KUALA LUMPUR: Five arts practitioners have been chosen as this year's grantees for the Krishen Jit Fund.
The 18th edition of the fund continues to promote the aspirations of promising Malaysians who thrive in the creative arts.
Astro, in collaboration with Creador Foundation and Five Arts Centre awarded the five grants chosen from 60 applications that were submitted this year.
Ranging between RM5,000 and RM15,000, the five artists received a total of RM46,000 during a ceremony held at the Five Arts Studio at GMBB, here recently.
The grants, which will help them pursue their love of the arts, went to Andrew Igai Jamu for his dance production Ibanscapes: Transcending Ajat, Goh Hooi Ling (Teochew Iron Rod Puppetry), Lau Beh Chin (Beyond Moving with Artisans), Duncan Soo (Library of Malaysian-centric Recordings) and Naomi Kakuvi Musau (Thanimai).
Andrew's RM15,000 dance project aims to present new choreographies that are derived from and inspired by the Ajat of the Iban people.
Goh's RM11,000 production highlights the aesthetic, philosophy and essence of clay sculpture, wood carving and embroidery found within the traditional Teochew opera utilising puppets.
Lau's RM10,000 interdisciplinary work combines traditional Malaysian crafts with dance to preserve the endangered artisanal skills and oral history of Butterworth City in Penang.
Soo's RM5,000 audiovisual project is an exhibition with listening booths that showcase the various sounds that are unique to the Malaysian environment.
Musau's RM5,000 project is a student short film featuring a deeply personal story that delves into the life of an elderly Indian widower.
The grants were selected by a panel comprising of Culture and Arts Department director of arts and culture enhancement division Suhaimi Abdul Rahim, Creador Foundation vice president Maha Subramaniam, Astro senior assistant vice president of corporate responsibility and communications Jolyn Gasper, Sunway University school of arts associate professor Leow Puay Tin and Five Arts Centre member Ravi Navaratnam.
The fund is administered and managed by Five Arts Centre.
Grants are given for training, workshops, attachments or residencies, experimental productions, writing, or creating new work in music, dance, theatre, film, visual or performance art.
From 2006 to 2022, the Krishen Jit Fund has given out a total of 84 grants amounting to RM626,000.
The fund was established in honour of the late arts activist, Datuk Krishen Jit, who contributed immensely towards the development of a truly Malaysian arts sector.
