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SEMANGATBUDI ART HOUSE


‘Semangat budi’, revolves around the philosophical corpus of Knowledge that is contingent upon cosmology, ontology and axiology of the Malay Worldview.

‘Semangat budi’ is a Malay word. ‘semangat’ is describe as the ‘Spirit’ or ‘Will’ while ‘budi’ is described as ‘deed’, ‘seed’, or ‘cultivate’. It represents the German Art Term ‘Kunstwollen’, Coined by the celebrated Austrian Art Historian, Alois Riegl. Hence, defined as the Will-to-Form by E.H Gombrich, ‘Semangat budi’ is the artistic as well as aesthetic urge, to produce arts and crafts in the Malay World.

The origin of ‘Semangat budi’ can be traced back to the cosmological understanding of the Malay World Society. In particular, cosmology is the understanding between man and the universe; he finds himself. The westerners value independent conviction between man and the universe, placing individualism as the highest philosophical virtue, where Man is the centre of universe, as well as the measure of all things. In contrast, the orientals of the east, especially from the Malay World, values the reciprocal connection between man and the universe. Thus, the collectivism philosophical virtue between man and nature is celebrated upon the Will-to-Form of ‘Semangat Budi’, in the Malay World.

The presence of ‘Semangat budi’ within the Malay World Society is envisioned upon its ontological worldview. In particular, the interpretational meanings create, develop, and cultivate by one’s perspective of reality. The western world, values the reality between ‘idealism’ as well as ‘realism’. However, the Malay world, values reality upon what the westerners frame as ‘occasionalism’, in submiting one’s will upon the will of one’s creator. Therefore, ‘Semangat budi’ in the philosophical corpus of Knowledge, is seen as an act of devotion, a ‘Tawhidic Weltanschauung’ (Worldview).

The value of ‘Semangat budi’ can be traced upon the Axiology of the Malay World Society. In particular, the Aesthetic value of arts and crafts. The Classical Greek, valued harmony, proportion, as well as order, between one’s mind and body, known as a ‘sound-mind’. However, the Classical Malay society, valued repetition, dynamism, as well as harmony between the creation and creator. Consequently, ‘Semangat budi’, is the Aesthetic harmony between Microcosm and Macrocosm, resolving as the Metacosmic beauty of the Malay World.

The essence as well as presence of ‘Semangat budi’, is encapsulated within the Malay Proverb:

'Benih yang baik kalau dicampak ke darat menjadi gunung, dan jika dicampak ke laut menjadi pulau'

Translated as, If you throw a piece of good seed on land it grows into a mountain and if you throw it into the sea it becomes an island. Similar to the good nature of man, with the right spirit a man can move mountains and explore islands!

In a nustshell, ‘Semangat budi’ is celebrated as the Will-to-Form, Collective Spirit, Tawhidic Weltanschauung, as well as harmonious reciprocal Metacosmic connection, revolving upon the unique beauty of the Malay Worldview.

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