Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Call for Proposals- The JF Grant Programs

The Japan Foundation Grant Programs 2010-11 - - We cordially invite educational institutions, non-profit organizations and individuals (for selected programs only) to apply for our Annual Grant and JFKL Grant programs for fiscal year 2010-11. You are most welcomed to visit our office located at 18th Floor, North Point (Tower B), Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur for any discussion regarding your projects. Please visit http://www.jfkl.org.my/grants/ or call us at 03-2284 6228 for details.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

1001 Malaysian Artists in May/July 2010

1001 Malaysian Artists, an art charity event to be held at the National Art Gallery from May 6th to July 5th, 2010. Application Form can be downloaded from this link: http://www.artmalaysia.com.my/Arthtml_2009/application.php
Good luck!

Sunday, October 18, 2009

And the winners are… by Simon Soon, ARTERI

-- "When was the last Bakat Muda Sezaman? As the seminal institution through which many young Malaysian artists made their mark in the contemporary art scene from the seventies to the nineties fade into what seemed like a distant past, the inaugural Malaysia Emerging Artist (MEA) Award, the prize-giving and opening ceremony held last Sunday, has come to take its place as a new competitive platform." - Read on

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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Bangun: Penang Clan Jetties Arts Project


Bangun: Penang Clan Jetties Arts Project

a multi-arts project consisting of workshops, exhibitions,

performances and music

It’s sure to be interesting, thought-provoking, educational,
and experiential and a lot of fun!

Venue: Chew Clan Jetty, Weld Quay Road, George Town

Date: August 22 – 30, 2009.


For more information:
Yeoh +60196838397 or Dean +60142398926

http://bangunproject.wordpress.com/


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Monday, August 24, 2009

Scandinavian Sambal: UNCUT09

By Sharon Chin, ARTERI, Aug 24, 2009 - Interview with Amir Zainorin and Nur Hanim Khairuddin on UNCUT09: the first ever Malaysian Arts Festival in Denmark.
.
..read on

An Interview with
Amir Zainorin, MAKING THE ART SEEN, Aug 4, 2009
... read on

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Sunday, August 23, 2009

Butoh Green Snake by Lee Swee Keong



Lee Swee Kweong, a Butoh practitioner and founder of Nyoba Kan 寿板舞踏
More...
Green Snake on flikr doghouse73pictures by James Lee
http://nyobakan.blogspot.com/2008/03/lee-swee-keong.html
Lee on MYKV http://www.klue.com.my/articles/1177-MYKV-Lee-Swee-Keong

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Amir Muhammad, Film Director



Malaysia’s most influential spiritual leader Nik Aziz offers commentary on the virtuous and Islamic way to conduct ethical commerce in his inimitable style. More info http://15malaysia.com/films/the-tree/

Writing by Amir http://amirmu.blogspot.com/

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James Lee, Film Director

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0497460/
http://wapedia.mobi/en/James_Lee_(Malaysian_film_director)
http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/article_view.asp?id=344
http://barisazman.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/archive-the-beautiful-washing-machine-james-lee-interview/
http://www.dahuangpictures.com/blogs/
http://33.hkiff.org.hk/eng/news/detail/97.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doghouse73pictures/

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John Lee on The Fairly Current Show



John Lee's blog
Education in Malaysia
The Malaysian Insider


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Pang Khee Teik on The Fairly Current Show



The Annexe Gallery
Arts for Grabs schedule
Kakiseni

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Danny Lim on The Fairly Current Show



The Malaysian Book of the Undead


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Saturday, August 22, 2009

Malaysia | Nafas Art Magazine

More articles about the Malaysian Contemporary art scene at http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/countries/mys

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A letter from KL by Kean Wong

Universes in Universe | Nafas Art Magazine
Published: June 2009

"Chasing old ghosts down the dank and dark alleyways of central Kuala Lumpur has become a palliative game for Malaysian artists these past few months. Whether it's heated banter about thwarted artworks while dining al fresco after a gallery opening, or mounting installations poking fun at new prime minister Najib Razak, or even surviving police arrests at candle-lit vigils for Malaysia's sickly democracy, the nostalgia here for a previous era and its ghosts of a less racially-divided polity seems palpable, just as the economy sinks into its deepest crisis in a generation...."

