(A speech delivered at theb Barehands Volume I Exhibition official opening ceremony)

Good afternoon. It is indeed a great honour for me to be here to officiate the opening ceremony of Barehands Volume I Exhibition this afternoon. Congratulations to the Project Chairman En Juhari Said and all the participating artists for having successfully completed the Month long Barehands Asian Artists Residency project Volume I in Kuala Lumpur and the successful launch of the Exhibition at the National Visual Arts Gallery. I was informed that 28 artists from Japan, Taiwan, The Philippines, Indonesia, Jordan and host country Malaysia have been taking up residencies at 6 local studios in and around Kuala Lumpur. It is a fantastic effort and determination from the project Chairman and all the participating artists to get together to carry out such a scale of activity by pulling the artists own resources and financial means to such an effective outcome. I understand that all the foreign artists paid on their expenses to come to Kuala Lumpur for this project. The 6 collaborative studios are also non governmental but private set ups by artists and non-profit institution such as MIA. As informed, The Barehands Residency Project was first started by En Juhari and his friend Anees Maari from Jardan at studio Akaldiulu in 2010. It then joined by Mamoru Abe from Japan in 2014 to work in Jordan. At the end of 2015 when the Residency project held in Bandung, 5 countries with 19 artists took part. In 2016 when the residency Project was held in Fukuoka, the number of artists further increased to 21. And Now in Kuala Lumpur, there are 28 artists from 6 countries joining the Residency Project. The growth and expansion of the project show s that many artists are interested in residency project as they can interact and exchange ideas with artists from different cultural and social background while working in the Residency environment and draw new creative inspiration. The participants can make new friends and gain deeper understanding on cultural practice, social conditions and tradition during their home stay at the host country. I can understand why En Juhari Said and his friends are working so hard for the last few years to expand the Project as it is muturely beneficial for the artists. Nowadays, as an alternative solution, many artists prefer to group and work together to organize international projects such as this, the Barehands – Asian Artists Residency Project Volume I and many others regional and international art exhibitions and seminars like the AIAE by using their own expertise, networking, resources and financial means ,no matter how limited. The artist organizers can also utilize their positions and good PR to source supports or financial assistance from both the private and government sectors to facilitate the operation. The relevant government or public institutions in each member county are usually happy to provide assistance in kinds for this sort of activities. Take this Barehands Residency Volume I project for example, the National Visual Arts Gallery of the host country is providing the exhibition space for the exhibiting thus making it possible to showcase the works produced from the Residency to the public. It is indeed a good example of collaboration between the government and the civilian artist groups. The two sectors may work separately but collaborate closely to compliment each other. You will be surprised to see many unbudgeted international or regional projects like art exhibitions, seminars and workshops have been carried out and implemented for the promotion of art and culture between countries under such form of collaboration. It benefits the state, the artist and the public and yet it does not cause too big a financial burden for the government. Therefore ,the Barehands Residency and any artists initiated projects must be encouraged and supported by the public sectors. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to share with you some personal experience related to the organization of the Asian International Art Exhibition or AIAE for short under the Federation of Asian Artists held in East and South East Asian countries by rotation during the past 30 years. As inspired by artists in New York in the 1960’s, the participating artist group in each country in the AIAE all shared the common belief that artists are capable of organizing local or international art exhibition and forum such as those artists did to showcase their works in down town New York in the 1960’s, by using their own strategies, resources, know-how and financial means without necessary depending on state or commercial art galleries. In AIAE, we also have common consensus that the costs of insurance and transportation of art works to and fro the host country exhibition venue are to be borne by the artists of the participating country. Each country must also print a catalogue of common size and provide 700 copies to the host country for free distribution, The host country would be responsible for providing the exhibiting venue, and a 3-day opening progarmme including art forum and visits to places of art and cultural interest. Those artists attending the opening programme must pay their travelling expenses and hotel accommodation except their daily food would be provided by the host country. The 1st AIAE participated by about 40 artists from Korea Taiwan and Japan was held in Korea in 1985. The number of participating countries including Malaysia in the 3rd AIAE increased to 6 when it was held in Japan in 1988. When the 5th AIAE hosted by Malaysia with the collaboration of our National Art Gallery in 1990, the participating countries grew from 6 to 9. And the total number of participating artists also increased from the initial 40 artists in the first AIAE in 1985 to 250 in 1990. 125 participating artists from all the 9 countries came to Malaysia to attend the official opening and related visits to places of cultural interests on their own expenses on air fares and accommodation. Imaging if the host country Malaysia were to sponsor 125 artists to the opening programme and pay the cost of transportation and insurance for the art works from all the 9 countries it would cost Malaysia at least one million ringgit, a bomb indeed. But that was made possible under the collaboration between Federation of Asian Artists Malaysia Committee and the National Art Gallery because of the cost sharing and D.I.Y principle and exercises. The participating countries in AIAE now stand at 15 with a total of 260 artists taking part every year. The AIAE is now widely known as a major important art exhibition and its contribution are well recognized in Asia. The Residence project chairman En Juhari Said, Prof. Awand Damit and Prof. Setiawan Sabana who are here today have been the regular participants in the AIAE since 1988. Prof. Setiawan Sabana is now the FAA Indonesian Committee Chairman. He has help and contributed to the hosting of the 7th and 22nd AIAE in Bandung in 1992 and 2007 respectively. En Juhari has earlier informed me that he was inspired by the spirit and principle of the AIAE and the formation and operation of the Barehands Asian Artist Residency Project is very much based on the Federation of Asian Artists AIAE’s principle, concept and strategies. I am confident that the Barehands Asian Artist Residency Volume I will roll forward like a snow ball and grow from strength to strength to become a major art event in Asia. I suggest perhaps in the coming volumes in the near future, where possible, an art forum can also be held in conjunction with the Residency project to make it a more profound and intellectual oriented art event. I must salute to the project chairman and all the participating artists, those from outside Malaysia in particular, for their efforts, commitment, determination, indulgence and contribution to make the Barehands Asian Artist Residency and exhibition a success. There are many new approaches and unique visual solution explored and exploited in the works on display at the Exhibition as I have noticed. The contents and forms in many of the works are appropriately structured to convey ideas, meanings and cultural symbolism. On the whole, the exhibition has expressed the diversity of cultural contents and visual forms. The Barehands Volume I exhibition is definitely a great visual treat to our general public. Our local collectors should grab the opportunity to view and acquire their works for collection. I would also like to take this opportunity to suggest the National Visual Arts Gallery to award each participating artist a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his or her contribution to make the Barehands Asian Artists Residency Volume I a success. With these notes, it is now my great pleasure to declare The Barehands Asian Artist Residency Volume I Exhibition open.