The
inaugural Art Bridge International Art Camp 2024, held in Johor Bahru from July
10 to 14, brought together some 180 artists from over 20 nations.
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The concourse in the indoor section of R&F Mall was curated into an art gallery |
Southern
University College students from the Faculty of Art & Design along with
some 30 participants from the Johor Bahru chapter of Urban Sketchers had the
privilege to join this art camp with the pleasure to interact with the
international artists in a multi-ethnic mix of talents.
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A section of the Art Bridge Workshop held in the R&F Mall, Johor Bahru |
To
gain better insights into the local culture and heritage, an itinerary of
interesting activities was arranged for the artists to experience the city’s
heritage quarter, Kukup fishing village and Tanjung Piai, the southern-most tip
of mainland Asia.
From
the outdoor section of R&F Princess Cove that overlooked the Straits, the artists
enjoyed a panoramic view of the Causeway which links Johor to Singapore.
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An aerial view of the Art Bridge Workshop in R&F Mall, Johor Bahru |
During
the art camp, Art Bridge Workshops were held in the campus of Southern
University College and the R&F Mall where an Art Exhibition was showcased
the artists’ completed art work.
Art
enthusiasts and the public were invited to observe the artists while they
painted, comfortably in the concourse within the indoor section of the R&F
Mall.
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Yong Look Lam with his paintings |
By
6pm on Saturday, July 13, the concourse was curated into an art gallery where
the finished works of these artists were arranged for public viewing and
appreciation.
It
was heartwarming to view this fresh collection of Johor-inspired art, seen
through the eyes of international artists to Johor, who interpreted the scenes
on canvas in their unique, artistic renditions using oil and acrylic paints.
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Johor's iconic Sultan Ibrahim Building with a lamp-post in the foreground that features the pepper and gambier motif |
Some
artists even picked up on Johor’s heritage of pepper and gambier that helped to
grow the state’s economy in the 1800s. Pepper and gambier thus earned a place
of honour and adopted as an iconic motif used throughout the state, as was seen
in the designs on the lamp-posts in the city.
The
visit to Kukup Fishing Village and Tanjung Piai inspired a number of artists to
choose the theme of fishing boats, mangrove forests and rustic seascapes.
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Loo Hooi Nam with his paintings |
Portrait
artists were inspired by our multi-cultural community to paint portraits of
charming Malay ladies while modern artists chose to create colourful abstract
pieces where the multi-colours personified our multi-cultural community.
Some
artists were inspired by the 100-year-old Causeway to create interesting
scenarios that featured the Causeway in their artwork while others painted
scenes of the landscaped gardens in the campus of the Southern University
College.
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Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk with the Red House in view |
Director
of the Museum & Art Gallery in Southern University College, Tan Chai Puan,
expressed his delight with the art camp where international and local artists
of different cultural backgrounds met to create art in Johor.
His
new experience with this art camp where artists created artwork inspired by
their visit to various destinations here, had inadvertently rekindled his
desire to see the Johor Arts Festival revived again in Johor Bahru.
Like
many fans of the Arts Festival, Tan has fond memories of the annual Johor Arts Festival
that brought quality performing arts and cultural shows to our very doorstep.
After 15 years, the annual Arts Festival came to an abrupt end with the
untimely passing of its founders, Yap Siong Cheng and his wife, Suzie.
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An artistic interpretation of the Causeway that links Johor with Singapore |
As Johor Bahru is rapidly transforming as a modern metropolis and was already equipped with a performing arts venue in the Permaisuri Zarith Sofia Opera House at R&F Princess Cove, Tan strongly felt that Johor Bahru was ready to host performing and visual arts events in a revived Johor Arts Festival.
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A familiar view of Johor Bahru's heritage quarter |
Since the re-opening of the Permaisuri Zarith Sofia Opera House in 2023, fans of the performing arts have had the pleasure of enjoying live shows, presented by both local and international artists on this stage.
From
his experience with an international visual arts event like the recently
concluded Art Bridge International Art Camp, Tan was keen to encourage the revival
of the Johor Arts Festival with the support of relevant agencies and their resources.
With
the success of the Art Bridge International Art Camp, Tan was not willing to
rest but determined to organize a sequel to the art camp to encourage more art appreciation
in our community.
At the close of the art camp, the artists donated one of their paintings to Southern University College to add to their art collection for display in the Faculty of Art & Design or for sale to raise funds for charity.
Southern
University College is located at PTD 64888, Jalan Selatan Utama, KM 15, off the
Skudai Highway, 81300 Skudai, Johor.
R&F
Mall is at Jalan Tanjung Puteri, 80300 Johor Bahru, Johor. Opening Hours from
10am to 10pm.
Photo Credits: Courtesy of Tan Chai Puan, Yong Look Lam and Loo
Hooi Nam
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