Art Bridge International Art Camp 2024

 

Johor Bahru will play host to some 180 artists from over 20 nations when they arrive to participate in the inaugural Art Bridge International Art Camp 2024, from July 10 to 14.

 

Tan Chai Puan with JB Urban Sketchers on the
rooftop of Seine Region, R&F Princess Cove
with the Johor Bahru city skyline as the backdrop

Organised by the Southern University College in collaboration with co-organisers and venue sponsors like R&F Princess Cove and R&F Mall in Johor Bahru, a press conference was held to share important details of this exciting art event.

 

Director of the Museum & Art Gallery in Southern University College, Tan Chai Puan, opened the press conference with an introduction of President of Southern University College, Professor Dr Chuah Joon Huang, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Southern University College, Dato Vincent Tan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors, Datin Teh Hwee Tiang, and President of the Johor Bahru chapter of Urban Sketchers, Nick Lim.

 

The international artists arrived in Kuala
Lumpur and will be in Johor Bahru
for the Art Bridge International Art Camp

While many may be familiar with Tan as the co-founder of the art of the 24 Festive Drums, a proudly Johor art of drumming that has been exported back to China and spread around the world, Tan certainly wears “many hats” in culture-heritage circles.

 

For his contributions to culture and heritage, Tan was honoured with the recognition as a Warisan Orang Hidup or Living Heritage, by the Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Ministry in 2018.

 

Earlier this year, Tan Chai Puan, was appointed as a Cultural Consultant tasked to build a cultural bridge to link cultural exchange activities, both local and from abroad, with the Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House at R&F Princess Cove in Johor Baru.

 

With a passion for art, culture and heritage, Tan the cultural activist, did not hesitate to embark on an exceptional and unprecedented project to invite international artists for an art camp in Johor Bahru, and for the local community to enjoy seeing art through their eyes.

 

Tan Chai Puan introduced the panel at the
press conference for Art Bridge International
Art Camp in Johor Bahru, July 10 to 14

Even while the press conference was in progress, the visiting artists who have arrived in Kuala Lumpur the day before, were making their way to Johor Bahru with a stopover in Melaka.

 

Professor Dr Chuah expressed his pleasure in welcoming the visiting international artists to Johor because this year marks the 180^th anniversary since Temenggong Ibrahim invited Chinese planters to come to open up land for the cultivation of pepper and gambier in Johor, in 1844.

 

2024 also celebrates the 100^th anniversary since the opening of the Causeway, one of the busiest border crossings in the world now, that links Johor and the mainland with neighbouring Singapore island since 1924.

 

He was pleased that this historic year will also mark the inaugural international art camp in Johor Bahru where internationally renowned artists from Europe, South and North Asia as well as ASEAN nations, can create art with Johor as their inspiration.

 

Group shot at the press conference for Art Bridge International Art Camp 2024

Arrangements were made for the visiting artists to visit the city’s heritage quarter, Kukup fishing village and Tanjung Piai, the southern-most tip of mainland Asia, to gain an insight into the local culture and heritage before they started with their art work.

 

Meanwhile Dato Vincent Tan was pleased that Southern University College students from the Faculty of Art & Design will have the opportunity to participate in the art camp along with some 30 participants from the Johor Bahru chapter of Urban Sketchers.

 

View of the Causeway into Johor Bahru,
the heritage quarter and business district,
seen from R&F Princess Cove

The artists were given five themes to create their artwork in oil or acrylic paints. The themes are the Southern University College campus, Tanjung Piai, Kukup Fishing Village, the Johor Bahru heritage quarter and the Causeway.

 

At the close of the art camp, the artists will donate 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.

 

During this art camp, art enthusiasts are invited to visit the Art Bridge Workshops as well as the Art Exhibition that will showcase the artists’ completed art work.

 

From 12pm on Friday, July 12, the Art Bridge Workshop at the Southern University College will be open to the public.

 

Facade of the iconic Sultan Ibrahim
building on Bukit Timbalan seen from
R&F Princess Cove, Johor Bahru

On Saturday, July 13, the Art Bridge Workshop at the indoor section of the R&F Mall will be open to the public from 9am to 3pm.

 

That same day, the Art Exhibition will be open to the public from 6pm in the R&F Mall until 10pm on Monday, July 15.

 

Tan was thrilled that through this international art camp, Johor Bahru has established an international link with artists in over 20 nations that included Thailand, China – Hong Kong and Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Korea, India, Philippines, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Poland, Spain, France, Bangladesh, Serbia, Egypt and Nepal.

 

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.