... read on http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2009/letter_from_kl



Artist Yee I-Lann and musician Joe Kidd transformed the traditional 'baju Melayu' uniform (Malay shirts) with the slogans and logos of local underground punk and rock bands. Personal Effects exhibition (RogueArt, Kuala Lumpur) © Photo: Alex Yong


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Friday, August 21, 2009

Yeoh Kean Thai

Crossing, a solo exhibition of works done during the Freeman Fellowship and after, by Yeoh Kean Thai, December 1, 2008 - January 30, 2009, at Shalini Ganendra Fine Art, the Private Gallery.
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Yeoh Kean Thai - BEYOND POINTS OF RUST, in Malaysia Tatler, January 2009
- - In his recent solo exhibition entitled ‘Crossing,’ award winning artist Yeoh Kean Thai communicates his primary concerns. Michele Theseira relates his subject matter. Have you ever visited an art gallery or attended an art exhibition where you surf the gallery, walking through the many artworks and suddenly are captivated by a particular one that seems to speak to you? You stop, take in the piece’s impact and by now, your mind wonders into its own domain trying to make some sense of the arresting visual in front of you.... read on

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Yeoh Kean Thai, in ASIAN ART NEWSPAPER, December 2008
- - When Malaysian born Yeoh Kean Thai (b. 1966) won the Phillip Morris Award for Malaysia with a large canvas work, stretched and interwoven within the hand crafted, patiently rusted and irregular metal frame – a fascination with all things discarded and rusted captured the attention of judges and observers. That award was in 1997 and Thai had pursued this aesthetic topic and focus for many years before then, and would continue to do so for many years after... read on

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The German Connection: ART

The German Alumni Association Kuala Lumpur (GAAKL) and the Goethe-Institut Malaysia jointly organised an exhibition entitled "The German Connection : Art", in collaboration with Pelita Hati House of Art. (August 22, 2008)



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Whither Malaysian art?

By ANDREW SIA, The Star Online, Sunday November 23, 2008

- - Speculators are investing in Malaysian art as they would in stocks and shares. Works are fetching record prices overseas. And on Wednesday, the gargantuan 2nd International Art Expo Malaysia trade fair begins in Kuala Lumpur. Has Malaysian art arrived? WHEN a computer-manipulated art work called Huminodun by Malaysian artist Yee I-Lann was sold for RM117,000 at a Christie’s auction in Hong Kong in May, it created a stir – the local selling price had been just RM12,000.... read on

Related story: Exposing artists

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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Exits – The Mystery Of Death by Victor Chin, Peter and Wuan Tan


Body, photograph by Victor Chin

"The mystery of death - photo essay, in mysinchew, Aug 13, 2009 - - What is death? - This is a question that confronts everyone as it is at the heart of humanity. There are those who believe that after death, there is nothing, and there are those who believe it is the exit to another life. But the real answer is finally unknowable – for no one has been there and come back to tell us what it is. What may survive after death are memories, some of which are concretized in photographs. Photography has a tremendous power to preserve private memories and perpetuate the ‘life’ of a departed one. They record moments and emotions that can be revisited by the person looking at them. Exits presents two photographic views of death by Peter Tan and his wife Wuan, and by Victor Chin, focusing on their mothers as subject..."

...read on



Mum and me, photograph by Peter Tan

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Exits – The Mystery Of Death, in Peter Tan's Blog http://www.petertan.com/blog/2009/08/19/exits-the-mystery-of-death
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Photographs as Memories, in Victor Chin's Blog http://victorchin.com/2009/08/19/photographs-as-memories/

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Pictures that speak a thousand words, The Star Online, Tuesday August 18, 2009 ... read on
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Wednesday, August 19, 2009

BRINGING ART HOME

Written by Brigitte Rozario, The Star, In.Tech, Oct 1, 2002

- - "ART used to be something mainly enjoyed by the upper and upper-middle classes of society. In the past, it was rare to see a working man browsing through works of art, let alone the destitute or relatively poor person walking through the doors of an art gallery. Firstly, the poor or working class didn’t have the time. Secondly, art has always been perceived as something that only the “cultured” and “intellectual” could appreciate. Snobbish perceptions? Perhaps. But can you imagine a chimney-sweep during Queen Victoria’s reign standing inside an art gallery?" ... read on

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Fine strokes of realism


*Image above shows 50ft (1500cm) x 15foot (450cm) billboard of Ivan's show at Wei Ling Gallery http://www.weiling-gallery.com/panorama.htm
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FINE STROKES OD REALISM
In The Star, written by
ANDREW SIA, Sunday August 16, 2009

"Artist Ivan Lam uses layers of paint and subtle textures to reveal a carefully crafted bigger picture.

