makan!

Katering was done by artists Soraya Yusof Talismail and Ariff Awaluddin. The pasangan suami-isteri's most recent projek was Angin, an exhibition of foto documentation of Kelantanese performance traditions at Galeri Petronas. The exhibition was presented in collaboration with PUSAKA - Centre for the Study and Documentation of Traditional Performance in Malaysia.

order persembahan

the venue - 67 Tempinis Satu Gallery

Many thanks to Sek San for letting us use the space while he was away on the April 28th weekend. 67 Tempinis Satu Gallery, on the ground floor of Seksan Design (landscape architecture and planning), has over the past year become an energetic alternative space for exhibitions, performances, screenings, readings and discussions.

Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund application form

Please apply using the format below. You may apply in English or Bahasa Malaysia. A PDF of the application can also be downloaded at www.fiveartscentre.org.

Deadline for applications : 30 September 2006

All applications are to be sent to:

Five Arts Centre
27 & 27A Lorong Datuk Sulaiman 7
Taman Tun Dr. Ismail
60000 Kuala Lumpur

Email : fivearts@tm.net.my
Website : www.fiveartscentre.org
Tel/Fax : 603 77254858

Section 1
Applicant Information

Name of applicant
Name of project director
Name of company
Address(es)
Telephone number(s)
Fax number(s)
Email address(es)
Website

Section 2
Personal Profile

CV of applicant
Main activities/past history
Objectives of your past/present/future work
Annual number of projects and annual expenditure of these projects

Section 3
Project Information

Description of project
Objectives of project
Profile of those involved in the project
Significance of the project
Time frame of the project

Section 4
Budget

Detailed budget
Which other funding organizations have you applied to?
What amounts do you expect from these organizations?
What are your plans for this project if this application is not successful?

Section 5

Any additional information that you think will help the selection panel have a clearer understanding of your project.

Section 6
Account Information

Name of Account holder
Name of Bank and Branch
Type of account
Account number
Swift code
Address of Bank/Branch

For more information please call or email us as the above contact.

The Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund

The Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund has been created by ASTRO to encourage and support creative work in Malaysia. One of the main objectives of Krishen’s pioneering work was celebrating original Malaysian creativity in as varied and alternative ways as possible in all the areas of the arts. His groundbreaking theatre practice straddled and brought together a wide range of contesting spheres, producing projects that were inter-disciplinary, multi-cultural, multi-lingual and experimental. Negotiating between academia and practice, tradition and contemporary pop culture, Hollywood and Bollywood, the mainstream and the marginalized, Krishen’s work articulated a Malaysian identity that was ever evolving and encouraged practitioners and audiences to reflect on their lives and societies. This is the spirit of the Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund.

The fund will give out grants ranging from RM5,000 to RM20,000 for :

• Training
• Workshops
• Attachments/residencies
• Experimental productions
• Research and documentation
• Writing
• Creating new work in music, dance, theatre, writing, visual/performance art
• Others

Examples include, but are not limited to:

- Artist A might want to study under well known Indonesian theatre director Putu Wijaya. Artist A could apply to be attached to a production directed by Putu Wijaya for a 4-6 week period. This would give artist A insights and learning on methods of this director.

- Artist B might want to do research on a subject for purposes of writing a new script. Artist B could apply to do this research and write the script.

- Artist C could apply to direct and mount an experimental workshop or production.

- Artist D could apply to attend a training workshop within or outside of Malaysia.

- Attachments and internships.

The Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund will try to be inclusive, but work sited in Malaysia will be given preference. All arts practitioners in Malaysia are eligible to apply. The fund will be managed by Five Arts Centre and ASTRO.

The selection panel for awarding the grants shall comprise :

• Ravi Navaratnam – Five Arts Centre
• Mac Chan – Five Arts Centre
• Kathy Rowland – Kakiseni.com
• Norliza Rofli – Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Malaysia
• Representative from ASTRO.

The Krishen Jit Experimental Workshop Series 2006

The Krishen Jit Experimental Workshop Series is Five Arts Centre's tribute to the work of Malaysian theatre legend Krishen Jit (1939-2005). While his art is lauded for its unflinching search for emotive expression through experimentalism, Krishen's greater legacy remains with those he has left behind - the practitioners of performing arts today.

Five Arts Centre believes that it is best to honour and pay tribute to one man's dedication by demonstrating that his vision is very much alive and endures in the lives of those he has touched and inspired.

The project consists of a series of six workshop performances to be staged throughout 2006, focusing on experimental approaches and the exploration of ideas, perpetuating the energy and inspiration Krishen brought to exploring art forms in Malaysia.

