Under The Radar

Fine art consultant and gallerist Shalini Ganendra examines the convergence of the past and present state of the arts in Malaysia.

Consider, at 60 years old, what Malaysia has become. A nation with a louder voice for discussion and debate, varying interests and aspirations, prominent sky lines with award-winning structures and a dynamic cultural scene—developments that certainly bode well for meaningful global dialogue and local engagement in art and culture.

Bearing in mind cultural practice is a measure of development for a society and an individual, an appreciation of culture with its wonderfully dynamic nature and infinite timeline shows where we are, not only in so far as the hardware but also, and more importantly, with the software (knowledge, research, presentation, and delivery).

Art practice is important to culture. The best art practitioners are well-informed, not just about technique and art history, but also about world affairs, science, aesthetic, heritage, architecture, design, sociology, history, and whatever strikes the fancy to inform and develop. The multidisciplinary world is part of culture and culture informs the former. Culture is what we see, experience, develop, covet, understand, live as, live in, become a part of, and should participate in to improve ourselves and community.

In today's very global environment, with the inescapable access and accountability provided by the Internet, we can know what our fellow creators are doing and consider what we can share with them. Information access and sharing is now perhaps too easy, and needs vetting. What should we follow? What do we ignore? Take the best. Leave the rest.

A significant development in the culture world is that it is no longer as elitist as it once was. Accessibility, commentary, quality education, and communication allow everyone with curiosity to participate.