INTRODUCTION
Sarawak Artists Society (SAS) is a prestige art society established on 29 January 1985. There are currently 50 SAS artists of different races from all over Sarawak, mostly from Kuching.
SAS is a platform for local artistic talents to engage and exchange ideas, nurturing them to shine. It actively organizes art related activities and events, such as art shows both locally and abroad, conferences, workshops, and so forth. Some of the SAS artists have been invited to international art camps, exhibitions, residencies, and etc. Governmental bodies such as the National Visual Art Gallery, Sarawak State Library and the Sarawak Museum, as well as private art galleries have worked closely with SAS to promote its artists and their creations.
SAS main objective is to promote the interest in art and exchange of ideas and experiences with its members and other societies of similar pursuits. It also aim to increase art appreciation in Sarawak. It serves to create awareness among the public on the importance of art. SAS is also determined to raise the standard of art in Sarawak to be on a par with the rest of the country in terms of skills, knowledge and mindset by providing opportunities for exposure and interaction with foreign artists.
SAS serves as a ‘Cultural Ambassador’ to bring Sarawak to the rest of the world; it strives to work with the state government in its effort to preserve and promote the local cultures, arts and crafts.
SAS OBJECTIVES
- To help the government in its effort to preserve and promote local cultures, art and crafts.
2. To create an awareness among the public on the importance of art and how it can enhance the quality of our life.
3. To raise the standard of art in Sarawak so as to be at par with the rest of the country.
4. To provide an avenue for those interested in art to get together and exchange ideas and knowledge and to provide the motivation for them to be actively involved in art activities.
5. To promote interest and the appreciation of art in Sarawak.
VISION
A prestige platform that provides recognition and empowerment for Sarawakian artists, inculcating high quality standard of artworks, enabling artists and their creations to shine.
MISSION
1. Provide opportunities for artists through cross-inspiring and learning with continuous improvement to achieve higher levels of creations.
2. Expand Sarawak arts and culture to an international level.
3. Instilling arts into lives, allowing engagement between artists and communities.
THE HISTORY OF SARAWAK ARTISTS SOCIETY
1985 Sarawak Artists Society (SAS) officially registered on the 29th January 1985. SAS 1st Art Show was held at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
1986 SAS 1st Anniversary Art Show at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
1987 SAS help organize West Malaysian artist Mr. Tew Nai Tong’s solo show at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching. SAS 2nd Anniversary Art Show at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
1988 “Pesta Kuching Art Exhibition” by Kuching Municipal Council.
1989 “Promotion of Tourism for Sarawak Art Show” at Marina Square, Singapore.
Organized outdoor sketching at Muara Tebas, Kampung Bako.
11 members of Chinese origin took part in a joint exhibition together with Singapore Chinese Art Association at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
SAS 4th Anniversary Art Show at Balai Seni, Civic Centre, Kuching.
SAS and SEDC organised the 1st International Art Workshop at Balai Seni, Civic
Centre, Kuching and later held a joint Art Exhibition with Artists from West Malaysia, Bangkok, Singapore, Japan, Holland, Italy and Belgium.
1990 SAS’s _rst “Miniature Art Exhibition” as 5th Anniversary Art Show at Kuching Plaza.
SAS Art Exhibition at Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort in conjunction with “Visit Malaysia Year”.
“Pesta Kuching Art Exhibition” at Balai Seni, Civic Centre, Kuching.
1991 Joint Art Exhibition with artists from Malaysian Artists Association, Kuala Lumpur at Balai Seni, Civic Centre, Kuching.
SAS held Joint Art Exhibition with Taiwan artists at KaoHsiung, Taiwan.
“Promotion of Tourism Art Show” as SAS 6th Anniversary Art Show at Kuching Hilton.
Joint Art Exhibition with International Contemporary artists at Balai Seni, Civic Centre in conjunction with “International Art Week 1991” by SEDC Kuching.
On-going Art Exhibition at Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort enters 2nd year with 5% proceed of sales donated to “Give Kids the World Fund”. Members took part in the Art Demonstration in conjunction with Christmas festival.
1992 Chinese New Year “Year of the Monkey Art Show” at Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort, Kuching.
SAS 7th Anniversary Art Show at Kuching Hilton.
SAS Group Show at Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort, Kuching with each group of 5 members exhibiting for a period of 1 week.
1993 Chinese New Year “Year of the Rooster Art Show” at Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort, Kuching.
