Kem Rebung Seni (2025) at TuAS: Harvesting Innovation in Formal Art Education

 

Figure 1: A Poster of "Kem Rebung Seni 2025"

27 July 2025 - Marks the opening date of this innovative Art Camp given the name "Kem Rebung Seni (2025)", taking place at Tukang Arca Art Space (TuAS), an all rounded Art Space managed by Dr. Rosli Zakaria, an Academic-Artist base in Melaka. 

This Art Camp is a collaborative team project between Tukang Arca Art Space (TuAS), with the support of the National Art Gallery (NAG), Melaka State, District Education Office (PPD) Masjid Tanah, with four (4) secondary schools around Masjid Tanah, focusing entirely on innovating formal art education.

The Art Camp highlights aspects on; Art Dialogue & Discussion, Art Talk, Eco Sculpture, as well as Eco Painting. Its objective is to focus on creative and innovative aspects among the chosen candidates from the art camp, who are secondary school students taking art subjects as a part of their school curriculum. This interesting camp also addresses the theme of "Adding Self Value", in searching for inner potential from each and every chosen participants. 

Figure 2: An Art Dialogue with Celebrated Malaysian Public Art Sculptor Ramlan Abdullah

I looked forward on the the Art Dialogue by Ramlan Abdullah, celebrated Malaysian Public Art Sculptor. The title of the dialogue was "A Talk on Public Art", where Dr. Rosli Zakaria introduced Associate Professor Dr. Ramlan Abdullah as "The Father of Modern Malaysian Sculpture". Well, considering such extensive repertoire of the Sculptor, an almost 40 years of practice as an Academic-Artist at UiTM Shah Alam, and with more than 70 established Public Sculpture around landmarks in Malaysia, Ramlan Abdullah as a Sculpturing artist does deserve such recognition.

It was the 17th OITA Sculpture Competition at Japan (1995) , which Ramlan Abdullah through his work entitled "Growth (1995)" won Grand Prize. It became a gateway for the foundational aspects of sculpture as an art practice to be recognized on such international level, which was addressed by the fourth prime minister himself Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. 

The artist shared on how making ends meet in becoming a sculptor at Malaysia at that time was a tough-nut to crack. He shared when he was doing his Masters in New York USA (majoring in sculpture), his works were already sold to collectors, and unfortunately almost 10 years in Malaysia it took time for his sculptural work to be sold to a local collector. 

It does proves that one way or another how the early days of post-indepedance (1957), our local art ecosystem were still on its formative era in terms of sculpture, yet still fertile by great feasible opportunities to be ventured by the Art, as well as Education Institutions.

Sculpture making in Malaysia since the early pre-independence was synonym with crafting idol's mostly to be worshiped, thus modern art did not received a welcoming privilege in local society and culture. By time Ramlan Abdullah saw this challenge as what he would advice to his students "rather than looking for a subject around you, how about taking yourself as the subject". 

This does signifies a full-circle of the artist himself, where there is a strong ethos of creativity, as well as character in most of his work portraying his identity as a apart of the subject, his integrity in the formation and fabrication of his materials he works with, as well as innovation upon addressing the synergy of his content between identity, integrity, and innovation of its final form. 

The artist does continue to declares that most of his working materials do come with its birth certificate, and are tested in labs for authenticity. All these practice making take place outside of formal art education, where you dwell with commission jobs coming from variety of discipline and key-sources. 

Figure 3: The Artist Receiving a Token of Appreciation from Mr Baharim Samuri witnessed by Dr. Rosli Zakaria 

The insights from this interesting dialogue by Associate Professor Dr. Ramlan Abdullah shared, and triggered many responds from the candidates, and participants at "Kem Rebung Seni 2025". 

Which sparked a dialogue between myself; Where do we Harvest Innovation in Formal Art Education?

The reason I am stating this was that one of the online viewers (Associate Professor Halim) from session did asked about how far is our syllabus education especially sculpture making are exposed to disciplines such as engineering , as remarked by the artist on how he amalgamates his artistic knowledge with other discipline of areas such as architecture, and engineering.  The artist himself admits that our syllabus is outdated in terms of that aspects, it was long ago since he was in the academic circle where he did help revised with his team.

One of the solutions that I see here, is the synergy between the key-players of the Malaysia's Art Ecosystem. One example alone is this Art Camp itself, where it brings professional artist from their respected fields to engaged and have dialogues with the younger generations who are eager to address changes for the betterment of their generations. 

In a nutshell, it takes two hands to clap, where to harvest innovation shifts in formal art education in the country, programs such as this "Kem Rebung Seni (2025)", focussing on adding self-value is viewed as a platform to respond towards a smart society, conscious in the the development of the Malaysian Art Ecosystem, rather than just formal art education alone.  

It is highly appreciated if self-taught or non-formal artist could together join to harvest their ideas in amalgamating a more decentralised art system as promoted by the National Art Gallery (NAG). 

 

MUSADDIQ MOHAMAD KHALIL

Department  of Liberal Studies

UiTM Alor Gajah

PACAQ- UITM RIG 2025

G.A.S UiTM Melaka 2025