Penang & Johor Bahru, Malaysia - CausewayEXchange (CEX), a joint arts and culture initiative between Singapore and Malaysia is celebrating Singapore’s 50th Anniversary and 50 years of bilateral relations by staging in two Malaysian states, Penang and Johor Bahru, for the first time. While CEX will return to Penang from the 1st to 31st of August for the second year as part of the George Town Festival, it will be visiting Johor Bahru from the 10th of September to 10th October for the first time in conjunction with the JB Arts Festival.
Since its inception, CEX has played a pivotal role in increasing the support and expanding the audience base for arts and culture in both countries by introducing the two countries to each other’s diverse and multicultural arts scenes and facilitating greater opportunities and awareness for cultural exchange programmes between them through artistic and social activities.
Says Shawn Lourdusamy, Founder & Festival Director of CEX, “It is the continuous positive feedback from artistes who have performed at CEX that keeps us going. Artistes have reported to us that they have benefited from this exchange, even more so when we showcase collaborative works across disciplines and genres, which will be seen in our line-up this year.”
This year, CEX will be staging a variety of literary, visual and performance arts events in Penang and Johor Bahru. The highlights are as follows:
For the full itinerary of CEX activities please visit: causewayexchange.com
www.facebook.com/CausewayEXchange
In Johor Bahru
“Nusantara….ombak berlagu, bayu berarak”, A Short Film by Sherman Ong will be showcased at CEX in Johor Bahru. This is an allegoric work based on Southeast Asian maritime history and migratory patterns. Included in this work is a compilation of Sherman Ong’s work which comprises of nine video vignettes which are filmed in the documentary style and explores the cultural issues surrounding Southeast Asia and its peoples.
Date: 10th September to 10th Oct 2015 | Time: 10.00am to 10.00pm | Venue: M.O.M.
Friendship Wall is the result of an initiative that started back in 2013 with the Band of Doodlers. It was aimed at allowing budding artists to connect with and learn from one another as well as industry practitioners. Artists from both countries will be making their mark and leaving their art on the wall on the first day, with additional space being given for guests to create a doodle of their own after.
Date: 19 & 26 September 2015 | Time: 10.00am - 10.00pm | Venue: Festival Village, M.O.M.
Transit by Edwin Koo is a photography exhibition project that showcases the iconic Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in Singapore. As the dominant form of transportation in the country, the MRT moves approximately 2.8 million people a day. Edwin Koo’s photographs capture the still life of commuters, painting a picture of their daily lives that usually go unnoticed.
Date: 10th September to 10th Oct 2015 | Time: 10.00am to 10.00pm | Venue: M.O.M.
The Singapore Literary Panel: The Impact of the 1965 Separation on Malaysian and Singaporean Literature is a multilingual panel of more than a dozen shortlisted Singapore authors from the 2014 Singapore Literature Prize (SLP). The SLP is unique in that it awards prizes in three categories - Poetry, Fiction and Non-Fiction - in Singapore’s four official languages: English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil. As well as reading excerpts from their works, the panel will be discussing the impact of the 1965 separation on the literature of both countries.
Date: 12 September 2015 | Time: 2.00pm to 7.00pm | Venue: MAP@NUSAJAYA, M.O.M.
Nadi Singapura is a Singaporean drum ensemble with more than 25 members that uses the traditional drums of the Malay Archipelago such as the kompang, rebana, jidur, and gendang in their performances. Inspired by theatrical drumming and percussion groups such as Drum Tao from Japan, the UK’s Stomp and the Brazilian group Monobloco, Nadi’s performances are high energy and guaranteed to get the audiences’ feet tapping.
Date: 19 September 2015 | Time: 8.30pm | Venue: Festival Village, M.O.M.
A Limited Edition Solo Art Exhibition by Tang Juey Lee will showcase the works of the internationally renowned artist himself. Famous for his orchid paintings, Tang has previously held exhibitions in Australia, Europe and other parts of the world as well as Singapore and Malaysia.
Date: 10th September to 10th Oct 2015 | Time: 10.00am to 10.00pm | Venue: TBC
Heritage Films showcases six of the winning films from the Singapore Heritage Short Film Competition. The competition aims to encourage young filmmakers to reconnect with their heritage by documenting aspects of Singapore’s heritage and culture to preserve them for future generations. The films include views of the surviving Hakka and Peranakan culture in Singapore, explorations of the city’s old kampongs and the revival of the lion dance among Singapore’s youth.
Date: 24 September 2015 | Time: 9.30pm | Venue: Festival Village, M.O.M.
The Orkestar Trio is a trio of musicians that aim to explore the world of modern music while keeping with their cultural musical traditions. Their unique sound combines many different musical styles that reflect the personalities of the musicians themselves.
Date: 19 September 2015 | Time: 9.00pm | Venue: Festival Village, M.O.M.
M.O.M – Mall of Medini , No. 4 Lebuh Medini Utara, Medini Iskandar Malaysia, 79250
For Malaysian media please contact:
Azzura Soraya Hasssan
PR Consultant
D: +6-03-2149 0987 F: +6-03-2149 0701
M +6016-333 7680 E azzurash@bridges-comms.com
For Singapore media please contact:
Nanny Eliana
PR Consultant
Bridges M&C Pte Ltd
D +65 6348 2215 F +65 6440 8145
M +65 9450 0599 E nan@bridges-comms.com
John Battersby
PR Consultant
Bridges M&C Pte Ltd
D +65 6348 2215 F +65 6440 8145
M +65 9754 1092 E john@bridges-comms.com