NEWS OF THE DAY ~ Artists must have freedom of expression, says Masidi

DAILY EPXRESS

Published on: Thursday, February 16,2012

Kota Kinabalu: One of the most important ingredients in arts is for an artist to have freedom of visual expression, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.

Masidi, who was speaking on the context of his personal view said, the fact that some of the best artists in Malaysia actually comes from Sabah shows that liberated minds of Sabahans are not inhabited by history and not inhabited by the social structure of our State.

"This is important because it allows them to express their visual freedom and I would like to encourage for it to stay that way," he said, adding that the worst thing that could happen is when an artist is limited to drawing only what others like to see or what is perceived as politically correct.

He said this at the Art Patron appreciation ceremony and signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Sabah Cultural Board and Ming Garden Hotel here, Wednesday.

The MoU was to promote the development of visual arts in the State in line with the government's initiatives to raise the profile of art and culture throughout the nation.

It was signed by Sabah Cultural Board General Manager Datu Rosmadi Sulai and Ming Garden Hotel General Manager Wei Gang, with Masidi witnessing the occasion.

The event was organised by Sabah Arts Gallery, under the directive of Sabah Cultural Board to honour local establishments and private individuals who have supported arts over a number of years by regularly buying the works of local artists or by donating artefacts to the gallery.

In this respect, Ming Garden is the first international hotel in the State to purchase and display the products of Sabahan artists, where over 760 limited edition prints are displayed throughout the hotel's 600 guestrooms and residences.

Among those who donated their works were, Yee I-Lann, who donated three of her photo media arts (valued at RM170,000 by Christie's Hong Kong in 2008) as well as Tina Rimmer who donated more than 42 paintings, including examples of her work together with pieces by the late Simon Yew.

Meanwhile, Masidi also pointed out the need to help local artists to promote and market their works in the city centre because that is where tourists come in and therefore be able to appreciate and perhaps consider buying their works.

"With that in mind, I have already made my intentions known to the State government that we would like to put up another art gallery in the city centre at the site where the gutted building (formerly Public Works Department) used to be.

"I have tried my very best although there are some legal impediment at the moment, that the site should be reserved for another art gallery for the State," he said, adding however that the site is gazetted as a heritage site hence the limitations.