Admittedly I was a little surprised, and somewhat excited,
to be invited to the launch of the 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival
2012. I was puzzled and quietly expectant too when I read the programme of
events for that day. The events included a speech by YB Minister for Tourism
Malaysia and the launch of an arts competition entitled – 1Malaysia – The
Futurists. I was more than a little curious to see that The (Italian) Futurists
were alive and well and encamped within this particular neck of the equator.
That afternoon, there was the usual speechifying by the
government minister – the hand shaking and back slapping. Smiles fairly beamed
from the stage at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, lighting those examples of
Malaysian art displayed for the purpose of the festival - adorning one side of
that quite spacious hall, on level three. At one point in the proceedings a
gigantic replica eye – like something out of a Dali film or Redon pastel, was
lit and revolved revealing – well, very little actually. It was all a little
bizarre.
My view of the stage was constantly obstructed by a female
photographer. She just would not take no for an answer - not even when asked to
back off by the slightly miffed YB minister herself, so I apologize in advance
if I missed the reference to The Futurists, but I am not conscious of having
heard any reference to that bright band of Italian artists who had created
their particular world view during the early years of the 20th
century. There were no manifestos manifesting themselves, no painterly
references to the future, speed, technology, youth, cars, airplanes or industrial
cities. No Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Umberto Boccioni, or Carlo Carrà either -
I was somewhat befuddled.
It seems that it was yet another of those cultural
misunderstandings that I have been having so frequently - since I decided to
lay my hat on a metaphorical hat peg, within my miniscule apartment on the
fringes of the main Malaysian metropolis. The Italian Futurists and their love
of machines, movement, and fascism were obviously not the focus of an arts
competition. The term ‘The Futurists’ had been high jacked by possibly well
meaning, but perhaps a tad confused, committee attending to the day to day
affairs of the aforementioned 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival 2012
and paid no heed to the previous art movement of the very same name..
Having been kept on tender hooks for practically the whole
event, I had no choice but to shuffle down in my seat, ignore the annoying
photographer (and the gentleman with the mop of silvery hair immediately before
me), and get on with enjoying the show. And there was much to enjoy too.
Ramli Ibrahim and the Sutra Foundation dancers were stunning.
The whole ensemble – dancers, Ramli himself - the lighting and music gave us
more than our money’s worth. Ok, yes I was a VIP guest so it was free, but you
know what I mean. It was superb. The dance theme appeared to be spirit and the
emancipation of women, but I could be wrong. It was a sheer delight and
continues to occupy my thoughts some hours now from the actual event.
The anklung musician was a surprise as well. Despite having
been resident in Malaysia for some eight years, I had not heard one of these bamboo
instruments played until the launch of 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism
Festival 2012.
Perhaps I should explain - the anklung is an instrument made
from hollow bamboo. It resonates when struck and generally is comprised of two
bamboo resonators tuned to complimentary notes. The instrument is shaken to
produce its unique note. But - joy upon joy, there was not just a solo artist -
but eventually a whole orchestra – admittedly of school children, but an
orchestra nevertheless, who played beautifully as my wife and I hastened off as
work beckoned at that point.
All in all the 1Malaysia Contemporary Arts Tourism Festival
2012 was an interesting experience – but no Futurists. I idly wonder what that art
tourism concerned committee might come up with next year – Post-Impressionist
painters – who paints indentations made by posts or Dadaist creatives who only
make images of their fathers, perhaps. It therefore should be most interesting
- when the future finally arrives.
