KOTA KINABALU: The Folk Art Exhibition (FAE) held as part of the annual Sabah International Folklore Festival (SIFF) could be utilized as an effective platform for promoting cultural awareness and understanding, said Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun.
He said taking concerted efforts towards cultural awareness, especially among the younger generation was important as culture is the reflection of the identity of a community.
“My hope is that with event such as this, we can build the understanding and awareness towards other cultures in the hope that it can be an eyeopener to the local society to appreciate the value of our own unique culture, our heritage,” he said, launching the 4th FAE 2013 here, yesterday.
Masidi commended the Sabah Art Gallery, the organizing body of the event, for their initiative to bring in foreign artistes and their works this year.
Themed ‘Understanding Eastern Culture’ the FAE this year features 14 artistes, including from Japan, who will be showcasing their various works such as paintings, photography, bead weaving, pottery, calligraphy and music.
Hosted at the Sabah Art Gallery (SAG) building located near the National Department of Culture and Arts (JKKN) Complex at mile 2 Jalan Penampang, the exhibition will be opened to the public for free until June 30.
Touching on the exhibits, Masidi said he was truly amazed by the aesthetic value of Japanese identity and culture captured in their arts.
“As we can see, culture is defined by art especially in the eastern region. Japan is a country rich with their culture and still manages to keep their heritage with the fast moving development and technologies.
“It is important that we learn and exchange the knowledge with them in our effort to spread the understanding and appreciation for our own culture,” he said.