KOTA KINABALU: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) School of Arts can now promote visual technology with the official opening of its laboratory, yesterday.
HIGH-TECH EQUIPMENT: Abu Hassan admiring 22-year-old Mohd Ridzwan Ismail Celestial’s animation work during his visit to Che Zulkarnain Abidin Visual Technology Lab yesterday. Also seen are Associate Professor Inon Shaharuddin (right) and UMS Registrar Abdullah Mohd Said (third right). — Photo by Aniq Azraei
Dubbed Che Zulkarnain Abidin Visual Technology Laboratory, the RM250,000 worth laboratory is equipped with high-tech equipment, suitable for those wishing to pursue their studies in subjects such as animations, advertising, film making and editing, to mention some.
The laboratory was named after the late Che Zulkarnmain Abidin, a lecturer cum Visual Arts Technology programme head, for his contribution in developing the subject.
He passed away in 2007, leaving a wife and two sons.
UMS School of Arts dean, Associate Professor Inon Shaharuddin, said to date they have some 40 visual arts students, adding: “They are very fortunate to have such high-tech equipment to guide them … the equipment is updated from time to time to meet the current needs.”
He said currently, two of their students are attached to an industrial training with KRU Studio, and as he put it, “We have been getting good feedback from KRU Studio on the performance of the two undergraduates … we are proud of them.”
Former UMS vice chancellor Tan Sri Professor Emeritus Dr Abu Hassan Othman, who officially opened the laboratory and launched the Gendang Alam: Journal of Art, here, yesterday, hoped the School would be able to produce successful animators and film directors in the future.
“These students here can be the next Ahmad Idham or Farid Kamil, they are young film directors … it is not impossible,” said Abu Hassan.
The Gendang Alam: Journal of Arts compiles seven articles and a research report.
Four of these articles are written in Bahasa Melayu while the rest are in English.
Inon said the journal hoped to promote research and findings on visual arts, music, creative arts, dancing, theatres and dramas.