“Watercolour Showcase” watercolour paintings exhibition at Kuching Hilton.
10 members took part in the “Batik and Mixed Media Art Show” at Holiday Inn Damai Beach Resort, Kuching.
Members took part in “Art and Crafts Fair” by Kuching City South Council in conjunction with the 30th Anniversary celebration at Sarawak Plaza, Kuching.
SAS 8th Anniversary Art Show at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
1994 “SAS Exhibition of Prints, Drawings and Photography” at Techno Graphic Art Gallery, Kuching.
“Contemporary Art Show” at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
1994 Malaysia Day Celebration “Sarawak Arts Festival” at Holiday Inn Hotel, Kuching.
1995 SAS 10th Anniversary Art Show at MBKS Hall, Jalan Padungan, Kuching.
A Pot-luck was organised by Magdalene Tai at her residence.
10 members join the launching of “Rakan Muda” at Stadium Negeri, Kuching.
1997 Kuching Festival Art exhibition at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
1999 “Arts For Charity” as SAS 13th Anniversary Art Show at Cellini Kollexion, Kuching.
2000 “Towards Greater Artistic Maturity” as 15th Anniversary Art Show, Smart Bookshop Sdn Bhd, Hock Lee Centre, Kuching.
“The Kenyalang in the Millennium: A Spectrum of Colors” exhibition at Pustaka Negeri Sarawak.
2001 SAS 16th Anniversary Art Show.
SAS, Kuching Chung Hua Arts Association, Sarawak Fine Arts Society and Sarawak Photo-Art Society join the “Kuching Festival Art Week” exhibition at MBKS, Kuching.
2002 SAS 17th Anniversary Art Show at Boulevard Shopping Complex, Miri.
Kuching “Festival Art Week” exhibition at MBKS, Kuching.
2003 SAS 18th Anniversary Art Show at Sarawak Tourism Complex, Kuching.
Kuching Festival Art Week” exhibition at MBKS, Kuching.
2004 “Kuching Festival Art Week” exhibition at MBKS, Kuching.
“Mooncake Festival Art show” with Chung Hua Art Association as SAS 19th Anniversary Show at Sarawak Tourism Complex, Kuching.
2005 “The Art of Sarawak – Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow” as SAS 20th Anniversary Art Show at MBKS, Kuching.
SAS Group Art Show at Boonia Art Gallery, Kuching.
2006 Members took part in the “Ngajah Duoh Sua”, Sarawak Artists Exhibition at National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.
Members took part in the “Art Fest 2006” at Galleria, Kuching.
SAS, Kuching Chung Hua Arts Association and Sarawak Fine Arts Society took part in “Unity Via Art” Joint Exhibition in conjunction with “Visit Malaysia Year 2007” at Sarawak Tourism Complex, Kuching.
2007 Members took part in the outdoor painting at Sarawak State Library.
“Crown Art Show” at Crown Square Shopping Centre, Kuching.
“Sarawak Nepenthes Summit Art Exhibition” at Sarawak Tourism Complex.
“Sarawak Cultural Arts and Craft Festival Arts Show” at Sarawak Tourism Complex, Kuching.
“Titian Sabah dan Sarawak” Joint Art Exhibition, Galleria, Kuching.
2008 SAS resume on-going Art Exhibition at Damai Beach Resort, Kuching.
2009 SAS 25th Anniversary Art Show at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak, Kuching.
2011 SAS, UNIMAS, UiTM, Limkokwing took part in the “Contemporary Arts Show” at Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching.
2012 SAS 28th Anniversary Art Show at the Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching.
2013 “Denim Art Showcase”, extraordinary handmade art pieces crafted from denim by SAS, Limkokwing, Uitm and UNIMAS at the Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching.
2014 SAS 29th Anniversary Art Show at the Boulevard Shopping Mall, Kuching.
2015 “Exploring Sarawakian Heritage” Art Exhibition in conjunction with the Gawai Festival at the Spring Shopping Mall, Kuching.
SAS 30th Anniversary “Caring for Sarawak our Common Home” at Spring Mall, Kuching.
SAS “Caring for Sarawak our Common Home” in conjunction with COP21 UN Climate Change Conference at Alliance Francaise, KL.
