The stereotype of the Artist is difficult to shake off – it is mostly negative anyway. The poor struggling artist. The one who finds it difficult to pay bills. One who paints the day away. Always furiously mixing colours and pigments, immersing himself in Art. Selling one or two pieces if he is able to. Finding no understanding or solace in others as the Public remains skeptical that Art can sustain a Living. Or in many cases, the Artist is likely to be eccentric, sometimes overly dramatic, possibly an eremite, often eschewing crowds.
Which was why I found myself in the USM Museum and Gallery yesterday afternoon, after gulping down a late lunch of fried rice. Nic and I had heard it was hosting a three-speaker forum/talk on “Art Makes Business Makes Art”.
Creative
Don't Miss F for Female
This is a quick plug for a friend of mine whose work will be shown this coming weekend at The Actors Studio, Green Hall, Penang.
Can You Write?
I came across this article today and thought I’d share it with everyone. I’ve been on Malaysian forums whereby women (yes, homemakers are mostly women) ask about work-at-home job opportunities. They ask for jobs. But the way I see it, if the job is not forthcoming, there is no reason why you can’t go out and get something done.
For instance, writing. Good writers are HARD to come by. Good writers know their craft and they know how to turn boring into beautiful. If you have writing skills, use them to give yourself a job instead of waiting for one. It is not right for educated women to ask for jobs stuffing envelopes – my god, did we all go to uni just so we could stay home and stuff freaking envelopes?
Gubra… A Malay Movie?
I watched Gubra in the cineplex last Friday afternoon. The cineplex was empty, save for a few annoying teenage girls, whom I presumed wanted to see more of the ‘unfinished’ love story of Orked and Jason.
I tried not to read any review of the movie before I stepped into the dimly-lit cineplex, but I did read S.B.Toh’s highly positive words in The Star about Gubra.
Yet, even if the review was not positive, I rarely trust movie reviewers. Opinions are based on emotions. And emotions are subjective. And what I loathe, you might love. The best way to determine if Gubra was any good was to pay money to watch it in the cineplex.
A Folke Tale
Expecatations were high. The room was abuzz with anticipation one could slice with a knife. And the room was filled with a partial who’s who of Penang.
I had gulped down a very quick dinner at Sri Ananda Bhawan just 15 minutes ago. We had made two, no, make that three rounds near the Penang General Post Office, looking for a parking space.
But when gamelan music filled the air in the ABN-AMRO Arts and Culture Centre hall, everyone simply held their breath.
He walked in, almost regal in his crisp white long-sleeved shirt. Blonde. With a hooked nose. A pair of glimmering eyes which stared straight at you.
A Long Cheet Chat
There I was, excited, a bit scared even, when the lights were dimmed. On stage, save for two plastic chairs (like the type you get in modern kopitiams) and a small table, on which sat a mini compo, were all there was to a set. A blueish-silver saree hung from the ceiling. Oil lamps lit the floor, adding much Indian flavour.
I had come to watch Cheet Chat at The Actors Studio Greenhall, a play about two colleagues and the tragedies and comedies of their lives.
Minoru Abe…and Moi
I don’t know what my IQ is. Never been tempted to find out even though
1. I did my thesis on the intellectually gifted
2. Nic is a member of Mensa
3. He tells me the test is not THAT tough
I think I have this problem of not wanting to ruin this lovely self-image of myself, built up over the years. I’m rather fragile I guess in that way. I have carefully constructed this image of me, how I should be, what I should be, over the years (the past 31 years in fact) and I am highly possessive of anyone taking a brick or two out of me. I don’t want to be “holey”.
Yet I love doing puzzles. Any puzzles. From those China-made metal ring puzzles, to Sudoku and to Minoru Abe.
Here's A Better Idea…
You know, technology isn’t about making life better or faster or easier sometimes.
The way I see it, it complicates life mostly. People just can’t stick with one simple idea. They like to adorn their ideas and see it grow, with bling-blings and tassels and silverdust.
While I work with technology most of the time, there are times when I say “Enough!”. I mean, do we really need to have our handphones hanging off our left ear? Is everything so urgent that we simply MUST take that phone call or the world will go bust?
Come on…. I think most people fall in love with the idea of technology, not realizing technology is supposed to make our human lives better, not turn us into robots who’re on perpetual Go from the moment we wake up.
Be A Brit, Will You?
There’s something absolutely charming about the British, in spite of their rather dry wit. Possibly there’s something regal, even aristocratic about the British, their humour, their work, their writing.