Lau Mun Leng's Reading Project in LAMU - Day 6

Caeser Chong, participated in Mun Leng Reading project's notation 3: Luxury Reading.

Art on a journey

Arts & Fashion Sunday November 4, 2007
Review by SU-MAY TAN

A unique project takes art out of its stuffy box and into the public domain in an attempt to engage the man in the street.

LET ARTS MOVE YOU (LAMU)
Period: Oct 27-Nov 4
Venues: KTM Komuter, KL Sentral, Old Kuala Lumpur station

THE word “art” brings to mind the clink of champagne glasses, plush interiors and the titter of the discerning art critic in halls so quiet you can hear the echo of postmodernist theories leaping off the walls....

A serene slice of London sky – representing space for dreams and desires – photographed by Li Cassidy-Peet and mounted in a KTM Komuter train attracts attention. – CHUA KOK HWA / The Star

A unique public arts project, Let Arts Move You (Lamu), staged in trains and train stations breaks all those moulds – though the discerning art critic is still present albeit in the form of the college student on her way to class or an IT manager taking the train back home.

Lamu is coordinated by Kolektif Pembangun Seni (Art Developer Collective). Its main objective, says project director Lim Kok Yoong, 27, is not to promote any particular artist but to bring art to the people in a subtle and discreet way.

KTM Komuter passengers and people passing through KL Sentral and Old Kuala Lumpur stations today will find themselves transported into a mobile gallery space, surrounded by art in places you’d never expect, like hand rails, overhead displays and train roofs.

The event, which began on Oct 27, brings together 11 artists from Malaysia and around the region and features work as diverse as video clips, digital prints, photography and story readings that gently intervene into the journey of the traveller.

“(People) won’t realise when the art starts and when the art ends,” says Lim.

One piece that stands out, however, is a musical installation called Sing Along that comprises a karaoke set just sitting on a platform. The idea is for people to pick up the mike and sing along to the music. But the catch is there are no lyrics, you have to make up the words as you go along.

At first glance, the works seem to be a hodgepodge of different pieces of art in different media, but look closer and a recurring theme emerges: the fusion of public and private space.

With the urban landscape developing rapidly and becoming denser, city folk are withdrawing within themselves. Like the denizens of the world’s biggest cities, KL-ites now prefer to hold textual conversations over a mobile phone or stare at somebody’s shoes. Public space that used to be shared with smiles and conversations is now being “privatised”.

Lamu wants to melt this boundary by encouraging people to look around, to look at pictures evocative enough to start conversations, to pick up a mike and start singing something crazy or to laugh at people who do.

Does it succeed? Malaysians – being Malaysians and “truly Asians”! – don’t like to draw unnecessary attention to themselves.


Artwork for the taking: Kok Siew Wai’s installation comprised digitally printed cards entitled We Are lost. Please Show Us the Way.

Interestingly, out of seven people that walk by, one is usually willing to give it a try, says Sing Along artist, Goh Lee Kwang.

Sing Along is the exception; throughout all the other works of art, subtlety remains a key feature. Devoid of titles, labels or frames, some works might be missed or mistaken for advertising, such as Indonesian artist Sa Dewa’s Spinning Camera, which is an abstract image of colours situated in an advertising light box. Then there are local artist Kok Siew Wai’s sign cards hanging from train handrails like flyers. Up in the overhead display are photographs depicting local life that you could possibly mistake for another Visit Malaysia poster.

Was this intentional?


Singaporean artist Urich Lau’s installation, Finding Substation, involved video projections on underground subway walls and exterior bodies of passing trains.

Lim says Lamu is a pilot project that, perhaps, had needed to bear the consequence of “pushing too hard yet being too subtle.” The idea was to tap into the routine of the passengers and to give them something to contemplate, suggesting that art does not have to be titled, framed, hung or dressed up to be considered as such.

Did people get the suggestion? Certainly, many of the Lamu works caught more than a few eyes the day this writer went on the media tour. And certainly, Lamu as a concept is original, innovative, ingenious even.

As a pilot project it holds great promise for bigger and more impressive impact in the future with works that, I believe, can afford to be more in-your-face and interactive.

