Carolyn Khor's blog

  This article was published in Eksentrika , The Sun Daily , CJ.MY , and Newswav . Cultural aesthetics were displayed wall to wall at The Courtyard at Beach Street for the launch of Chao Kai Chih’s solo art exhibition titled Material.Quality.Aggregation . The launch event was held on 13 July as part of the George Town Festival’s programme, which spans the entire month of July each year. The renowned artist, a Taiwanese currently a PhD candidate at the University of Seville in Spain, is celebrated as a visionary navigator boldly venturing into the uncharted territory where East meets West in his artistic endeavours, synthesising creation with culture. "I like to incorporate Eastern materials like paper and calligraphy and infuse them with Chinese characters and Western brushstrokes," said the soft-spoken artist. His visually appealing works capture the essence of cultural exchange, bridging disparate worlds in a fusion of the physical and abstract. His art contrasts flatne...

  This article was published in Eksentrika , The Sun Daily ,  CJ.MY , and Newswav . As Malaysia gears up to celebrate its forthcoming Merdeka and Malaysia Day, an artistic ode to national pride, "negaraku," takes centre stage. Curated by Ivan Gabriel of Hin Bus Depot from the RuMa Collection by Bingley Sim and his wife, Ima Norbinsha, this exhibition displays a rich collection of 26 meticulously chosen artworks from their 20-year aggregation of the RuMa collection. Sim, a banker by profession, and Ima are both esteemed budayawan in the Malaysian art scene. “At one point, when we had decided on the pieces for the exhibition and were thinking about the title for the show, we considered several ideas, but none stood out. Just then, my daughter, Iza, joined the conversation and casually suggested, ‘Why not ‘negaraku’?” “‘negaraku’ represents the country’s trials and tribulations, nation-building, and hope for a brighter future,” said Sim. “We are passionate about the col...

This article was published in Eksentrika , The Sun Daily ,  CJ.MY  and Newswav . Pop culture artist Nigel Sense, an Australian who currently resides in Penang, has set his heart on captivating art enthusiasts by capturing the essence of Pulau Tikus in ‘just three words’ and a ‘paletteful’ of colours. Not unlike the “what3words,” he has named his solo exhibition “Kopi Jackfruit Monkey”. His evocatively dissonant interpretation of Penang, using a coffee shop in Pulau Tikus as his backdrop, promises a unique visual experience. Incidentally, that coffee shop’s “what3words” are “funnels.stored.name.” Largely known for his humorous, idiosyncratic, and distinctive overlays, Sense brandishes his stylistic display of colours without being apologetic. Through his art, one can get the sense that he is indeed energetic, raw, and uninhibited. “You'll often find me with my iPad in hand, waiting for a train or bus, always drawing. It's a bit of an obsession—if I have 10 minutes free, I...

An art exhibition titled ‘Spirited – Human Art of the Non-Human’, portraying how tribal communities communicated their hopes, fears and coping strategies amidst uncertainty and the natural world, was inaugurated at the Homestead, Wawasan Open University (WOU) on 15 December 2023. Jointly organised by WOU and The George Town Institute of Open and Advanced Studies (GIOAS), the exhibition displays a selection from David Goh’s tribal artwork. The collection spans the Nusantara region, comprising art pieces from Peninsular Malaysia to Papua New Guinea. It also features tribal textile pieces, Ikat, from the collections of Puan Sri Dr Lim Suan Poh and Tan Sri Andrew Sheng, and a piece from Tan Yu Kai’s collection. GIOAS is an independent, non-profit institute within Wawasan Open University (WOU) dedicated to exploring societal ideas and complexities. Emphasising the pursuit of peace, human prosperity, happiness, and well-being, the organisation operates witho...

Press Release for "Blending Of Blood‟, A Unity Project Date : 25th May 2O11 (Wednesday) GEORGE TOWN FESTIVAL 2O11 The George Town Festival is a month-long celebration of the inscription of George Town on UNESCO‟s World Heritage Listing on 7th July, 2OO8. Scheduled to be an annual event, the Festival opens as a feast of theatre, music, dance, film, art, opera, food, fashion, photography, and inspirational talks. The primary objective of the George Town Festival is to provide a platform to promote arts and culture to engage all stakeholders to work collectively with the common aim of increasing the multiplier effect on Penang‟s economy. The Festival acts as a catalyst to advance art and heritage education, promotes dialogue, and encourages mutual understanding between different urban communities, past and present. The 2O11 Festival will feature over 8O programmes which promote ARTS and HERITAGE in Penang, made possible with the concerted effort of the Penang State Government...