Inspiring art
Art teachers are practising what they teach at Galeri Prima’s latest exhibition, ILHAM, writes
the academicians of the Faculty of Art & Design (FSSR), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM).
Although the current edition attempts to revive its initial spirit by exhibiting art and design works by academicians with an emphasis on the specialisation of their respective fields of work, some are also shaped by the paradigm of social science, natural science and technological studies.
ILHAM is a blending of three main discourses, namely: knowledge tradition, spiritual strength and the appreciation of aesthetics. Each work of art and design doesn’t only portray its form, but also conveys meaning and functions in the human life cycle.
“Lecturers of this faculty should be active and productive in producing artworks based on their expertise,” says UiTM’s vice chancellor, Prof Ir Dr Mohd Azraii Kassim, pointing out that this marks yet another contribution to the nation’s development process in the field of art and design.“It will inspire students to create excellent artworks,” he adds. designers and researchers headed by Muhamad Fahmi
Ahmad have succeeded in designing the exterior feature of an electric car. The joint venture project between the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering, the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, the Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics and the Faculty of Art & Design has successfully produced “UiTM AVII”, an autonomous or “driverless” electric vehicle which was successfully exhibited at the Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show. Themed Driving Future Pioneering Innovation, this project proves that FSSR is able to stand in line with science and technology. Merbok (the bird), mangrove trees, paddy and bricks from the temples in Lembah Bujang were chosen as the main motifs of Batik Merbok’s design by Zaidi Yusoff, a talented young lecturer. For this project, motifs of batik merbok were visualised as graphics on UiTM Kedah campus official vehicles.
Fashion design was one of the key areas of choice offered in FSSR. ILHAM 2019 sees the teamwork of six academic staff from the field demonstrating their own designs; Dr Saemah with a fashion design titled Natural (Sustainable Fashion), while Dr Rose Dahlina deployed texture to create a surface decorative technique on fabric. Norizan Sajar utilised creative bonding techniques while Anas Musavir produced