notthatbalai art festival ’07 : Calling for submissions

from: Ili Farhana, Visual and Performance Art Co-ordinator, Notthatbalai Curatorial Group

We are now calling for entries to participate in our upcoming event on the 21st July – 5th August 2007.

Those interested should download the form here and email us back your participation form before 15th April for visual arts participation and 1st May for film, music and performances participation.

If you have any question or inquire regarding notthatbalai event, please do not hesitate to contact me or notthatbalai curatorial group via email at: notthatbalai email or email me.

Please feel free to visit our blog: notthatbalai.blogspot.com

Details & more info below

notthatbalai art festival 2007

Introduction

notthatbalai

An event which is organised jointly by Lost Generation Space and a group of individuals of diverse art disciplines and social backgrounds who are passionate in arts and cultures.

Embodying the spirit of sharing, creating and giving, this festival will go on for 16 days from 21st July to 5th August 2007.

notthatbalai Art Festival has the opportunity to work in different venues and getting the chance to work with other individuals and art groups. This art festival will consist of visual arts, music and performance, film screenings and flea market stalls.

Why notthatbalai

“Balai” refers to a space, place or institution that organises programmes. This title reflects our belief that artists should try to organise our own events, exhibitions and happenings which can convey our own themes, ideas and concerns. By doing this, we believe that art festivals or events can be done anywhere at anytime for everyone. “notthatbalai” hopes to promote and stimulate more alternative art activities.

Theme

SAMA-SAMA

The theme of notthatbalai 2007 is ‘Sama-Sama’. Sama-Sama is a Malay word that means: same, altogether, synchronize, mutual, participation, neutral, at the middle, equality with others in movement, value, status, situation, etc.

‘Sama-Sama’ also means ‘you’re welcome’ in daily practice. It’s a manner to denote ‘Sama-Sama’ after connote ‘terima kasih’ (thank you). It refers to the context of gratitude, tolerance, equality, respect and oneness.

Relationship of artist, society and living environment as a whole strongly reflected the theme “SAMA-SAMA”. Nowadays, our living society is full of imbalance of power, natural disaster, and injustice of political parties. Art is the visual way of expression that address human’s deepest feeling. It is showing aesthetical values, mediates certain information to the observer, increase understanding, propose changes and create hopes. The artworks might be inspired by happenings in society and surrounding environments and vice versa, it is an open door for the members of society to perceive the world either critically or harmoniously. Artworks that are deconstructive, contradict, ambiguous, inspiring, soul stirring, come straight to the point and implies culture and ethnic identification would be the biggest approach of notthatbalai art festival 2007.

Furthermore, we hope to cross the boundaries of arts in different fields, collective, ages, status, relations and build up a network in order to create a platform that we can ‘Sama-Sama’ exchange and share thoughts, help and link everyone.

Venue

Lost Generation Space, Street along Central Market, Central Market Annexe, SICKL, 67 Tempinis Gallery, Gudang (workshop) etc.

Objectives

a) To encourage mutual understanding and sharing through the participation of art events among all ethnic groups with multicultural background.

b) To create a multidisciplinary platform for artists to exhibit their works and provide networking between artists, collaborative groups and individuals to express their thoughts and ideas. Hence, to broaden the artists’ perspectives on other disciplines of arts.

c) To enhance the sensibility, understanding and ability of art appreciation by exposing, educating and sharing with students and the general public through guided tour, art talk, workshop, discussion etc.

d) To provide an opportunity for the general public to interact directly with artists, hence inculcating a better understanding and concern of local art scene and nourish the development of local art, establish a network in between local and foreign artist as well.

e) To establish a cultured society by promoting artistic, aesthetic lifestyles.

Event

notthatbalai art festival would like to encourage contemporary art work that is experimental, conceptual, vibrant and flexible. Activities and artworks are divided into: —

a) Visual arts: paintings, printmaking, drawings, photographs, mixed media, installation art, new media, sculptures, ceramics, etc.

b) Performances: performance art, dances, poetry readings, etc.

c) Music: rock, jazz, electronic, experimental music, etc.

d) Film: narrative shorts, experimental, animation, movies, documentary, etc.

e) Talk: speech and discussion guided by topic

f) Workshop: film-making workshop, performance workshop etc.

g) Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Combination of different forms of art (visual art work combined with performance etc.)

e) Flea market stalls: merchandise or others (t-shirts, posters, etc)

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more info: notthatbalai.blogspot.com