2019 eCITRA : Digital X Culture

eCITRA is a flagship visual arts exhibition organized by Faculty of Applied & Creative Arts, UNIMAS. Where, in 2019 it is realized at National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur with the theme Digital X Culture and it was curated by Mohamad Faizuan Bin Mat & Siti Shahida Kamel

BMS2019: The Parade of the Usungan

BMS2019 The Parade of the Usungan is an artwork about bringing rare culture and the celebration of Usungan or some called it Tandu through the co-creation method. In our life and culture; victory and success are often accompanied by a celebration. This symbolizes the happiness, harmony, unity, bonding and strength of our community, religious and nation. Thus, The Parade of the Usungan is an articulation of winning, success, happiness, and celebration. As a subject-matter, Usungan is a colorful tradition of palanquin/human transportation processions are a common feature during the year-end school holiday season in Sarawak coastal areas. Usungan refers to the beautifully sculptured carriages or palanquin in which the children are carried around the neighborhood. The event was held to celebrate a large group of children who completed their studies in the Al-Quran recitals. It is a unique practice or tradition and it is only existing in the Borneo Island. Especially, Sarawak coastal areas continue to maintain and preserve it. Through the very interesting design of the Usungan, the Malays people of Sarawak has proven to have created their creativity and innovation. The Usungan come in all kinds of subject-matter such as plane, helicopter, fish, birds, fruits, insects, etc. Kabong, Sarawak the district that committed to keeping the tradition alive. In Kabong, Usungan practice is an event that many people look forward to attending every year. The Usungan practice is usually accompanied by a hadrah performance. The purpose of having this kind of practice is to encourage the younger generation to be successful and it is a kind of positive reinforcement for them. Sarawak is not merely known to have a diversity of races, but every race has its own distinctive tradition. It is a high time for Sarawak coastal communities are seen and highlight them through their creativity and innovation

Benak Dress Avantgarde Categories

Benak Dress is a collaborative effort by the painter (Mohamad Faizuan Mat) and designer (Aizat Rahman) to produce a masterpiece (dress). The dress was showcased during RIMBA Fashion Art Show at Saradise Gallery, Kuching Sarawak

The Visual Arts Education Crisis in Malaysia : Placement of Students into the Arts Curricular Stream at the Upper Secondary Level in Malaysian Secondary Schools

In Malaysia, the curricular subject of visual art, especially at secondary school level, pays little attention to the aspect of artistic knowledge development. Students are assigned to the arts stream based on their Level Three assessment results, which ultimately causes problems in the visual art learning process in the classroom. On the other hand, formal art education is absent among students in the science stream and visual art is perceived to be only for underperforming students, when in fact visual art can be a valuable subject for all students. This study used a qualitative triangulation method to assess the similarities between data from face-to-face interviews, observations and literature study. Visual arts education is duly needed at the upper secondary level of education in Malaysia to cultivate future generations with creative and critical minds. However, does the art education offered in the arts stream actually benefit the students who are assigned to this curricular stream based on the existing student placement system? This study aimed to investigate problems and issues in Malaysian visual arts education based on the system of student placement into curricular streams

NorMAD

This research focuses on the exploration and experimenting of High - Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic waste as material for home decoration design. Labelled as No. 2 plastic, it is typically found in plastic bags and refillable plastic bottles. It has the nature of lightweight, malleable, weather resistance and is considered a low hazard plastic. Not known to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones. Many recycled HDPE is used to manufacture lawn and garden products, buckets, crates , office products and automotive parts. Thus this research tries to explore the potential of this material as in home decoration design.In addition, this research could solve the problem of disposal of solid waste

Typotopia

Today’s learners mainly consist of those who are born or brought up during the digital era where they are used to the Internet and gadgets from an early age. Hence, it becomes a challenge as an educator to keep up with the students’ different learning styles and expectation. Currently, there are multiple available games and websites for typography, but most are in 2D form and only available through their own website. WHAT IS TYPOTOPIA? TYPOTOPIA is an educational mobile apps to enhance learning experience for Typography course through Augmented Reality (AR). WHY AUGMENTED REALITY (AR)? Augmented Reality is considered as one of the promising technology of the future and it should be explored as part of teaching and learning

The Significance of a Public Art Gallery as an Education Centre in Kuching, Sarawak

Building a Public Art Gallery is a dream of many individuals in Kuching, Sarawak. Kuching possesses colourful multicultural identities and has been producing different types of art that reflect the uniqueness of these identities. However, until now no public art gallery serves as a platform for Sarawakian artists, particularly in Kuching, to display their artworks and crafts and at the same time educate the community. This paper compiles the literature review on the importance of a public art gallery as an education centre for the society. The data was collected using the qualitative method, focusing on in-depth interviews to identify and analyse why a public art gallery is vital in Kuching, Sarawak, like a lot of other states in Malaysia. The informants were selected by purposive sampling and then analysed using Data Analysis Lamnek. This paper analyses the informants’ perceptions. It concludes with a suggestion of a temporary public art gallery in Kuching, Sarawak and some future studies

Community Project: Boll-Arts Mural

Community Project: Boll-Arts Mural is a community project that take place on 31 March & 1 April 2018 at Waterfront, Kuching Sarawak. KUCHING: Kuching Waterfront welcomed a burst of colour recently when installed safety bollards were adorned with works of art. Following the installation of 43 bollards to enhance safety, Kuching Waterfront Management commissioned Unimas Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts to create iconic works of art to beautify the landscape of Kuching Waterfront, add colouring to the space. The multi-faceted street art project initiative has elements of Sarawak motifs, flora and fauna and design elements. The team of 20 students led by lecturer Mohamad Faizuan Mat were given a free hand to express themselves, completing the project in two days

ECITRA: Digital X Culture

The Exhibition of Creativity, Innovation, and Technology in the Arts (eCITRA) is an initiative to elevate the cultural identity through the integration of digital technology. Besides, this exhibition hopes to bring audiences into the journey of an individual (artist) beliefs and cultures, as well as the ideation and conceptualisation stage of producing artworks: thoughts, sights, and emotions. Thus, this exhibition is an excellent platform for artists to explore the potential of these two elements through the process of research: the artistic praxis of embracing digital technology and cultures. This exhibition has invited artists from various disciplines, techniques, medium, styles and forms to rethink and transform present cultural understandings into newfangled artistic approaches. Although the critical discussion on digital artworks as a pure form of art is still ongoing, the use of digital technology is undeniably vital for many, especially for the artists. Thus, the discourse between critics and artists in this contemporary era should focus on delivering the right signs, symbols, and icons (messages) to the community (audiences), rather than focusing on the usage of gadgets and tools, provided that digital technology has so much to offer

Usungan : The Rare Culture of Sarawak Coastal Community

Results and materials on Usungan has been created into a short video. The short video has been sent to Sarawak Digital Media e-Platform: The Sarawak Short Film Competition 2019. The short video entitled: Usungan: The Rare Culture of Sarawak Coastal Community has secured to 20 finalists