KTM, a commercial organisation, must be applauded for supporting such a pioneering initiative. And the National Art Gallery is encouraging, suggesting the possibility of extending this event to audiences in Ipoh, Seremban and other locations. It is heartening to see corporate and government support for daring creativity.

And it is heartening to know young artists have not given up on trying to keep alive a city’s soul that is said to be drowning in far from subtle advertising images....

“動”人藝術

Happy Sunday Special, Sin Chew Jit Poh, October 28 2007
Issue 115

藝術家打造快樂移動魔法

文●陳燕棣

住在城市中的你，對公共空間的感知是零度冷漠，還是躁惹不耐？當你乘搭公共交通，目光總是放在自己的雙手上，還是無聊的張望窗外重複的景觀？在擁擠的火車月台，你總是緊張的對照火車時刻表和手上腕錶的時差，從來不曾留意，月台的牆壁上有什麼看板、瓷磚是什麼顏色。

我們對公共空間的認知是功能、告示牌、時刻表、廁所標誌，你很少在擁擠的火車車廂中，發現感覺良好的藝術美感？或在擁擠的月台上，和美麗的畫驟然相遇？有一群藝術家，悄悄的為公共空間建構美感，讓你在匆忙趕車的時候，突然被藝術美感襲擊，遂有了快樂的好心情。

《LAMU．“動”人藝術》（Let Arts Move You）公共藝術計畫集合了11位馬來西亞藝術家和來自印尼、新加坡、菲律賓的藝術家，悄悄為吉隆坡的車站換上新貌。
此項公共藝術計畫由林國榮、葉紹斌和Roopesh Sitharan規劃策展，計畫選擇和馬來西亞鐵路局電動火車合作，藝術家們把自己的作品放置在乘客目光所及之處：車廂內的扶手、座位上的廣告看板、火車車身、月台空間等等，用創意打造充滿藝術美感的移動空間。

此外，策展人還特別設計了別開生面的行動藝術，當你匆忙趕路，或會在中央車站的月台上或車廂內聽見有人朗讀詩、表演藝術工作者在你身邊演出，候車時，錄像藝術突然投影在飛馳而過的火車車身。你突然發現，原來等車趕車，也可以擁有魔術一般的美麗又讓人驚訝的片刻時光。


《LAMU．“動”人藝術》
藝術出沒日期：10月27日～11月4日
藝術出沒地點：吉隆坡舊火車總站、吉隆坡中央車站、電動火車車廂
詢問：012-2073744
網站：www.blog.letartsmoveyou.com

Lau Mun Leng's Reading Project in LAMU - Day 7

Passengers at platform are delighted when Gabrielle approached them with candies offer.


Gabrielle made her journey from KL Sentral to Kuang as comfortable and self-indulgent as possible.

Gabrielle reading with full emotions.

In British Colonial fashion, Gabrielle Bates, an Australian artist-in-resident at Rimbun Dahan, participated in Mun Leng Reading project's notation 3: Luxury Reading. She luxuriously indulged in her reading of Somerset Maugham's compendium “Far Eastern Tales” while she travelled on KTM Komuter from KL Sentral to Kuang. Also in the her performance, she handed-out candies to passengers waiting for train at the platform in KL Sentral.

LAMU Video Introduction

Lau Mun Leng's Reading Project in LAMU - Day 4

Day 4 - Notation 4: In The Loop

Yap Li Yong & Cliff participated in Lau Mun Leng's reading project, in LAMU. Each of them reiterated part of a caption which they found in a book titled "The Little Star Dweller" while they travelled from Kepong Sentral to KL Sentral on train.

Li Yong: I don't mind

Cliff: If you forget me ...

Li Yong: I don't mind
Cliff: If you forget me ...

LAMU Train Schedule

Thank you all for your support on LAMU.

Due to the complicated train operation, we can not provide a LAMU train schedule despite receiving many requests. If you intend to catch the LAMU train on purpose, you are advised to wait for the train at KL Sentral platform 4 and 6. LAMU train (EMU 39) only operates along the Rawang – Seremban route.

Any inconvenience caused is deeply regretted.

*Please pay attention to the public address system at the platform to find out the arrival time of the LAMU train.

