'Semangat' - An art exhibition to lift one's spirits
A virtual exhibition featuring some ‘never before seen’ artwork by eight prominent Malaysian artists
Passion, Excitement, Intensity - These are some of the emotions that art lovers and the public will get to experience at Maybank’s latest virtual art exhibition entitled ‘Semangat: Maybank’s Art Collection Volume 1’.
Following the launch of the Maybank Virtual Art Gallery @ Balai Seni Maybank in 2020, Maybank has now put together a selection of art works that encapsulate the meaning of the Malay word, ‘Semangat’(Spirit), which sends a valuable message to the public on the importance of maintaining a high spirit, especially during these unprecedented times.
The Semangat exhibition showcases 17 artworks by eight renowned Malaysian artists namely Abdul Latiff Mohidin, Yusof Ghani, the late Datuk Syed Ahmad Jamal, the late Datuk Ibrahim Hussein, the late Khalil Ibrahim, Datuk Tajudin Ismail, Ismail Abdul Latiff and the late Mohamed Din Mohamed.
Accompanied by soothing sounds of Jazz music, visitors will get to experience artworks dated from 1972 to 2010 which were created in mediums such as Mixed media on canvas, Acrylic on linen, Mixed media on paper and Silk screen. Additionally, visitors are able to view 3D versions of modern sculptures entitled ‘Segerak - One Movement, 1Malaysia’ and ‘Kris’ that stands tall at the center of the exhibition hall.
All of the artworks are part of Maybank’s collection of about 600 paintings whilst the actual sculptures can be found within the grounds of Menara Maybank.
Maybank Foundation CEO, Shahril Azuar Jimin said, “‘Semangat’ is a powerful trait that is able to propel an inpidual to reach greater heights. It instills strength, passion, desire and perseverance within a person, to survive or succeed in any circumstances. This positive emotion is what we want our viewers to feel when they visit this virtual exhibition, allowing them to be inspired by a sense of hope and positivity during a very challenging period.”
Shahril also said that the exhibition continues to support the Group’s ongoing social mission to honour the creative efforts of prominent local artists as well as celebrate the evolution of the country’s contemporary art forms.
“The exhibition stands as testament of our appreciation for the arts that has been such an influential medium in Malaysian society. We are inspired that such art works remains consistent in the hearts of our society and will definitely continue to be a part of Malaysia’s modern day art culture.”
Visitors who wish to experience Virtual Art Gallery @ Balai Seni Maybank can do so via the URL https://maybankfoundation.com/index.php/media-center/virtual-exhibition
In 2020, The Virtual Art Gallery @ Balai Seni Maybank hosted two exhibitions under the ‘Balai Seni Art Series 2020 ’programme. The first was the ‘MyTIGER Values Art Competition and Exhibition 2020 ’which featured 119 selected artworks from a total of 430 pieces that were submitted by 316 participants from 68 Malaysian universities. The second was the ‘Sayang-Menyayang: A Batik Fine Art Tribute to Merdeka and Malaysia – ’to celebrate Malaysia’s Batik heritage. A total of 57 pieces of batik paintings from 23 local artists were on display at the exhibition.
Both these virtual art exhibitions are still online and are available for viewing.
Balai Seni Maybank has been actively hosting Malaysian and international artists since its establishment in the 1980s. Some of the biggest names in the local art scene today have, in the past, exhibited their artworks at Balai Seni Maybank, which continues to support the new generation of visual arts practitioners.
Maybank Foundation, which was established in 2010, actively supports community programmes under six key pillars namely Arts & Culture, Education, Community Empowerment, Environmental persity, Healthy Living and Disaster Relief.