’s why you never notice them.

The reason why stupid people are allowed to exist, is because we need someone to be friends with you.

Stupid people are the reason why some people doubt democracy.

Stupid people actually mean well. Except they don’t know what that means.

If stupid people could string together a respectable sentence, it would begin with a full stop.

Stupid people do not change light bulbs. Because they know it’s not safe to touch the sun even when it’s asleep.

Best way to explain to stupid ppl the world is round, is to roll a marble downhill. When it is out sight, say, ‘now you see?’

Stupid people cannot think like other people because thinking requires a brain.

Asking stupid people to think, makes you one of them.

In a world where stupid people exist, exceptions should be made for gun control laws.

Ask stupid people to ‘see eye to eye’ and they’d ask you for a mirror.

In the land of the blind, they are happy to not see stupid people. The one eyed Jack, is the King in despair.

If a waiter offers stupid people ’100+’, they’d bring out a calculator, waiting for the following number. Excitedly.

Stupid people insist they cannot think straight, because someone told them the brain is shaped much like a hemisphere.

Stupid people do not believe about the end of the world because they heard Kanye’ Diamonds Are Forever.

Stupid people believe the best way to lose weight is to misplace it.

Newspapers are good but can be confusing. Don’t ask stupid people to read The Star during the day.

If stupid people could read the ‘STOP’ sign at a junction, it must also write what to do next.

[Video] Not Enough to Question Authority, Speak with It Too

December 21, 2011 in Art, Change, People, Video by Zain

In relation to my previous post, I find this poem most apt by Taylor Mali. But it has more to do with a few of the inconclusive discussions I’ve initiated with friends recently.

That is this,

When somebody speaks loudly of what they have, they do, they know, it seems that the only category that person could belong to, is a negative. Boastful, arrogant, showoff, and other siblings of such verbs.

As oppose to, when somebody is asked, a question like, ‘how are things?’ or ‘how is business?’ there’s a cultural obligation to say something that negates reality, to the point that it becomes a negative, if not be quiet about it.

The point here is the conclusiveness of summarizing a display of character, that has led to people taking it one way, and no other way. Even if it is accepted as that, for example the question of ‘how is business?’ and it is replied with confident (not positivity but) good truth, the person asking will at some level get cheesed off. Either because of the response, or the non-conforming answer the other person gave in the context of how everyone else would usually say it.

Secondly, what I find is more alarming, is that such a widely accepted cultural practice, etiquette to some extent, leads to the imposition of not just not telling the truth, but giving a response that is the opposite.

But yet in a modern society where human values become more and more absent, (where a little gesture of kindness is celebrated beyond reciprocity by virtue of absence by others, disproportionate,) and the society that is more participatory in personal PR through channels like social media, that we demand sincerity more than before, the issue I raise above still looms like a never ending monsoon cloud.

I look forward to the drought, where though the air is dry, the sun is shining.

[Video] How to Snap Like a Diva

December 21, 2011 in Art, Video by Zain

If you remember watching In ‘Men On..’ sketches from In Living Colour, or any classic snap moments, this is tribute to that. And Zaza Fathy. Woot. :)

Art Lived, Not Hung

December 7, 2011 in Art, Ideas by Zain

On Saturday, I’ll be speaking at TEDxMMU (click here) where the theme is Nurturing University’s Creative Minds. I recently came across the work of a fellow speaker, Muid Latif, which I admire.

The images here are from his work, which was displayed in the KTM Komuter trains for Merdeka. As a matter of taste, I like the design, but more importantly how he came to sharing with me this project was my belief that art should be lived.

In some sense saying that life that is around us is the canvas for art and creativity. It is neither exclusive to a physical canvas, on a wall at your home or a gallery. Nor is it conclusive to a painting, or a photograph.

This point of view relates to the very first blog post I wrote in 2007, Holier Than Thou Art. To view more of the work by Muid, click here. From my experience, presence of art is quite significant in train stations in Italy, and some countries in South America. I heard France too.

 

Rio’s Christ Turns Red

December 4, 2011 in Art, Discourse, Ideas, Video by Zain

It doesn’t take a lot to get proper publicity, and push for tourism. Actually I’m wrong, it does take a lot. A lot of brains, not cost.

