Weekend For The Arts: Gamelan series for beginners, art of painting birds
MUSIC: CONTEMPORARY GAMELAN WORKSHOP

Venue: Rhythm In Bronze Studio, Tropicana Avenue, Petaling Jaya

Date: March 30 and 31

Award-winning contemporary gamelan outfit Rhythm In Bronze is rolling out a beginners workshop series at its studio this weekend in Petaling Jaya. At these (two-day, 9am-1pm) sessions, not only do you get to play a full contemporary gamelan piece on different gamelan instruments, but you will also learn how to connect with yourself and others.

Rhythm In Bronze's team of skilled performers and music teachers will be on hand to guide newcomers, who will be introduced to the gamelan's rich tapestry of rhythms, melodies, and harmonies.

"No prior musical experience is required – gamelan is super accessible!" reads the workshop description.

Beyond the joy of creating music together, participants can also reap numerous cognitive and social benefits. The collaborative nature of gamelan music – even in a contemporary setting – cultivates teamwork and communication skills, as players synchronise their movements and sounds to produce a harmonious performance.

Moreover, the rhythmic complexity of gamelan compositions enhances rhythmic awareness and coordination.

So if you're looking for a weekend activity that is super laidback and relaxing to do over the fasting month, your answer might be gamelan!

The workshop price is RM350 (per pax). Contact: RiBronze@gmail.com.

More info here.

Nature artist Choo Beng Teong will be holding an art workshop and launching the special limited edition of 'Birds Of Malaysia' - with additional new artworks - at Sunda Shelves this Sunday. Photo: Choo Beng Teong

BOOK LAUNCH: 'BIRDS OF MALAYSIA – SPECIAL LIMITED EDITION'

Venue: Sunda Shelves, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya

Date: March 31, 5pm

If you love spending your time in nature and going bird-watching, be sure to catch nature artist Choo Beng Teong this Sunday – he’ll be launching the special limited edition of Birds Of Malaysia with additional new artworks of over 100 watercolour paintings of birds in their natural habitats.

Prior to the launch, Choo is hosting an exclusive watercolouring workshop at the venue for the artistically-inclined from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. The workshop is suitable for painters who are experienced in using watercolour as a medium, and are interested in brushing up or elevating their skill and technique.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own artwork for critique and improvement, as well as their own painting materials. The workshop is RM100 per person and is limited to 5 pax – those who wish to join the workshop should contact Sunda Shelves directly via email at sundashelves@gmail.com.

Register for the book launch here.

More info here.

A view of Chang Yoong Chia's 'Quilt Of The Dead' artwork seen at Ilham Gallery’s new exhibition 'Titik Garis Bentuk: Drawing As Practice.' Photo: The Star/Shaari Chemat

EXHIBITION: 'TITIK GARIS BENTUK: DRAWING AS PRACTICE'

Venue: Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

Date: ends July 28

Have you missed wandering around Ilham Gallery's main gallery space? Fret not.

Titik Garis Bentuk, a group exhibition, invites visitors back to the gallery to explore the role drawing plays in contemporary art in Malaysia and its place as finished works of art.

The exhibition, featuring the works of 27 artists, examines how artists are redefining the medium by blurring the boundaries between drawing and other art forms including installation, animation, and performance.

Through their wide range of works encompassing figuration, landscape, architectural drawing, and minimalism, artists are expanding conventional definitions of drawing as mark-making on a two dimensional surface through the innovative use of materials and techniques.

From the scale of life-size charcoal figures and panoramic landscapes to the immediacy of works that embody the meditative quality of drawing as practice, Titik Garis Bentuk showcases the different directions that these artists approach drawing.

More info here.

Shobita’s recital 'Tvameva – To You, I Surrender' will take place at the Shantanand Auditorium in KL on March 31. Photo: Kalpana Dance Theatre

DANCE: 'BHARATANATYAM SOLO RECITALS'

Venue: Shantanand Auditorium, Brickfields, KL

Date: March 30 and 31

Kalpana Dance Theatre’s (KDT) dancers Danya Rubinee Lim and Shobita Nagulendran are set to take the spotlight in a series of bharatanatyam solo recitals at the Shantanand Auditorium in KL on March 30 and 31.

These shows will be accompanied by a group of traditional Indian music performers.

The first performance in this series, “Kaivalyam - A Journey To Liberation,” will be presented by Lim on March 30 (at 6.30 pm). Shobita’s recital “Tvameva – To You, I Surrender,” will take place on March 31 (at 5.30 pm).

Both performances will feature entirely new and original choreography work by bharatanatyam exponent Shri PT Narendran. The orchestra, comprising both local and international talents, will be led by composer-musicologist Srikanth Gopalakrishnan on vocals. Accompanying him will be two young, vibrant local talents, Darmen Krisnan and Hariraam Lam, on the mridangam and violin, respectively. Internationally acclaimed flutist Muthukumar Balakrishnan will grace the performance with his flute.