Train arrives at platform 4 departs to Rawang
Train arrives at platform 6 departs to Seremban

Lau Mun Leng's Reading Peformance Schedule

Throughout the course of LAMU exhibition [27/10/07 (sat) to 4/11/07(sun)], there will be one notation performed each day at 4:33pm. If you are interested to catch the performance, please call the respective coordinator or Wing at 016-9832916 to find out the performer/s' exact location.

27/10/07 Saturday Coordinator: chee lok (012-6779295)

Notation 1: Rhythmical reading

Performer(s): Moon Chong, Poodien
(KL Sentral - Tmn Tasik Selantan - KL Sentral)

28/10/07 Sunday Coordinator: chee lok (012-6779295)
Notation 2: Error Bar
Performer(s): Yap Li Yong, Goh Lee Kwang, Voon Poh Yin, Cheelok
(Kuala Lumpur - Putra Station - KL Sentral )

29/10/07 Monday

Notation 3: The Luxury of Reading

Performer(s): Pauline Siah

(KL Sentral - Kuala Lumpur)

* at the station bench

30/10/07 Tuesday

Notation 4: In The Loop

Performer(s): Yap li yong & Cliff
(Kepong Sentral - KL Sentral)

31/10/07 Wednesday Coordinator: chaishaen 019-3302577

Notation 5: Ulysses

Performer(s): Goh Chai Shaen

(Pelabuhan Klang)

1/11/2007 Thursday Coordinator: chaishaen 019-3302577

Notation 3: The Luxury of Reading

Performer: Ceacer Chong

(KL Sentral)

2/11/2007 Friday Coordinator: chaishaen 019-3302577

Notation 3: The Luxury of Reading

Performer: Gabrielle Bates

(KL Sentral)

3/11/2007: Saturday Coordinator: chaishaen 019-3302577

Notation 5: Ulysses

Performer: Chee Lok

(KL Sentral)

Real-life platforms for works of arts

StarMetro, The Star, October 29 2007

by BAVANI M

THE ride was short, but nevertheless memorable. Commuters who boarded the KTM train from KL Sentral to the old Kuala Lumpur train station feasted their eyes on some innovative visual art pieces that are currently on display in the vicinity of the train stations until Nov 4

The works of art which include mural painting, video projection, photography, light box art and even music are part of the Let Arts Move You project (LAMU) which showcases the creative talents of 11 Malaysian and regional artists via a most unusual platform – the train station!

Impressive: Members of the public getting a closer look at an innovative art piece.

LAMU provides artists with KTM Komuter trains, the KL Sentral Station and old Kuala Lumpur train stations as platforms to create works of art to the masses.

“It is interesting to see the many different platforms one can employ to create works of art and express oneself,” said KTM Berhad general manager Mohd Zain Mat Taha.

“People only see the train station as a mode of transport, and to get from place to another. But this initiative shows that it can also be a place for people to enjoy art,” said Mohd Zain who launched the LAMU project at the KL Sentral KTM station on Saturday.

More than 200 people turned out for the launch and later went on a joyride on the KTM trains to enjoy the many different art pieces that were on display outside the KTM Komuter platforms at KL Sentral and the old Kuala Lumpur train station and KTM trains.

Flashback: StarMetro's front page on the project on Saturday.

The artists involved in the project include Kamal Sabran, Shieko Hussein, Lau Mun Leng (Malaysia), Wok The Rok and Sa Dewa (Indonesia), Li Cassidy-Peet (Singapore), and Donna Miranda (the Philippines).

The project is organised by Kolektif Pembangunan Seni in partnership with KTM, and supported by Rumah Air Panas, Arts Network Asia, National Culture and Arts Department, Krishen Jit Astro Fund, Tabung Seni Matahati, Ganad Media, and Kakiseni.com

Open Dialogue Rescheduled

For your information, Open Dialogue scheduled today (29th Oct) is called-off and it is postponed to the coming Saturday (3rd Nov) due to unforseen circumstances. Any inconvenience caused is greatly regretted.

Thank you all for your support in LAMU!

LAMU opens today!

StarMetro, The Star, Saturday, October 27 2007

Creative charm at the railway stations

By VIVIENNE PAL

WHAT are the odds that waiting for the train - and riding it - could turn into a most fascinating experience?