2017 SAS’s 32nd Annual Art Exhibition 2017 @ Saradise Gallery, Titanium Building, Jalan Song, Kuching. 8th April – 18th May 2017
“Ride for the Wild for Orang Utang and Sharks Conservation” –Sarawak Artists Society Art Exhibition as part of Art for Conservation with Wildlife Conservation Society for Ride for the Wild 2017 in Hilton and BCCK. May 2017.
“Rimba Sarawak Art Exhibition” @ Hilton Kuching 13th July – 16th July 2017
“Colours of Kuching” Art Exhibition as part of What About Kuching Festival at Grand Margherita Hotel, Oct 2017.
“Run for the Wild 2017” –Sarawak Artists Society Art Exhibition as part of Art for Conservation with Wildlife Conservation Society for Run for the Wild 2017 in Hilton. 15th to 18th December 2017.
2019 “Our Stories Art Exhibition” @ Saradise Gallery, Brighton Square, Kuching 8th March – 5th April 2019
SAS’s 34th exhibition “The Moving Strokes” @ Saradise Gallery, Brighton square, Kuching 6th Dec – 27th Dec 2019
2021 Seni Jantung Hatiku Art Exhibition, Pusat Jantung Sarawak 21 Dec 2021-21 Dec 2022
2022 Plein Air Art Trip to Kampung Tongga, Bau, June 2022
Jan to Dec 2023
1.
The Bin Art Exhibition
SAS were invited to attend the Bin Art Exhibition curated by Faizuan Mat and Mohd Razif at Saradise Gallery on 11 February 2023. Several SAS members attended the launch.
2.
First NFT given to Sarawak Government
A memento from SIAC, which is an art piece painted by David Chew was given to MTCP, received by YB Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. The physical artwork was paired with an NFT Art which is the first NFT Art given to the Sarawak and Malaysian government.
3.
SIAC artworks paired with NFT Art
Several artworks from SIAC were also minted as NFT Art and are given as memento to the sponsors and supporters of the Art Camp event, including a few key ministers.
4.
Sesi Townhall Bersama Penggiat Industri Kreatif Sarawak-Bahagian Kuching, Kota Samarahan and Serian.
David and Sebastian represented SAS to attend the above-mentioned townhall session on 25 February 2023.
5.
Old members rejoining
Liong Ming Kong who was one of the founders of SAS rejoined SAS in March 2023.
6.
Seni Jantung Hatiku Art Exhibition at Pusat Jantung
The second batch of SAS’ exhibition at the Heart Centre has been kickstarted by new organizing chairperson Gerald Goh in March 2023. It will be a one-year project with priority given to those who did not participate in the first batch.
Participating artists will be given a token of appreciation for each artwork exhibited.
7.
SAS exhibited at Urban Residences
SAS artists were invited to exhibit at the gallery of Urban Residences. Liew Kim Phiaw, Sim Chiap Hin, Clement Jimel, Marzuki Jamilah, Ng Paik San and Wong Chiew Ee exhibited their artworks in this project.
8.
Coffee Gathering
SAS organized a networking session with its members on the 14th July at Trevi Café Private Room at Saradise.
9.
Borneo Highlands Mini Art Camp
SAS organized a mini art camp where some members also brought their family. They painted during the art camp and the paintings were exhibited during the annual show. Person in charge was Jane Ling.
10.
SAS Artists Book
Organizing chairperson Sheila, Designer Chen Li Li and team Lilly Metom and Joanne Lau put together a book with all the members profiles and artworks.
11.
Judges for Region 1 Lions Club Peace Poster Contest 2023
SAS were invited to be judges for the Peace Poster Contest 2023. Sebastian Jong, Joanne Lau and Gerald Goh participated.
12.
Annual Art Exhibition at the Spring
The Annual Art Exhibition was held from 10th to 26th November at the Spring Mall. 50 members participated in the exhibition. Workshops, talks and activities were held throughout the exhibition time.
13.
MTCP ASIACRAFT 2024 Meeting
Sebastian Jong and Gabrielle Lim represented SAS to attend Mesyuarat Jawantankuasa ASIACRAFT 2024 on 7th December.
14.
New Members in 2023 – 2024
There were new members approved in 2023 to 2024: Muyang Kumundan, Anne Koh, Lucas Lau, Joshua Jabeng and Sim Kwang Meng.
Jan to March 2024
15.
Balai Seni Negara 5th Anniversary Gala Dinner
Sebastian Jong represented SAS to the BSN’s 5th Anniversary Dinner on 10th January 2024.