Both performances are free admission. Contact: 017-672 5672 to RSVP for the performances.

More info here.

Aiwei Foo's 'Forever Gone But Always Exists' exhibition, which also features performance and video, explores the nuances of memory, life, and the eternal imprint that transitory things leave behind on the axis of time. Photo: Suma Orientalis

EXHIBITION: 'AIWEI FOO - FOREVER GONE BUT ALWAYS EXIST'

Venue: Suma Orientalis, Kuala Lumpur

Date: ends March 31

For a reflective artistic showcase, don't miss Aiwei Foo's (one-half of the Shaman Tearoom performance art duo) new works. She is presenting her first solo exhibition at Suma Orientalis, featuring six large pencil-on-paper drawings, touching on themes such as presence and absence, creation and erasure.

"The new series is about impermanence, prompting contemplation on the ever-changing nature of existence. This subject matter has been discussed extensively in academic circles, but I cannot convince myself not to delve into it further after witnessing the swift deinstallation of my works from my previous exhibition, which cost us so much effort and time to complete and install," says Foo about the exhibition.

Forever Gone But Always Exists, which also features performance and video, explores the nuances of memory, life, and the eternal imprint that transitory things leave behind on the axis of time. By doing so, Foo invites the viewers to reflect on the paradox of ephemerality – what has occurred does not go unnoticed; what has perished has merely changed its form of existence.

"Inspired by various literature materials such as the Diamond Sutra as well as her personal experience, the artist meditates on the constant cycle of constructing and destructing in her artistic career and extends her contemplation to the search for the true meaning of life as a journey," reads the exhibition notes.

More info here.

The 'Jom Kita Bincang' exhibition at the Pustaka Raja Tun Uda in Shah Alam includes the 'Swedish Little Library', a cozy corner that’s been transformed into a 'Scandinavian' reading space. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah

CHILDREN'S BOOK EXHIBITION: 'JOM KITA BINCANG!'

Venue: Raja Tun Uda Library, Shah Alam

Date: ends April 10

How can children’s literature further the dialogue on sustainability, health, rights and social issues? Parents and children can now visit Raja Tun Uda Library in Shah Alam to explore this topic at Jom Kita Bincang! (Let’s Talk About It), an exhibition (free admission) aimed at highlighting the importance of providing children with great stories by drawing from the rich tradition of children’s literature in Sweden.

Organised by the Embassy of Sweden in Malaysia, Raja Tun Uda Library and the Malaysia Board On Books For Young People (MBBY), the exhibition includes the "Swedish Little Library", a cozy corner that’s been transformed into a "Scandinavian" reading space.

The library features Swedish children’s picture books that have been translated to Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. There are also two other exhibitions: one on beloved Swedish children’s book author Astrid Lindgren, best known as the creator of Pippi Longstocking, and another on the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), an international children's literary award established by the Swedish government in 2002 to honour Lindgren’s legacy.

More info here.

A view of the 'Can She Do It?' exhibition in KL, showcasing the talents 22 women artists. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong

EXHIBITION: ‘CAN SHE DO IT?’

Venue: Sime Darby KL East Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

Date: ends March 31

It's the last weekend to check out the Can She Do It? exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. Curated by gallerist Nazura Rahime, this exhibition showcases a captivating collection of artworks by Malaysian women artists, aimed at exploring the pertinent question in show's title.

Timed to coincide with International Women’s Day, A.P Art Gallery and Manggis Group joined forces in presenting this collaborative group exhibition, spotlighting the creative contributions of 22 female artists.

They include: Benazir Ihsan, Nini Marini, Nana Ibrahim, Megan Wonowidjoyo, Anniketyni Madian, Nor Tijan Firdaus, Binti, Habsah Abang Saufi, Sharini Yogi, Pamela Tan, Syel Ramlan, Mursyidah Zainal, Aishah Amin, Xeem Noor, Renee Moi, Soefara Jafney, Ika Sharom, Marisa Ng, Louise Low, Sara Chong, Moly, and Miriam Omar.

There is no shortage of diversity, with sculptures, paintings, prints, mixed media and other mediums used to describe the female experience. Prominent among the illustrations are depictions of female characters, including some from Asian urban legends, as the artists seek to inspire a new generation with role models rooted in the local experience.

The Sime Darby KL East Gallery also provides visitors with a delightful experience, featuring a nature-inspired entrance and glass-walled interior that serves as a luminous backdrop for these inspiring artworks. The gallery is open (daily) from 10.30am to 5pm. Admission is free.

More info here.


Arts,Exhibition,Ilham Gallery,dance,recital,library,children's books
A list of arts and culture events to check out in the Klang Valley this weekend and beyond