Petronas Gallery

We went to Petronas Gallery on 26th Jan. The title of the exhibition is tanah air ku.
Went through the gallery, we could see it featured Petronas commercials, print ads, and some real life scenes that brought us into the story. The commercials and every settings in the gallery were related to Malaysian such as the historical event of 513 commercial, some true stories being filmed into commercials: Tan Hong Ming In love & Sampai Hati, typical Malaysia classroom settings, congkak and so on.

tanah air ku is accurately titled as such because as we could see, there were all stories happened in Malaysia, doesn't matter or emphasize on any particular race. It even touched my heart with the commercial of 'Aiman Gyver' which is a Malay TV commercial. On the other hand, I love how Malaysians being portrayed in those commercials to tell stories through different decades. Besides, I was impressed with the settings that being set up in gallery as well, where we could truly feel ourselves into the scenes.

This is the section of 'Aiman Gyver' commercial yet I liked the most. While the commercial was being played, the settings around was indirectly bringing me into it. I could really feel Aiman, the environment he grown up, with all the cars which shown in the TV commercial too, and the wall which fulls off little notes written by kids. I was really impressed with the humor script of this commercial. The settings around built the commercial into another stage where we would find it so real and appropriate too. I don't find this section is 100% related to the overall theme of the exhibition which is tanah air ku as the commercial is telling about the story between a father and a son. Nonetheless, it might be a story which happens in a typical and traditional kampung in Malaysia though.

I really enjoyed in this field trip. I had never thought that Malaysia has so many potential and touching commercials being filmed. I can't wait for the next Petronas commercial !!

Performing Arts

During the lecture, we were asked what is the first word that comes to your mind for certain words: Malaysia, Malaysian Films, History, Merdeka, etc...

However, the words: Malaysian Performing Arts impact me so much
and the first word came to my mind was "Good".

When I was 13, when I started my 'performing life' -Stage Drama Performance. It has been 9 years.
I am from Penang. When I was 13, performing arts especially drama in Penang was not being supported and accepted by my family, school authorities, and even state government. I still remember how school authority fully supports the other co-curriculum clubs and societies, our Drama Club was being ignored, ignored, and ignored. Well, thanks to our ‘must-win-and-cannot-be-ignored-attitude', we promised to ourselves, we must carve out a niche for Drama Club before we graduate. We participated in many many competitions and performances to get experiences. We took part in many performance camps too to improve ourselves so we could win in competitions and to get reputation for our school drama club.

Thank god, we really did it. When I was 17, we won the overall champion, best actress, prominent actresses, best original screenplay, best sound mixing in Northern Region Drama Competition. We were the champion for National Drama Competition too. Throughout the years, our school drama club reputation has slightly improved too.

In 2008 Malaysia election, Penang has finally ubah. The change of state government where they started to improve and support performing arts in Penang. We have better environment to perform, more high-tech stuffs, wider stages and being promoted.

'Good' as in I have been joining drama theater performance for so many years, I see how performing arts in Penang is improving, more people started to accept it and promote it, more parents started to believe their kids that joining performing arts isn't a bad thing, I see how much hard-work my seniors are doing just to promote performing arts of Malaysia.....

This article isn't about showing off, but to share how much we care and how much important performing arts is to us.

For those who negate Malaysian performing arts, please kindly take part or watch some good shows, I bet you will change your mind oh~ For many of you might not understand why does a ticket cost you so much, for a good show, we need to prepare, practice and rehearsal for at least few monthssss. We pay own petrol, we spend our time after class or work until late night. Most of us are freelancers, sometimes we don't get paid too. We earn from selling tickets to rent the stage, to buy costume and so on to perform the best show for you!

Here for you: http://www.penangpac.org/content/home/index/site:penangpac-link:1598
                       http://georgetownfestival.com/
                       http://www.klpac.org/PrivacyPolicy/whats-on/
                       https://www.facebook.com/penangcny
                       https://www.facebook.com/armeniansgt/
                     

Btw, I really can't wait for the drama theater show Dr. Carmen mentioned in the class!!

Time Capsule

As we all know, we are invited to propose contributing 1 item to the time capsule which will be opened when we are 126 years old. I really can't wait to witness this event.

So, as a participant represents Malaysia, I would like to contribute Chinese traditional Grave Clothes.

Yes, it might sound creepy and you might feel so pantang, but, here's my explanation on it.

Grave Clothes is a set of costume that elderly sew by themselves and wear it a night before they get married to pray the 'sky god' (天公). After that, they will keep it so they can wear it on too when they die one day.

Why do they wear it?
During ancient times, Chinese were very poor. They lived in kampung and had nothing they would be proud of. Therefore, they would sew a set of very nice and beautiful Grave Clothes with all the manik-manik on it for themselves so they can wear it a night before they get married and also to another place (heaven) when they die. The grave clothes will be limited edition as they design it themselves which will be 1 and only 1 in the world.

When will they sew it?
It depends on his/her date of birth and the eight characters of a horoscope (生辰八字), then keep it in the wardrobe and no one is allowed to cincai-cincai take it out except when they die. It is kind of pantang larang. Next, if they are still alive the next few years, they can take it out and wash it but only on the May 5th of the lunar calendar (農曆五月初五) because they believe the water on that day is the purest throughout the year.

Why am I contributing it?
It is because in today generation, we do not practice this culture anymore. Most of us prefer to wear nicely when we die and being put in the coffin (no offence) and also to wear the amat branded wedding dress especially from Vera Wang when we are married. Second, not much people really know how to make the traditional grave clothes anymore. Even some Chinese shops provide Grave Clothes, but they would be the same just in different colors. #girlswon'twearthesame

Simplest Grave Clothes

By the way, have a nice day! Teehee~