Each workshop will be an attempt to generate original, experimental work through an approach guided by the zeal and commitment exemplified by Krishen during his career. The workshops must produce original work. They will not be a rehash of Krishen's past productions nor are they confined to attempts at applying Krishen's 'style' or 'method'. Rather, each workshop performance within the series will provide its creator with an avenue for exploration. Since its aim is to allow individuals to explore, the series will avoid conventional genre labels such as visual arts, music, theatre, dance, etc. While each workshop performance should be experimental, the definition of the term is left to the individual initiating the workshop performance.

The projects in the Krishen Jit Experimental Workshop Series include:

• Baling (membaling), led by Mark Teh.
• Choreography for Non-Choreographers, led by Marion D'Cruz.
  
• In 1969, led by Chee Sek Thim.
• Ensemble Performance Project, led by Akshen.
• Adjudicating Sita, led by Anne James.
• Wayang Kulit, led by Fahmi Fadzil.

Krishen Jit (1939-2006)

Krishen Jit was a pioneer in shaping the identity of post-colonial theatre in Malaysia.

A founder member of Five Arts Centre, he was one of Southeast Asia’s most influential theatre practitioners. Renowned for his experimental style of theatre and for fusing traditional with contemporary forms, he created works that reflected a fast-changing psyche, particularly in urban contexts. Krishen’s career as a director covered a span of over 35 years, during which he formed valuable creative partnerships with Malaysian and Singaporean playwrights such as Usman Awang, Syed Alwi, Dinsman, K.S.Maniam, Kee Thuan Chye, Leow Puay Tin, David Henry Hwang, Dick Lee, Kuo Pao Kun, Lloyd Fernando, Jit Murad, Huzir Sulaiman and Stella Kon.

Krishen also became very engaged in Singaporean theatre in his later years, particularly with TheatreWorks, Practice Performing Arts, Wild Rice and Action Theatre. Recently, he was nominated posthumously as 'Best Director' for Everything But The Brain at The Straits Times' 6th Life! Theatre Awards. The Action Theatre production was also nominated in four other categories, including 'Production of the Year', 'Best Original Script', 'Best Actor' and 'Best Actress'.

Krishen’s directorial works have also played internationally; among them are Manchester United and the Malay Warrior (Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival, Manchester, 2002), Family (co-directed with Wong Hoy Cheong, Festival der Geister, Berlin, 1999), Emily of Emerald Hill, (Hong Kong Fringe Festival, 2000, Melbourne Arts Festival, 2002), US: Actions and Images (5th International Experimental Theatre Festival, Cairo, 1993), Nagraland, (toured five cities in Japan and Hong Kong, 1992), Three Children, (co-directed with Ong Keng Sen, toured two cities in Japan, 1991), and Matinya Seorang Pahlawan (1st Third World Theatre Conference and Festival, Manila, 1972).

In his role as a critic and scholar, Krishen defied the boundaries of language, genre and discipline, making his body of writings an indispensable resource in the structuring and historicising of arts practice in Malaysia and the region. His essays and articles have been published in several publications, including two collections - Membesar Bersama Teater and Krishen Jit: An Uncommon Position.

In 2003, Krishen was honoured with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the inaugural Boh Cameronian Arts Awards in Kuala Lumpur. Two years later, and a week before his passing, Krishen received the 'Best Director' award at the 3rd Boh Cameronian Arts Awards.

28 April 2006 @ 67 Tempinis Satu

28 April 2006 marked the first year since the passing of theatre pioneer and Five Arts Centre founder Krishen Jit. In commemoration of this anniversary, Five Arts Centre organised UTIH… Celebrating Krishen, a tribute to the memories and stories we have of Krishen.

UTIH… Celebrating Krishen featured free-flowing performances, recollections and installations by many of Krishen's friends and co-workers over the years, including:

Amir Muhammad
Anne James
Charlene Rajendran
Elaine Pedley
Fahmi Reza
Huzir Sulaiman
Imri Nasution
James Lee
Janet Pillai
Jo Kukathas
Judimar Hernandez
Kathy Rowland
Leow Puay Tin
Liew Kung Yu
Mark Teh
Nam Ron
Norman Teh
Ray Langenbach
Rhythm In Bronze
Soon Choon Mee
Temple of Fine Arts.

UTIH… Celebrating Krishen was also the occasion for Five Arts Centre to launch the Krishen Jit Experimental Workshop Series and the Krishen Jit – ASTRO Fund (more details on both in the upcoming posts).

Kenapa?

The initial idea for this blog was to share the canggih photos from the night of Utih... Celebrating Krishen (taken by Wee Ling and Wilson from Kelab Shashin Fotografi KL).

Further along the line, we hope to continue devising and archiving the online resources related to Krishen - director's notes & photos from productions, the entire collection of his 'Talking Drama by Utih' articles (which ran for 22 years in the New Sunday Times), as well as interviews and his other writings.