From today till Nov 4, the KTM Komuter platforms at KL Sentral and the gloomy old Kuala Lumpur train station will see an intriguing transformation, and the daily triviality of commuting might just be - if commuters are there at the right time - turned into the ride of a lifetime.

The charming imaginative changes are part of the Let Arts Move You (LAMU) public art project. Creative arts by 11 Malaysian and regional artists replace the current mundane sights and grainy and fuzzy-sounding television shows at the platforms.

This is, perhaps, the first time that such an innovative visual art event is taking place in connection with the public transportation system.

Final discussion: Yap (left) and Lim discuss the last details of the show before it goes public.





The artists involved include Kamal Sabran, Shieko Hussein and Lau Mun Leng (Malaysia), Wok The Rok and Sa Dewa (Indonesia), Li Cassidy-Peet (Singapore) and Donna Miranda (the Philippines).

According to curators Lim Kok Yoong, and Yap Sau Bin, both members of artist initiative Rumah Air Panas, LAMU aims to present an insight into the dynamic and creative situation of urban life in Kuala Lumpur, drawing connections between artistic interventions and the rapid pace of development.

Simply put, the idea is to fill the KTM Komuter trains and stations with works of art, and to let the arts move people physically and emotionally.

“We want to engage the community in art, based on the abstract theme of time, space and travel,” Yap said.

The objective stemmed from a conscious desire to engage the community in the arts, by making it available and accessible to the masses.

“We want to involve the masses by bringing art out of the confines of galleries and theatres into the public space, to bring the two together through mundane encounters,” said Lim, also the project director.

So, do not be surprised if a stranger named Donna Miranda from the Philippines suddenly approaches you and initiates a conversation while you are waiting for your train. She may show you photographs she had taken of graffiti, or even ask if you could pose for a picture.

It is part of a performance presented in its entirety during the launch today.

As you walk into the KTM Komuter foyer, you will be pleasantly greeted by a mural painting by Shieko Hussein. Around the area, there are also many other exciting finished works involving video projection, photography, print, light box art and more.

One interesting thing to look out for is emerging video artist Kamal Sabran’s Speed of Time video work projected on the underground subway wall and exterior body of passing trains.

Lau Mun Leng’s Reading Project is also on. His performance involves book reading at 4.33pm daily.

Lightbox art: Sa Dewa's Spinning Camera series can be found at the KTM Komuter platform at KL Sentral.






According to Yap, Kamal has condensed 10 hours of subway travel into 10 minutes, a technically amazing feat of compression at a ratio of 60:1.

“You have to catch the reading at the right place and the right time,” said Yap enigmatically.

Indonesia’s Sa Dewa will display photography via light boxes in an interesting ensemble entitled Spinning Camera.

Sound artist Goh Lee Kwang will engage the public in a most unusual mobile music and installation performance entitled Sing Along which will move between the old KL station and KL Sentral station during the period of the exhibition.

There is also a mobile karaoke set placed at a specified location in the stations for a few sessions a day.

“All these go back to our concept of adapting to the certain rhythms in time,” Lim said.

Although the LAMU concept is perceived to be a fascinating and simple one, it is not so easy as it seems; the project is huge in every way.

The organising committee members have their individual worries on the success of the project. Lim, for instance, has admitted to many sleepless nights.

But what is so amazing is that despite being a challenging pioneer project, and everyone being on tenterhooks, all the personnel involved are positive and receptive to the idea, and, obviously, confident and courageous to implement it.

KTM Bhd Komuter Services business development manager Azreen Mohamed Yusup said the company supported the project as part of its social responsibility.

She said that it was an altruistic contribution to the public and passengers via art, as well as a means of beautifying the stations and trains.

“This is a very exciting project even though it’s a testing ground for all of us, because I think it’s the first of its kind. If everything goes well, we will continue with our support,” Azreen said.

“We hope that this will develop and create a lasting impression, that it would not be just an educative endeavour to the public and corporate bodies,” Yap said.

“We want it to be sustainable, not just a hit-and-run thing, and that it will open more doors in the future.”

The LAMU project ends on Nov 4. It is organised by Kolektif Pembangunan Seni in partnership with KTM, and supported by Rumah Air Panas, Arts Network Asia, Culture and Arts Department, Krishen Jit Astro Fund, Tabung Seni Matahati, Ganad Media, AnCasa Hotel Kuala Lumpur and Kakiseni.com. For more details and latest updates, visit www.blog.letartsmoveyou.com.

