Manyin (left) receives a souvenir from Melton while Irene Lim looks on.
KUCHING: Arts is now one of the most important elective subjects in schools and parents should encourage their children to take it up, said Minister of Education, Science and Technological Research Dato Seri Michael Manyin Jawong.
However, he said there was still a need to change the people’s perception of arts.
“In the past, we come to the school to ‘survive’, meaning your parents expected you to change your life and be better than they are.
“The subjects that they encouraged you to take were suited for those aiming to become professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers and accounting. Nobody thought about arts,” he said at the launching of the ARTEX (Art Teacher Exhibition) at the Galleria, Wesberly House along Jalan Rubber West yesterday.
The inaugural exhibition will have a total of 77 pieces of art including paintings and sculptures by 40 arts teachers, tutors, lecturers and instructors from all over the state will be exhibited at the Galleria from Nov 29 until end of January 2020.
“Artists and musicians play a very important role of uniting people through their creations,” the Tebedu assemblyman said.
“Works of arts can be sold for millions and the late Rapheal Scott Ahbeng is one of the state’s most successful artists.
“One can actually earn a living through arts,” he stressed.
On a request by arts teachers to the state government to have a gallery for them to exhibit their works, he suggested they approach the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports to allocate one of the sections at the renovated Sarawak Museum to display their works.
He also congratulated the organising chairman Melton Kais and the arts teachers as well as the principal of the Galleria Irene Lim for successfully organising ARTEX 2019.
The ARTEX will held held from 8:30am to 5pm from every Monday to Friday and 9am to 12pm on Saturday.