IT’S like doing Shaolin kung fu training without learning any fancy moves ... just sweeping the floor or washing dishes,” says artist Ivan Lam about his latest show, Panorama.

“It’s been five years of exploration, sweat, elation, rejection and fulfilment. Only to realise that my master, who is myself, didn’t make me do it for the sake of torturing me. It was to lay a foundation ... I learnt how to become a better painter and person.”

Judging by the packed opening of Panorama on Wednesday at Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, the chic party afterwards, and the RM40,000 pricetags, Lam’s star in the local arts scene is rising fast. There was even a full-sized highway billboard in the city advertising the show!"

... read more

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Cultural Index: Remembering Peter Harris

Written by Elaine Lau, In the Edge, Monday, 20 July, 2009

An exhibition of artworks from a pivotal figure in the history of Malaysian art - - In March this year, Peter Harris, who was instrumental in the early blossoming of Malayan art in the 1950s, passed away after a bout of illness, just five weeks shy of his 86th birthday. In honour and remembrance of this man and his works, The Art Gallery Penang is holding a memorial exhibition at Art Salon @ Seni Mont’ Kiara in Kuala Lumpur. On display are artworks produced in the 1950s during Harris’ time in Malaya all the way to more recent ones he did in the early 2000s

... read on

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Peter Harris Memorial Exhibition Official Opening Launch
The Art Gallery, Penang

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Art pioneer
by Ooi Kok Chuen
The Star Online, Thursday March 19, 2009


Peter Barton Harold Harris (1923-2009)

A tribute to the man who laid the foundation of early art education in the then Malaya. PETER Barton Harold Harris, who laid the foundations of early art education in the country, passed away on March 14 – five weeks short of his 86th birthday. He had been warded at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon, England, for three weeks for a chest infection.

... read on

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A tribute to art mentor Peter Harris
By YIP YOKE TENG
The Star Online, Friday June 26, 2009


A painting titled `The Other Side of the Lake’.

THE faces of Malaya in the 1950s, captured by the mentor of many important local artists, are currently being exhibited at the Art Salon@Seni Mont Kiara.

The memorial exhibition is a tribute to Peter Harris, who came to Malaya in 1951 to be the art superintendent in the Ministry of Education.

He was the founder of the Wednesday Art Group and with immense dedication, groomed and inspired many members in the group to become the heavyweights they are now in the local art scene.

... read on

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Friday, August 14, 2009

An Article to Share: 52 years of Malaysian Art

Artistic Merdeka By ANDREW SIA - the Star Online, Sunday August 9, 2009

- - This intriguing exhibition features Malaysian art from the 1950s to the latest cutting-edge digital works. SO what has 52 years of Malaysian art produced? It ranges from idyllic 1950s watercolours and surreal 1960s abstracts up to social statements of the 1990s and the digitally manipulated art of the new millennium – judging from the current exhibition Changing Phases: Relative Spaces at Galeri Petronas in Kuala Lumpur, held in conjunction with our 52nd Merdeka.... Read on

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

An Article to Share: Sand T

LAYERS OF INTRIGUE, an article written by ROUWEN LIN in The StarMag (Malaysia), Sunday, March 29, 2009. - - "FROZEN in motion and immortalised in time, glistening droplets come to life and dance under lights. But despite their polished brilliance, their beginnings are humble..." Click image to read article:

OR, visit The Star online to read article.
The Star Publications (M) Bhd in Malaysia
http://thestar.com.my/info/thestar.asp

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An Interview with Amir Zainorin

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MAKING THE ART SEEN: First of all, please introduce yourself to those of our readers that may not be familiar with you and your work. Tell us your name, where you are originally from, where you are based currently. From where did you receive your art training, what was the focus of your studies, when did you graduate?


Amir Zainorin, the artist. Image courtesy of Amir Zainorin


Amir Zainorin: My name is Amir Zainorin. I was born in Malaysia, but currently live and work in Denmark.
I didn’t have any formal training in art. I have never gone to the university to study art but studied business administration at Polytechnic Ungku Omar in Malaysia and University of Missouri Kansas City.

From 1995-1998 I apprenticed with well known POP artist Jeri Azhari in Kuala Lumpur. The main focus for me was on simplicity. Learning how to simplify things and to create something out of nothing.