Check out LAMU at Kakiseni.com!

Do go to Kakiseni.com, the official media for Let Arts Move You for the latest commentaries, photos and videos of the project.

Already, Kakiseni editor Veronica Shunmugam has written a feature that historicises and contextualises LAMU with other public art and community outreach projects. Veronica has also put up a Tembak Shot of Filipino choreographer Donna Miranda's performance art piece, where she harass stumped and amused passengers, and workers of the KTM Komuter trains.

New Sunday Times, 21 October 2007

Spincity: Let art move you

Commuting by train need not be boring thanks to a group of young artistes, writes VIMALA SENEVIRATNE

IN most cities, including Kuala Lumpur, the underground train is not really an exciting way to get round – after all there is not much to look at a couple of metres under the ground. But the scene at the KTM station at KL Sentral will soon change when several youngsters pool their talents to offer commuters a change in scene.

Eleven artistes from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines will showcase their individual talent by actively engaging train commuters for their works.

"The main idea is to bring arts to the people in real and everyday encounters. What we want to do is fill the KTM commuter trains and train stations with creative works and to let the arts move people physically and emotionally," says Lim Kok Yoong, , the project director who is also a lecturer and multimedia designer at Multimedia Unversity (MMU) in Cyberjaya.

This public arts project, called Let Arts Move You, took almost a year to materialise, and will run from Oct 27 to Nov 4.

The artistes will use KTM commuter trains plying the KL–Seremban route, KL Sentral and the old Kuala Lumpur railway station as platforms for their works.

Artworks will be located both inside the train, in the stations and the surrounding grounds.

The KTM commuter trains provide 248 commuter services daily, serving 41 stations along a 175km route from KL to Rawang and Seremban and from KL to Sentul and Pelabuhan Kelang. The trains leave KL Sentral every 20 minutes.

Co-curator of the project, Yap Sau Bin, a lecturer at MMU, says: "Most often, commuters are either reading a book or paper, staring into space or sleeping on the trains.

"We want to change that. We want to take the act of commuting beyond the mundane, and routine journeys – we want to let people know that travelling on public transport can be a sensorial and educational experience."

During the week-long event, the artistes will explore the mobility of the commuter trains by opening a dialogue between the physical space (train/station) and time (duration of travel/specific hour).

"One of the artistes will be having a karaoke session and he will invite commuters waiting for the train, to join in. Another artiste will have a reading session – poetry, a passage from a novel - on board the train," says Yap, an artist whose works were featured at the 52nd Venice Biennale 2007.

A big mural, located at the KTM commuter foyer at the KL Sentral station, will be created by Malaysian artist Shieko Hussien. She will work on the mural from Oct 22 to 27 and it will be on display for the duration of the exhibition.

"Our invited artiste from Singapore, Ulric Lau will project his video works on underground subway walls and the exterior body of passing trains, while thespian Donna Miranda from the Philippines will interact with passengers.

"Often train passengers do not talk to each although they may sit beside each other. She's going to break the ice," says Lim.

The other artistes are Goh Lee Kwang, Kamal Sabran, Kok Siew Wai, Lau Mun Leng, Muid Latiff (Malaysia), Li Cassidy-Peet (Singapore), Sa Dewa and Wok The Rock (Indonesia).

There will also be digital prints on train hand railings as well as on overhead display panels.

All art works will be on display daily from 7am until 11pm daily for the duration of the event.

Let Arts Move You is curated by Lim, Yap and Roopesh Sitharan who is an artist-lecturer based in San Francisco, US.

It is organised by Kolektif Pembangun Seni, in partnership with KTM Bhd.

LAMU Exhibits, Venues and Schedules

LAMU exhibits, venues and schedules
All art works will be on display from 7AM to 11PM daily, from 27 October to 4 November 2007 at the following venues:

1. in KTM Komuter Trains
2. KL Sentral station
3. (Old) Kuala Lumpur station

*Time-specific works are highlighted in pink.


