Surprisingly, this time all my students are older than me except for one who is slightly younger. I discovered to my delight that mature students have better appreciation of batik and could engage in lively discussions during the theory sessions.
Archive for June, 2007
Performance-Painting at The Esplanade
June 25, 2007Music as a muse: Automatic Drawings
(22nd-24th June 2007, Esplanade Concourse)
It was my first performance-painting collaboration with a musician. In fact, it was the first time Esplanade presents a visual arts performance of this nature. Mr. Indrasani Mursalim played his Flamenco pieces wonderfully in all the six performance over three evenings. If you’ve missed it, too bad. Look out for my youtube posting when that becomes available. Ms Michelle Chua, the producer for this programme, who paired us together was very helpful in ensuring that the performance went on smoothly. Also a special mention of thanks to my one-man crew Mr. Dino Hafian.
Though I had jitters before going on stage each time, I was totally immersed in automatism when the music played and my brush touches the paper. The drawing process was equally as important as the end result. I refrained from thinking about what to draw, so the picture unfolds infront of me as well as it did for the audience. Mr. Mursalim played set pieces that provided the muse but eventually adjusted his playing as the drawing develops, hence the painting then becomes the muse for music. The painting measuring 16ft x 4ft was completed when the music ended (about 20 minutes). The images were different each time.
We performed to a large appreciative audience judging from the applause. The comments given during the question and answer sessions were enouraging. Several viewers from the audience told me later that they were mesmerised by the expressiveness of movements and strokes that breaths the passion of Flamenco music. In all I consider this a successful artistic collaboration and a wonderful experience.
Question and answers after each performance.
Its my brush laden hands that’s doing the dancing, not my feet.
Dino Hafian, Indrasani Mursalim and Michelle Chua. They made it happen.
Wahhhh… my photo on their poster.
Its not the best quality video due to the fast motion, the music was one of the five pieces played. Hopefully it helps you to picture the performance.
Is graffiti art? And does sanctioned graffiti deserve the tag?
June 21, 2007Straits Times Life on 21st June 2007; Arts reporter Adeline Chia wrote a concise assessment of graffiti practice in Singapore, following the recent pow-wow on the legitimacy of sanctioned graffiti (refer to my earlier post on this issue). In the article, I was quoted as saying:
Artist Kamal Dollah, 39, who painted murals at the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre, feels that graffiti art might have its roots in the streets, but it has moved on. He is even hired to give graffiti art workshops in schools.
He says: ‘Graffiti art has evolved. It came from the ghetto, but now it’s a style that is in clothing, advertising and art galleries.
I don’t have to tag electrical boxes before I can be called a graffiti artist. That’s just irresponsible.’
Music As A Muse: Automatic Drawing
June 13, 2007 Don’t miss my first live performance on
22, 23 or 24th June 2007 – It’s FREE!
Photo taken after rehearsal
Esplanade Presents:
Music As A Muse: Automatic Drawing
by Kamal Dollah and Indrasani Mursalim
22 – 24 Jun, Fri – Sun
7.15 – 7.45pm & 9 – 9.30pm, Concourse
Batik artist Kamal Dollah creates spontaneous surrealist art to the inspiration of live traditional Flamenco music interpreted and performed by solo guitarist, Indrasani Mursalim. Be fascinated by Kamal’s fluid flowing lines forming unique imagery.
This programme is held in conjunction with
Singapore Arts Festival 2007
Mural to Inspire at Unity Secondary School
June 11, 2007The student councillors of Unity Secondary School got together during this school holiday to paint a mural at the their study corner. We taught them the technique and they did the rest by each contributing a message to inspire other students. The montage of colourful artwork is not only beautiful, its inspiring.
Officially sanctioned graffiti behind rise in vandalism?
June 8, 2007Here is my response to the press concerning the matter. As it turned out, two teenage taggers were arrested for vandalism that night. ‘Today’ published my letter on 12th June 2007.
Banner at NYC skate park located next to Somerset MRT station. Even that is vandalised.
Art is art, crime is crime – Know the difference!
I refer to the letter by Mr Errol Goodenough, ‘Officially sanctioned graffiti behind rise in vandalism?’ (Today and Straits Times Forum, June 5).
I am an arts educator and have been actively involved in teaching youths the finer points of graffiti and the rich culture behind it. Some of my more prominent works include the large scale graffiti adorning the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre as highlighted in The Straits Times on 25 May 2007.
I would like to point out that graffiti and vandalism are not mutually exclusive. It is globally recognised as a contemporary art form that has even found its place in museums around the world.
Just like any other endeavor, when done on a wall or property with the owner’s consent and within the legal boundaries of the law, graffiti is not illegal. To put it in context, a person who enters another person’s house is trespassing unless he has permission or invitation to do so by the house owner.
