KOTA SAMARAHAN: Familiar places in Sarawak can take on new meaning when viewed through the eyes of artists.
Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said artworks could draw attention to details, moods and colours in familiar places that people might otherwise overlook, while works depicting lesser-known locations could inspire audiences to learn more and travel further.
“Some of the places portrayed here may be familiar to us. Yet, when we see them through an artist’s eyes, we may notice something new — a detail, a mood or a colour that we had previously overlooked,” he said.
Abdul Karim said this in his speech, read out by his deputy Datuk Snowdan Lawan, at the opening ceremony of Under Sarawak Skies — ‘A Shared Sky, A Thousand Perspectives’ at Hoan Gallery, La Promenade Mall here last night (Sept 17).
He said the exhibition demonstrated the important role art could play in tourism and in presenting Sarawak to the wider world.
“It allows us to share Sarawak not only as a destination, but also as a place with character, living traditions, and progress,” he said.
The exhibition brings together more than 100 artworks by over 30 artists from Singapore, Thailand, Malaya and Sarawak.
Abdul Karim said the participating artists had travelled to various parts of Sarawak, visiting kampungs, landmarks, markets and shipyards while observing its flora and fauna, people and daily life.
“They explored Sarawak’s past and present, and offered us glimpses of its future,” he said.
He said the exhibition was the culmination of months of planning, travelling, observing, painting and refinement following an expedition organised by Hoan Gallery.
“The expedition was made possible through a grant from the Ministry, after Hoan Gallery’s proposal stood out among applications for bringing together tourism, the creative industry and the arts,” Abdul Karim added.
Abdul Karim said the initiative was not simply an exhibition, but also an opportunity for artists from outside Sarawak to experience the state firsthand and capture its landscapes, culture, heritage and communities in their own distinctive styles.
He added that art could also serve as an honest reflection of a particular time and place, allowing audiences to experience different emotions and perspectives.
“Some works make us smile, while others may leave us feeling thoughtful or even melancholy. Some may ask difficult questions, while others express hope,” he said.
Abdul Karim also reaffirmed the state government’s support for the arts, saying the ministry firmly believed that art appreciation was “one of the yardsticks of development”.
He said while a country’s development could be measured through its gross domestic product, its success could also be understood by looking at how strongly its art and culture were appreciated.
Citing France, Japan, the United States, South Korea and China, he said art and culture formed an important part of how these countries were perceived internationally.
“The state of their arts is the state of their advancement,” he said.
Abdul Karim also expressed appreciation to the private sector, including Hoan Gallery and HSL, as well as La Promenade Mall, Long Wide Shot Productions and other partners for supporting the initiative.
He encouraged visitors to take their time exploring the exhibition, examine the details of the artworks and engage in discussions about the works that caught their attention.
“I urged art lovers to support the participating artists by purchasing their works,” he stated.
Abdul Karim said Hoan Gallery planned to rotate the collection as not all the artworks produced for the exhibition could be displayed at the same time, giving visitors an opportunity to return and discover new works.