LAMU on KTM Komuter trains
*Exhibition in train take place on train no.39 along the Rawang – Seremban route

1. Donna Miranda (Philippines) – KL 12 hrs (video and performance art).
   - Performance on 22nd October (from 10am to 10pm)
   - Location: various places along Rawang – Seremban route
   
2. Kok Siew Wai (Malaysia) – We are lost. Please show us the way (digital prints)
   - Location: on train hand railings
   
3. Lau Mun Leng (Malaysia) – Reading Project (performance).
   - 4.33pm daily
   - Location: exact train, carriage and station to alight from to be confirmed
   
4. Li Cassidy-Peet (Singapore) – Dayindayout (digital prints)
   - Location: on the ceiling of train
   
5. Muid Latiff (Malaysia) – Merdeka Series (digital prints)
   - Location: on overhead display panels
   
6. Wok The Rock (Indonesia) – Trails of Home (photography)
   - Location: in clear pockets hung on wall inside the train
   - commuters are welcome to take away their favourite photos
   
   

KL Sentral station

1. Kamal Sabran (Malaysia) – Speed Of Time (video projection)
   - 1st session: 8am to 10am daily
   - 2nd session: 1pm to 3pm daily
   - 3rd session: 7pm to 9pm daily
   - Location: on underground subway wall and exterior body of passing trains at either Platform 3 or platform 6
   
2. Shieko Hussien (Malaysia) with Orkibal and Tha-b – Journey (mural)
   - Mural will be created daily from 23rd – 27th October 2007 (5pm – 10pm), and will be on display for the duration of exhibition.
   - Location: KTM foyer in KL Sentral station.
   
3. Sa Dewa (Indonesia) – Spinning Camera (photography)
   - Location: light box located at platform 4
   
4. Urich Lau (Singapore) – Finding Substation (video projection)
   - 1st session: 8am to 10am daily
   - 2nd session: 1pm to 3pm daily
   - 3rd session: 7pm to 9pm daily
   - Location: on underground subway wall and exterior body of passing trains - Platform 3 or platform 6
   
   

Old Kuala Lumpur station

1. Goh Lee Kwang (Malaysia) – Sing Along (mobile music installation & performance)
   - 1st session: 1pm – 3pm
   - 2nd session: 7pm – 9pmfrom 27th to 29th October & from 2nd to 4th November
   *(No performance on 30th, 31st Oct & 1st Nov)
   - Location: This mobile work will move between the Old KL station and KL Sentral station during the period of the LAMU exhibition.

LAMU Events & Schedule

LAMU Events & Schedule (27/10/07 – 4/11/07)

• Exhibition
  Dates: 27th October - 4th November 2007
  Venue: on the KTM Komuter trains (Train No.39 along Rawang-Seremban route), KL Sentral and Old Kuala Lumpur train stations.
  
• Opening
  Dates: 27th October 2007
  Venue: KTM Intercity arrival hall (in front of KFC), Level 2, Stesen Sentral Kuala Lumpur (open space in front of KFC)
  
  Programs of Opening
  27th October 2007 (Saturday)
  
  13:30 Guest arrival (KL Sentral – area in front of KFC/ KTM foyer)
  14:00 Opening speech - KTM
  14:05 Speech by KEKWA’s representative
  14:10 Opening ceremony
  Video presentation (LAMU project)
  14:15 Guided tour at KL Sentral platform
  14:45 Depart from KL Sentral station, guided tour in KTM Komuter
  14:50 Arrive at Kuala Lumpur station, guided tour at Kuala Lumpur station
  15:00 Refreshment and feedback at Kuala Lumpur station lobby
  
  * Due to the complicated situation in train station & and on board of train, we need to have traffic control. We have limited passes for guest to take part in the Opening events, thus the Opening is only for our invited guests. Nevertheless, the show is (meant to be) free for all!
  
• Open Dialogue
  Dates: 29th October 2007
  Venue: Old Kuala Lumpur train station and on KTM Komuter train.

Post Exhibition Events

• Exhibition of LAMU documentation and process
  Dates: December 2007
  Venue: Old Kuala Lumpur train station.
  
• Catalogue
  There will be publication of a catalogue after the exhibition featuring the artworks exhibited in LAMU, as well as documenting the process and collective findings from the investigations in the project.