Granted, a lot of graffiti done around town have been done illegally. I agree that it is a problem that needs to be addressed and in my opinion, the best way to go about this is education. By engaging the youths who are interested in the art form, we can show that there is a perfectly legal way for them to express themselves through graffiti.
Stigmatising graffiti will only push it further underground. We should encourage and support our youths who have a special talent – be it with a spray can, paint brush or marker.
I applaud moves by government bodies and private institutions in organising events like the Singapore Street Fest, Noise Singapore and many other fringe events that feature graffiti. I was also particularly proud to see the art form being included as part of National Day festivities.
Aspiring graffiti artists who wish to leave their mark on the world should be given a legal platform. Creativity among youths will only flourish if we allow them to express themselves and it is up to adults to teach them how they can do so in a responsible manner.
M. Kamal Dollah
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This was the reply from the authorities published on June 8, 2007
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Story/STIStory_127079.html
Vandalism won’t be taken lightly
IN THE letter, ‘Officially sanctioned graffiti behind rise in vandalism?’ (ST, June 5), Mr Errol Goodenough linked the reported incidents of vandalism to officially sanctioned street art.
The Government continues to take a serious view of vandalism and graffiti. It is a serious crime that damages property, lowers the tone of our living environment and diminishes the sense of safety that Singaporeans and foreigners alike enjoy here. We have strict laws against vandalism and will continue to enforce them rigorously.
However, we should not confuse graffiti that is vandalism with street art that is properly executed with the approval of the property owner. Such forms of public art can inject new and interesting elements into our urban life.
Hence, we have specifically defined areas for the creative expression of street art. These include the Skate Park, the National Youth Council building at Orchard Road, as well as the stretch of Sungei Ulu Pandan canal which Mr Goodenough mentioned. The agencies responsible for these areas will ensure that they are well-managed and properly maintained.
These street-art projects ought in no way to encourage graffiti and vandalism, either where the projects are, or anywhere else in Singapore.
While government agencies will make every effort to keep our environment clean and graffiti-free, the public plays a role too. If you come across graffiti in your housing estate, inform the town council and it will clean it up immediately. If you see someone vandalising property, alert the police and those who are found guilty will be punished under the law.
K. Bhavani (Ms)
Director, Corporate Communications Department
Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts
Toh Yong Chuan
Deputy Director, International and Corporate Relations Division
Ministry of Home Affairs
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The letter in Straits Times and Today that started it on 5th June 2007 http://www.straitstimes.com/ST+Forum/Story/STIStory_125944.html
Officially sanctioned graffiti behind rise in vandalism?
IT HAS been 13 years since the Michael Fay case, which sent an unequivocal message that Singapore will brook no nonsense when dealing with vandalism of public and private property.
Since then, however, there are clear signs that the problem is re-emerging.
Graffiti can be seen on an increasing scale at stairwells and along corridors, and on street-side electrical installations, etc.
The recent dastardly act of spray-painting five vehicles in Punggol underlines the seriousness of the matter.I cannot help but feel that certain developments in the last decade may have spurred this current trigger-happy defiance of the law.
I recall past publicity on street festivals where teenagers were encouraged to spray their murals, albeit on dedicated hoardings.
Some months back, the sides of the Sungei Ulu Pandan canal were sprayed with officially-sanctioned graffiti which, incidentally, has now become an eye-sore, exposed as it is to canal humidity and to the elements.
Then, to top it all, even postboxes in some districts made space for personalised art.
In doing so, we could have unwittingly sent the wrong message and even emboldened vandals.
A great deal of explaining would be needed to justify frowning upon (and prosecuting the culprits of) one act, while we openly laud some others.
Even then, as the unfortunate Punggol motorists have discovered, it may be a little late.
Errol Goodenough
Yellow Ribbon Project. Caricature workshop for prisoners
June 5, 2007Caricature workshop for prisoners. This is a voluntary contribution in conjunction with the Yellow-Ribbon Project Art Competition. It was an enriching experience for the inmates as they were introduced to the art of caricatures and how they could amuse themselves with such an activity. It was also an eye opening experience to see for myself what life is like within a maximum security prison. The facilities are well managed, but life is definitely better out here as a free man.
Some of the participants showed great artistic potential. I believe they can be extremely good at drawing cartoons or caricatures by the time they are rehabilitated. They may not have their freedom but they have ample time which they could use to practice and develop a gratifying skill.
The photo here look rather stern plus the reflection of a clock in the mirror seems to carry symbolic meaning. Truth is, it was a fun and happy session filled with laughters. Well I should be grateful that the authorities took the trouble to document the session and even gave me this photo which had to clear prison censorship.
Photo courtesy of Prison Authorities
Post note: We established a website specifically for our caricature drawing services in January 2008 at: WWW.CARTOON.SG. More caricatures for viewing, please click here.