MTAS: When did you first realize you were an artist?

AZ: When I did my first oil on canvas in 1995. I had a few meetings with Jeri at his studio in Kuala Lumpur and was encouraged by him to start painting. At that time I had just quit my full time job at an advertising agency and wanted to discover myself on what I should really do with my life.

MTAS: Does anyone in your family make art?

AZ: No, no one in my family makes art.

MTAS: What types of job(s) have you had in the past?

AZ: I have worked in a bank, advertising and PR agency, hotel and restaurants in Kuala Lumpur. I have also run diving school and a batik school on an island in Malaysia.

MTAS: What do you do for fun besides making art?

AZ: I like to watch films and play with my two kids.


FAMILY PICTURE: Amir with his wife, Pia Poulsen holding their daughter Malika in her arms and son Ilyas on her side. Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

MTAS: What are you doing besides making art?

AZ: I am organizing my first festival in Denmark. It is a Malaysian Arts festival which includes art exhibition, film screening, dance and music performance.



This is the first Malaysian arts festival to ever take place in Scandinavia. I have just formed a collective called Jambatan, a Malay word which means bridge. The main goal of Jambatan is to build up networks between Danish/western and Asian artists. It is also aimed at developing and strengthening intercultural competences in the life of art and culture.


MTAS: Could you tell us a bit about UN-CUT09: MALAYSIAN ARTS FESTIVAL, an arts festival you've being involved with organizing? Who are the key players involved in this project, when/where this arts festival will take place, and what can the public expect to see?

AZ: UN-CUT09: MALAYSIAN ARTS FESTIVAL will takes place in the city of Copenhagen and Roskilde from August 5th - 15th, 2009.

The title ‘UN-CUT’ has a double meaning. Part of the title refers to the uncensored and open dissemination of art form. The other part of ‘UN-CUT' refers to the same word pronunciation in Malay ‘angkat ‘, which means to lift. One of the festival’s goals is to lift and introduce Malaysian art to a new audience here in Denmark.




20 artists from Malaysia will be showing their work at Gallery Shambala in Copenhagen. There will also be a film screening at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Roskilde. Dance and music performances will take place at the World Culture Center in Copenhagen.

My friend Nur Hanim Khairuddin, an artist and curator from Malaysia is helping me in choosing and scouting for artists to participate in this festival. It is certainly a big help because of the distance plus we have free hand in doing what we see fit. The National art Gallery of Malaysia and Museum and Gallery Tunku Fauziah of University of Science Malaysia are giving their support to this festival. You can visit the festival blog at www.jambatan.blogspot.com for more information.


MTAS: Please tell us a bit about your painting and collage work. What are the thoughts and inspirations behind the creation of this body of work? What is the specific message you strive to convey to your viewers?

AZ: My work is inspired by things that I find in the mass media and my surroundings. In the first couple of years when I started to make art, I was working with oil.


Surrender, oil on canvas, 1997 (Click hyperlink to read more about this work...)
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

Most of the subject matter I picked up was from film magazines, art books and pictures from the newspapers. I was also painting portraits of artists and famous people.


The NY Times, 200cm x 115cm, digital print on canvas, 2008
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


*Orang Asli and banksy balloon, 150x110cm, digital print on canvas, 2007
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

[*The Orang Asli are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. The name is a Malay term which transliterates as 'original peoples' or 'first peoples.' ]

The history channel, 200cm x 125cm, digital c-print on canvas, 2008
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin



I grew up in an environment of popular culture. Watching Walt Disney, the Lone Ranger, Six Million Dollar Man, Superman, to mention a few. My father was a singer in a Ghazal (Band) back in the 60's, so music has also been a big part of my life.



*The Dance, 170cm x 120cm, digital c print on paper, 2009
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

[*MORE... Malaysian typical dances on YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imiYNPEPS-M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnUagvHGA2A&feature=related]

One of the main inspirations of making collage is because of its simplicity and the idea that you don’t necessarily have to buy paints or colors to make art.



MTAS: Can you discuss your process in general? How does it all start, what techniques and materials do you use?

AZ: I have worked with many different materials. I first started with oil, and later on switched to acrylic and at the same time started to make collage and assemblage from objects I found from the street.


