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Langkawi: Open- air art gallery T he legendary island of Langkawi has unveiled a new charm as an “open-air gallery” through the 29th Bakat Muda Sezaman (BMS29) or Contemporary Young Talent art showcase. Through a site-specific approach, several Installations, sculptures placed all over paradise island

An artwork floats on the sea, one of many that are being exhibited during BMS29. – ALL PICS FROM BERNAMA

Open to the public until July 26, the exhibition features a wide range of mediums, including installations, mixed media, digital art, performances and interactive works, demonstrating how contemporary art can engage deeply with space, nature and local communities. The initiative draws inspiration from international examples such as the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale in Japan, where the site-specific approach succeeded in drawing visitors to the rural area. Artist Suhaimi Fadzir, 60, told Bernama Langkawi has its own strengths as an open-air art destination due to its naturally striking landscapes. “Public art is an essential feature of major cities and reflects urban progress. Langkawi has many suitable locations. If done properly, it could become a major attraction because tourists come to Langkawi in search of unique experiences,” he said. Kuah resident Lim It Leang, 70, said programmes such as BMS29 could introduce Langkawi’s cultural identity to tourists,

The British planned to rebuild the railway, but “history repeats itself”. “After the war, the tin miners wanted to mine underneath the ‘virgin’ land which the railway used to occupy,” said Tan. The tycoons again objected to the construction of a railway, arguing roads and motorways were more than enough. In 1948, the plans to rebuild the railway were officially scrapped, with the land on which the train used to run being sold to the highest bidder. “So, the railway land was converted into mining land. And (the decision) might have made a few people wealthy for a few decades. But in the long run, it made the entire Kinta Valley, the entire state of Perak poorer.” What if If history went differently, said Tan, Ipoh could have had a train linking it to Lumut, giving the landlocked state capital its own port. This could have possibly put it on the same level as Kuala Lumpur or George Town. The question of “what if” has fascinated Tan for some time now, as he has seen maps of proposed railways in British Malaya which would have seen trains criss-crossing the peninsula to an impressive extent. During his research, he came across a photograph of a bus, taken in Papan in 1910. Tan dug deeper to find out more about it and he learnt it was a French-imported bus, part of a service which connected isolated towns and villages to the railway system. “So, public transport a hundred years ago was even more developed than what we have today. And we have visual proof of that,” lamented Tan. These facts and thoughts are shared with audiences whenever Tan goes around showing his documentary to students and other Naturally beautiful Langkawi is perfect as an open-air art destination. artworks are displayed not only within gallery walls but also across public spaces around Langkawi, transforming the island’s landscapes, communities and everyday life into part of the artistic experience for emerging artists. Among the locations for the artworks are the Kuah public market, Pantai Taman Lagenda, jetty and padi fields of Pulau Tuba, old Kuah hospital, Tasik Teluk Kedak recreational park, Dataran Lang and Jetty Point.

The exhibition is ongoing until July 26.

especially when the artworks highlight local elements. “If we create artworks inspired by local culture, it can attract visitors to explore them. To me, that makes Langkawi even more interesting and adds value to the island.”

The exhibition features a wide range of mediums, including installations.

Dismantled during Second World War, doomed to never return by greed

Ignominous end “It’s totally gone! You can’t find a single trace. During World War II, the Japanese needed raw materials to build the Death Railway between Thailand and Burma,” said Tan. To that end, many railway

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lines in Japanese-occupied countries were dismantled to be repurposed for the Death Railway. The Ipoh-Tronoh line was one of the casualties. Supposedly, some surviving parts of the Death Railway today have the initials “FMS” (Federated Malay States) engraved into their metalwork. Of course, the war and the occupation would come to an end with the Japanese defeat and the return of the British to Malaya.

Perak’s history is deeply tied to its tin mines. – PICS COURTESY OF ANSELL TAN

Referring to a recent announcement regarding the construction of Ipoh Sentral, he said: “What we learnt through researching this old railway line is that Ipoh’s middle class isn’t concentrated in the centre of Ipoh, but in the surrounding suburbs where the former tin mining towns were. “If Ipoh Sentral develops a complimenting rapid bus transit system with the locations of schools in mind, which are the main cause of traffic today in Ipoh, it can open up bandwidth to prevent traffic and loss of transport time while creating economic gains. “As of now, Ipoh Sentral is like any other ‘mixed development’ you’d see in Kuala Lumpur, instead of being a real transport hub for Ipoh and the Kinta Valley. A missed opportunity.”

curious Malaysians. Among the Malaysians he hopes will benefit from the knowledge of the past is his young daughter, whom he hopes will grow up knowing the history of Ipoh, her hometown. “My wife didn’t know much about her own hometown and only started to rediscover (the place) when we came back. So, by doing this documentary, my wish is that when my daughter watches it, she will know more about her hometown and history doesn’t repeat itself.” Modern-day lessons He hopes the lessons of the past will play a role in how Ipoh is developed in the modern day, especially in regard to its transport network.

Tan believes there are lessons to be learnt from the story of the Ipoh-Tronoh railway.