SUFFERINGS AT GAZA DEPICTED AT ART EXHIBITION

By Rohana Mustaffa

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 (Bernama) -- The emotions and feelings of 235 artists
over what happened in Gaza, Palestine are evident on the 421 pieces of
imaginative efforts now on display at the National Art Gallery here.

The exhibition is from Feb 7 until end of this month and part of the
proceeds from the sale of the canvass works would go to the Palestinian Fund
Programme 2009.

The event is a collaboration between the National Art Gallery and Malaysian
Social Research Institute (MSRI) as well as RA Fine Arts Gallery.

It is held as a move to draw the interest of art enthusiasts to appreciate
the creations of local painters apart from reminding them on the global human
values.

The canvass designs also cover works of oil and water paints apart from
acrylic and pastels. The paintings are sold at between RM200 (US$54.87) and
RM200,000 (US$54,871).

National Art Gallery Curator (Corporate Communications) Rohana Mohd Yusof
said 60 percent of the proceeds would be channelled to the Palestinians via the
MSRI while the remaining 40 per cent would go the respective painter.

According to Rohana, the exhibition has the 'two in one' objective whereby
to provide support for the aggrieved Palestinians and on the other hand to
appreciate the artistic contributions of the Malaysian painters.

Rohani said to this date some RM10,000 had been garnered and she called on
the corporate sector to make contributions apart from expanding their collection
of fine art work.

Rohana also said the National Art Gallery is giving the opportunity for the
young generation like the graffiti artists to express what they feel about the
plight of the Palestinians.

These group of young painters like They Art Studio, The Super Sunday, Phobia
Klik, PW Crew and SWS Crew were given the chance to demonstrate their panache as
well as flamboyance by 'painting' the Palestinian theme at the gallery.

Their creations are being sold at the Gaza Bazaar, opened since Feb 14 from
10am until 8pm daily. Various other items like food, clothing and decorative
accessories are also available.

"It is hoped that this charity exhibition attracts the interest of caring
Malaysians on the plight faced by the Palestinians towards finding freedom in
their own homeland", she said.

MSRI representative Lia Syed said the current exhibition is the third joint
collaboration between the institute and Malaysian artistes on charity work and
MSRI is proud with the commitment given to help the Palestinians.

MSRI is the first Malaysian non-governmental organization (NGO) to send a
group of medical volunteers to a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

MSRI, together with RA Fine Arts had staged the 'Tabah dalam Derita'
(serenity in agony) that featured the works of Palestinian painter Rouhaifa
Qassim and children of Camp Nahr al-Bared at the RA Gallery here in 2007 and a
similar event at the Cultural Market last year.

Meanwhile, RA Fines Arts director Raja Ahmad Aminullah said despite being
located far away from the embattled Gaza Strip, Malaysian painters have
translated what they have felt about the Palestinian conflict through their
creations on canvass.

News on the sufferings of the Palestinians may have simmered down but the
awareness on their sufferings and agony should be continuous, he said.

Raja Ahmad called on visitors to the exhibition to appreciate on what was
expressed by the Malaysian painters against the violence committed by Israel
against the Palestinians.

He also expressed hope that the exhibition period would be extended. The
exhibition is to be officially opened on Feb 20.
-- BERNAMA