MAP@Nusajaya launched with Medini Live!

Medini Live! the inaugural festival of music, films, arts and community held on June 6 & 7, launched MAP@Nusajaya with a Black Box and White Box in the Mall at Medini, new art spaces in Iskandar Malaysia dedicated to performing and visual arts, film screenings and community events.

Music performance at concourse of the Mall at Medini with
art installation, Wind Dancers, by Lisa Foo, in foreground

The much anticipated arts festival kicked off with a preview on the eve of the 2-day festival.  Hosted by Medini Iskandar Malaysia, the preview was attended by representatives from strategic sponsors, co-sponsors and partners who enjoyed a glimpse of the exciting programme highlights.

“Medini Live! will be a signature annual event that will brand Medini as a vibrant, community-friendly and upcoming development to live in and to do business in Iskandar Malaysia and the region,” said MD/CEO of Medini Iskandar Malaysia, Ir Khairil Anwar Ahmad, who aims to showcase what we have in Johor through the language of music, film and art.  “We firmly believe that any living space or city needs life and character to live, work and play in,” he added.

Solo art exhibition entitled, Arang, by Johor artist
Ahmad Zakii Anwar is still on in the White Box till July 7

The Mall of Medini was transformed into a festival village for Medini Live! as visitors took advantage of the public holiday weekend to catch film screenings in the Black Box and appreciate the art installations displayed in the foyer as well as the impressive art exhibition in the White Box.  Visitors also browsed around the Medini Bazaar, joined workshops and listened to talks and in the evenings, they enjoyed Johor traditional arts and classical music performances and rocked the night away with live music concerts by renowned artistes – all free of charge.

“Medini Live! is curated to highlight local talent, a global view and a cultural connection with its surroundings,” said festival director, Suryani Senja Alias.  Among the best of Johor talents was contemporary urban realist artist, Ahmad Zakii Anwar, who held his first solo exhibition in JB entitled, Arang, the Malay word for charcoal, in an exquisite showcase of his most compelling charcoal drawings on paper, now on till July 7.  Fans also thrilled to shows by Johor-born stars like award winning hip hop musician, Joe Flizzow, New York based singer-songwriter, Najwa Mahiaddin and legendary musician Zainal Abidin!

Participants at the film workshop with writer-director, U-Wei

Movie buffs took the opportunity to attend film workshops held in Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios conducted by writer-director, U-Wei Haji Saari and writer-producer-director, Saw Teong Hin.  Those keen on the technical and music aspects of movie making attended the workshops conducted by post production sound supervisor, Hiro Ishizaka, and composer-arranger-music director, Onn San.

A rare and traditional musical theatre of wayang and gamelan, Ketoprak Tobong, one of the last remaining nomadic theatre troupes from Jogjakarta and a contemporary photography exhibition by Indonesian artist, Risang Yuwono in collaboration with British artist, Helen Marshall, were staged in partnership with Air Asia Foundation.

Visitors to Medini Live! interacting with mixed media art installation, Rimba Nusa, by Suzy Sulaiman

The community part of the festival was presented by Johor Women’s League or Jewel, a non-profit organization in Johor that featured R.E.A.C.T, a well attended women’s safety workshop conducted by safety activist, Capt K. Bala Supramaniam, MD of Code Red Survival Academy.

A version of this was published in The Malaysian Insider on 9 June 2015