The Christ the Redeemer statue, top right, is lit in red light to commemorate World AIDS Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Dec. 1, 2011. Rio de Janeiro’s city government illuminated several urban monuments in red as part of its actions to commemorate World AIDS Day, from MSNBC photoblog.

Almost all great, big, developed cities, well-known cities, unfortunately need an iconic structure to solidify that status. To some extent it’s understandable and makes sense.

This thinking, was partly what drove the idea to build KLCC, which has to an extent delivered that part of its objective as an icon to KL/Malaysia and prop those two on the global platform, an indicator of progress and development. In terms of economy, this has quite a significant multiplier effect.

The second purpose, I assume, would be the tourism element which also relates to the purpose above.

Since it’s an icon, people take pictures of it, that later gets viewed by many others. But what I want to bring forth is that, such icons need not be as massive as the Kuala Lumpur’s KLCC or Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue.

Windy city Chicago did something much simpler. They gave the world the Cloud Gate, or what most people just call the Bean. Read up on articles of how much ‘returns’ did Chicago get from the Bean. While what Rio did recently was clever, Chicago takes the cake.

- http://zainhd.com/2011/12/rios-christ-turns-red-for-aids/

Video: Nerdy white kid KILLS “Look at Me Now”

December 2, 2011 in Art, Ideas, Video by Zain

First it was Karmin. Now it’s Mac Lethal, and this is mental. Exciting to see creativity explored, and actioned, in this manner. By regular people, moving something from idea in mind, to something tangible. It sounds simple, but many don’t actually ‘make things happen.’

- Watch the video  http://zainhd.com/2011/12/video-nerdy-white-kid-kills-look-at-me-now/

 

Speaking at TEDxMMU

November 28, 2011 in Art, Ideas, Self by Zain

Thanks to the organizers for having me.

This event is of interest to me as I’ve worked with and spent some time with students and youth, and for the past few months have been discussing the elements and issues around cultivating a climate, an environment, an ecosystem that is more vibrant for the creative scene, the social entrepreneurship scene namely in the context of bottom-up growth progression.

My topic is creative capacity.

+

Event theme: Nurturing University’s Creative Minds

My likely topic: Creative Capacity

Saturday 10 December , 0900 – 1500

Click here for more info, and click here to see some of the other speakers, that I’m looking forward to see.

*Update: click here to view pictures from the event.

- http://zainhd.com/2011/11/speaking-at-tedxmmu/

Furni Loving

November 28, 2011 in Art, Self, Travel by Zain

Earlier today, I tweeted:

Jst left old furniture shop. In love, did not spend, but hv their email & pics of wht I like. Oh dear..http://lockerz.com/s/159887637

The last time I went on a furniture spree, Jakarta 2009, it caused some damage and no regrets. The same has been the case for the last few outings I’ve had with the shops.

But there are a few realities some must come to face. And the new one I had was, to run away.

By that I mean, not to stay another night in Penang, because if I did, I’d pay this store another visit to confirm purchase of the items I’m interested in.

When I started looking at this, I knew I was getting carried away. So..the wise thing to do was to continue letting that happen.

Aren’t they lovely? Note how the legs are angled, and that there’s only three.

I actually came looking for this. And got excited seeing all the other stuff.

And then I enquired about the price for this gorgeous heavy peranakan beauty. That snapped me back to life and marked my exit.

Khor Antiques, Beach Road, Penang. Near Chulia Street.

That said, here it is for your perusal as I don’t subscribe to this notion of keeping the good things a secret. In essence, no good has ever come out of such selfish behaviour.

- http://zainhd.com/2011/11/furni-loving/

Open – Mukha Cafe TTDI

September 15, 2011 in Art, Self by Zain

Check this joint out. Behind Maybank TTDI on Jalan Burhanuddin Helmi, near the TTDI Police station. You’ll be seeing me here quite a bit, nice interior decor to chill bebual kosong or lek one corner to do work. Arty ish place.

PS. Some of the people who work here, were the same people who are responsible for almost all design work for RandomAlphabets as well as my company logo. Many thanks for all that support guys. :)

« Older entries