They say that you should never discuss sex, religion and politics at a party, and it seems that the Malaysian Cabinet, those party crazy people, are toeing the Ms Manners line, on one count anyway.

So, the media has been directed not to talk about religion again. We, at Kakiseni, being party crazy people too, would much prefer to discuss sex and politics anyhow – I mean, who wouldn’t?

But, we do claim to be an arts website, so, lets talk about art.

Some years ago, actor and director Zahim Albakri staged a performance that comprised simply of him sitting on stage reading the Federal Constitution. Artist Tengku Sabri once webbed together exercise books, those brown ones with the Rukun Negara at the back, into an installation presented at the National Art Gallery.

Two artists, taking two articles that sit at the very heart of our nation, and making explicit the performative function of both institutions of the state, and art.

Where is the art you might say? How is this different from a lecture, a forum, a headline story about the constitution? Just reading the constituion, unadorned, ‘devoid’ of interpretation, saying the words, one by one, as they appear – is this art?

Those huge billboards by highways with the Rukun Negara printed on them – so now they’re monumental public art, rather than public eyesores?

In art, as in life, context is everything.

And our context now is one where interpretation has become the domain of he who shouts the loudest and the longest. You want to silence the loudmouth, then silence his challengers, even those who whisper. Problem solved. In such a context, a return to ‘text’ is perhaps the most radical art of all.

Lets talk about culture as well.

What is our culture now? Not just a culture of fear, but a culture of fearing the wrong things it seems – we fear rational peaceful dialogue rather than silence, we fear thinkers rather than bullies, we fear loss of votes rather than loss of integrity.

“If I’m too afraid to explore, then I should just stop thinking,” says director U-Wei HajiSaari, as he talks about his new play, Wangi Jadi Saksi, opening today, which explores the consequences of blind loyalty. Another great explorer, Krishen Jit, is remembered one year after his departure with a Datukship from Negeri Sembilan, a personal story of sake and art by Jo Kukathas, and a sharing of his many legacies by artists he had touched.

This week, exercise your right to explore – read your Constitution, all the articles, not just the one we can’t mention. And read your Rukun Negara. And weep for our country.

Kathy Rowland
Feedback to this editorial here!

Editor's Recommendations

Minggu 'Ngadap Seni @ ASK: Our traditional arts are not dying, they are being buried alive. This week, Akademi Seni Kebangsaan honours the indomitable ones. Some of the most well-known living practitioners have been invited from remote corners of Malaysia to the city to present: Menora (dance drama with men as women), Randai (harvest celebration with silat), Mak Yong (dance drama with comic improvisations), Wayang Kulit (shadows telling illuminating stories) and Dabus (healing dance with sharp objects). May their work continue, may the nation heal. Tue 25 – Mon 31 Jul 2006. Akademi Seni Kebangsaan.

Wangi Jadi Saksi: Tuah and Jebat. Killer of best friend and killer of innocent women. Such is our lean picking of heroes that we have to keep coming back to these two. Notorious filmmaker U-Wei HajiSaari returns to the theatre to prick our collective psyche (the Mahathir-Pak Lah debacle fresh on our minds) with his version of this legendary dilemma. With so many femme fatale in his vault, U-Wei's account is unsurprisingly seen through the eyes of the Jebat's wife, Wangi, the only witness to his murder. Starring Vanidah Imran, Dato' Rahim Razali, Khir Rahman, Sobri Annuar, and Khalid Salleh; with set design by Desmond Crowe, art director for Alexandar and Band of Brothers. Thu 27 Jul - Sun 6 Aug 2006. Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka.

The Flowers Beneath My Skin: About a year ago, Kit Ong surfaced like an exotic mushroom in our indie garden with his mysterious black and white short films about thumbtack-eating and tear-stealing. His new feature film promises to trip us further: still black and white, it is seen through the hallucination of a woman undergoing carbon monoxide poisoning as she commits suicide with five strangers. The film is silent with live music by Ciplak, and guest appearance by Pete Teo. Tue 25 Jul 2006. HELP University College Theatrette.