Askepot II, 45cm x 60cm, collage and acrylic on linen, 2006
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


ISBN 7887, 110cm x 150cm, collage and acrylic on canvas, 2007
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin



For the past 7 years I have been working with my computer creating digital prints. Earlier this year I had a solo exhibition in London showing about 15 pieces of my work done with computer.



ISBN, digital print, 2007. Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

Chin Peng 陳平 - stamp series, 56cm x 46cm, digital print, 2008.
To learn more visit http://amirzainorin.blogspot.com/2008/08/chin-peng.html
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

Ahmad Boestaman - stamp series, 56cm x 46cm, digital print, 2008.
To learn more visit http://amirzainorin.blogspot.com/2008/08/ahmad-boestaman.html

Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


I have started making video interviews and art videos the last few years.
The below is a video interview of a renowned Malaysian artist Redza Piyadasa. To view more videos I made please visit http://www.youtube.com/user/amirzainorin





Okay, how does it all start - well, I guess it all starts with an idea of what I want to make which I then need to decide which technique I want to use. It could be collage, assemblage, painting or so on. But the idea normally comes from ready-mades, things that are easily recognizable, pictures, sign board, logo etc. I am getting a lot of my sources from the internet nowadays.


My latest series of work are portraits of well known women made of lakrids (liquorice). So, I work with many types of formats to create art.



Princess Mary, 65x 75cm, lakrids on board, 2009
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin



MTAS: What is the most interesting comment you have heard from a viewer?


(Detail) Klip-klappa, made of lakrids and glue on board, 2009
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


AZ: I have just come back from a sculpture festival in north Denmark which I showed my lakrids slippers and portrait of Princess Mary. One person came up to me and said, "I know why you do this, you think that we Danes are very sweet people."


MTAS: Are you planning any exhibitions of this body of work in the near future?

AZ: Yes, but I am not sure where I will show them yet. I have to be careful where I am going to show them because the ants will be very attracted to them.


MTAS: Please tell us about the 99 Flagmen you made.

AZ: There are 99 flagmen in this piece of work and they are made of plaster, canvas and ink. This work is inspired by The 99 Names of Allah (also known as The 99 Most Beautiful Names of God) which have different meaning or characters. It is also believed that when we practice writing the characters, it will leads to spiritual power.


99 Flagmen. Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


A flag is a symbol of conquest. This is derived from our desire to show power, be it of conquering new physical territory or epistemological space.



Flagman. Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


MTAS: How long does it take to do one painting (please give us one example)?

AZ: It could take one day for a painting or two. It could also take me years to finish it but that doesn’t normally happened.



Artist at work. Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


MTAS: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

AZ: It is very difficult to say, but I would like to have a retrospective show in the next 10 years somewhere.


MTAS: Any advice or tips would you give to an artist just starting out?

AZ: Never give up. Only the best comes out from the worst.


Amir in his studio. Image courtesy of A. Zainorin

MTAS: Would you provide links to articles and reviews about your artwork?

AZ: I guess you could try to google my name, "Amir Zainorin", there will probably be an article that will pop.


MTAS: Tell us about the awards and recognitions you received in the past years.

AZ: I have received grants from the National Art Gallery in Malaysia for doing my solo show "Mad(e) in Malaysia" held at Bricklane Gallery in London.

I also have been featured in many online galleries. My work was awarded the "No.1 Saatchi Online Magazine Critic's Choice" by Saatchi Online. In addition, I was awarded "July Showcase Winner" by ARTslant recently.

MTAS: Do you offer any art workshops?

AZ: Yes, I hold art workshops from time to time. My next workshop will be at Heerup Museum in Copenhagen where I will be working with children making art from trash. This is in conjunction with the Environmental Summit in Copenhagen where president Obama will be coming to officiate in December 2009.


Installation view: TrashArt-environmental exhibition
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


Installation view: TrashArt-environmental exhibition
Image courtesy of A. Zainorin


MTAS: Are you available for commissioned works? Representing gallery if any?

AZ: I am available for commission work. Ra Gallery is representing me in Malaysia and Bricklane Gallery has offered to represent me in London.


Amir with his friend Badrul at his art reception at Bricklane Gallery in London.

MTAS: Do you have a website (or any web presence) for interested readers to learn more about your work? Would you like to share your contact info with our readers?

www.amirzainorin.dk
www.amirzainorin.blogspot.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/amirzainorin


MTAS: Finally, is there anything else you would like to say about your art?

AZ: Art is life. Enjoy and make things happen. Thank you.



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