To a large extent, the indigenous ‘worldview’ is grounded on important ancient stories and symbols. A belief that the world is a symbol of creation and is therefore sacred and must be revered. The world as a sustainer provides continuous resource which exists since time immemorial. Having strong traditions which is deeply rooted with ancient practices, the indigenous people is very much connected with the natural world.The symbiosis becomes the template for the indigenous culture and its social order.The interdependency between man and nature created the sanctified relationship between people and the world they inhabit. Central to the indigenous culture are traditional symbols which are based on momentous stories. Without a written lexicon, their stories are orally recounted through ritualistic dance and songs; and their beliefs are embedded through their artworks. Such is their way to pass on vital information and in preserving their culture. Due to its confined presence, indigenous art have recurrently been misrepresented. Although both originates from a completely different visual languages, however there are attempts to compare indigenous art to a western art form.

ESCAPE from the SEA is an extension of Condition Report, a curatorial development programme currently in its sophomore edition initiated by the Japan Foundation Asia Centre in four cities in this region: Jakarta, Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur. The exhibition runs from 24 February to 23 April 2017 at the National Art Gallery and Art Printing Works (APW) and is curated by Yap Sau Bin and Hiroyuki Hattori, with support of Alice Sarmiento (Philippines), Kurnia Yunita Rahayu (Indonesia), Souliya Phoumivong (Laos) and Goh Sze Ying (Malaysia). The exhibition frames the sea as physical and metaphorical: a body of water which defines geo-political boundaries as well as a concept that represents a state of boundlessness. Here, the binaries of politics and poetics, home and neighbour, historical and contemporary, self and other, imagined and real borders are negotiated. How do we escape the imagined community of statehood or the idea of the real sea? Escape implies a line of flight referring to artistic practices and processes of creating a possibility of alternatives. ESCAPE from the SEA includes works by Adam David (PH), Aoyama Satoru (JP), Au Sow-Yee (MY/TW), Catalina Africa Espinosa (PH), Han Ishu (CN/JP), Ismal Muntaha (ID), Jeffrey Lim (MY), Ali Alasri, Faiq Syazwan Kuhiri, Mark Teh and Wong Tay Sy (MY), Pangrok Sulap (MY), Roslisham Ismail aka ISE (MY), Shitamichi Motoyuki (JP), Tita Salina (ID), yang02 + Ishige Kenta (JP), Zai Kuning (SG). **Exhibition Bus Tours** Bus tours from NAG to APW are available for visitors every alternate Saturdays. Saturday, Mar 11 (this includes a Q&A session with Roslisham Ismail aka Ise) Saturday, Mar 25, Apr 8, Apr 22 2.00pm – 4.30pm

Pameran Yak Bok Te yang dikuratorkan oleh MAPFest 2017 merupakan pameran solo pertama Amin Landak, ilustrator dan kartunis muda tempatan. Pameran akan berlangsung bermula 24 Mac sehingga 16 April 2017 dari jam 10.00 pagi sehingga 10.00 malam di The Circle, Publika, Kuala Lumpur.

Amin Landak, ilustrator dan kartunis muda Malaysia merupakan kartunis di Majalah Gila-Gila dan juga menyumbangkan hasil karyanya di MalaysiaKini. Beliau merupakan graduan Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA) dan telah bergiat aktif sejak 8 tahun yang lepas dalam arena komik di Malaysia. Beliau mula dikenali melalui komik lereng dan zine Yak Bok Te yang dikongsikan secara persendirian melalui media sosial. Kemudian, komik-komik ini telah dibukukan dalam Yak Bok Te 1 dan Yak Bok Te 2 yang telah diterbitkan oleh Dubook Press dan mendapat sambutan yang memberangsangkan.

Amin Landak mengambil inspirasi daripada tanah kelahirannya dan menamakan koleksi komiknya, Yak Bok Te. Yak Bok Te, berasal daripada dialek Kelantan merupakan reaksi spontan seseorang apabila merasakan terkejut atau melatah. Komiknya memfokuskan isu sosio politik dan pintar menangkap isu-isu semasa dalam persembahan yang bergeliga dan mencuit hati. Di sebalik humor dalam komiknya, Amin Landak mencabar pembacanya terhadap kepedulian dan kesedaran kehidupan masyarakat di Malaysia. Sehubungan itu, Tuan/Puan dengan segala hormatnya dijemput untuk sama-sama hadir memberi sokongan dan sekali gus memeriahkan majlis tersebut. Untuk sebarang pertanyaan lanjut berkenaan pameran boleh berhubung terus dengan Cik Arumi Kiswantoh di talian 019-9734581.

Teater AMY SOFIA diinspirasikan daripada FILEM PENDEK BABAK TERAKHIR dengan membawa Konsep ASYLUM dan Genre TRAGEDI. Teater yang mengisahkan mimpi tentang kehidupan seorang remaja perempuan yang telah menghantui hidup Sofia. Setiap kali Sofia mengalami mimpi tersebut, dia akan diganggu oleh suara-suara halus yang sering berbisik di telinganya. Mimpinya menceritakan tentang seorang remaja perempuan yang sering kali didera oleh ibunya atas sebab perasaan benci yang mendalam. Berikutan mimpi tentang kehidupan keluarga tersebut seakan-akan memberi satu petunjuk kepada Sofia bahawa ada sesuatu yang bakal berlaku. Amy yang merupakan rakan baik kepada Sofia sentiasa menjadi peneman setia untuk mendengar segala luahan hati rakannya itu. Amy yang dikenali oleh Sofia sejak dari kecil telah berjanji akan menjaga dan melindungi Sofia walau apa pun yang terjadi. Disokong oleh @prodigy.studio & @gengprojekx

These showcases will be a warm welcome for Hough who is a familiar face to the audience at DFP, having performed with the MPO in 1998, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2012. Acclaimed the world over for his brilliant performances, he will be performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.4, a music of lyrical bent with great subtlety of expression. This bold and innovative work was premiered in Vienna in 1808. With an artistic vision that transcends fashions and trends, Hough is widely recognized as one of the most distinctive pianists of his generation. He is the first classical music performer to be awarded a Mac Arthur Fellowship, joining prominent scientists, writers and those who have made unique contributions to contemporary life. Having appeared with major European and American orchestras, and played recitals at prestigious concert venues, he was named by The Economist as one of Twenty Living Polymaths, and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2014. His catalogue of over 50 CDs has garnered Grammy nominations and Gramophone Awards including Record of the Year and the Gold Disc. In addition to these, he is also a prolific composer and an avid writer.