The sense of tension in the painting ‘Rooted’ (above) makes it seem the human like figure is trying to writhe himself free of something. The contours of the figure affirms this narrative: the momentum of the anatomy gives me the impression that there is a contraction of the body, a subtle struggle. The neck looks like it is stretching out or fighting against a downward pull. If the figure was looking directly at me, the gaze of his hollow eyes would almost be unbearable. I feel I am spared by the artist. The colours tell a different story.
Articles in Culture
Beyond the Painting
I am at the Chelsea College of Arts. In the midst of the lunch hour buzz, I cannot help but notice the student demographic of the college – do artists look a particular way? Perhaps this is erroneous to suggest but there is an acute sense of taste expressed in what seemed like an accidental understanding of a dress code. Maybe this is the artistic elan leaking through: most of them carry some kind of object in one form or another – paintings, frames, parts of an installation – I can only get glimpses of this fleeting art as they pass by. The atmosphere is one of creative productivity but they pass me by in very brief glimpses.
[Transcript] Issues of the Brunei Youth Identity: Future Directions
Every generation faces the issue of identity. In the past, racial lines, enforced by facial features and language, largely defined the question of identity. As such nations were often named by their racial character: the Chinese in China and the Mongols in Mongolia, the Scots in Scotland, the English in England and closer to home […]
The History of Brunei Women During British Rule: Teah Abdullah
Remember History classes in primary and secondary school? Because I sure can’t. Brunei’s history has always circulated around Sultans and the strange wars they went through in order to reclaim their position as a monarch. Cock fights? Are you kidding me? Our history, if I may be frank, was like a badly written Saturday Night Live sketch.
Perspectives: Performing Arts in Brunei
Perspectives brings together different voices on a topic. In this post Open Brunei talks with Low Kok Wai, Lecturer in Drama & Theatre Studies, Faculty of Arts at Social Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam; Abdul Zainidi whose films “Bread Dream” and “Teluki” were screened at the Cannes Festival; and Aa’qiil Ahmad a performer who divides his time between 1stopbrunei, Seeds and Relentless Entertainment.