Teochew iron-rod puppetry originated from Chinese shadow puppetry, where puppeteers animate paper cut-out figures on a translucent screen with the aid of an illuminated background. To adapt for daytime performances, the puppets were refashioned: using tightly packed bundles of hay to form the torso, moulded clay for the head, paper and wood for the limbs, dressed in costumes, with iron rods attached to the back...
Category: Humanity Interviews
Interviews and profiles featuring Malaysian artists, cultural practitioners, craftspeople, and community figures in their own words.
Orang Orang Drum Theatre
The drum’s origins can be traced back thousands of years to ancient civilizations across the globe, in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Drums were used in military communications and warfare, religious rituals, as well as dance and music performances. A drum produces simple sounds: “dum dum” by hitting the drumhead and “da da” by hitting the rim. Even with varying tempos, rhythms, and...
Ripples: Yap Hong Ngee at 80 – Looking Ahead
A touch of red at the end of the golden-green spiral sparked curiosity in the sparrow and it hopped over to take a closer look. Mr Yap Hong Ngee’s Chinese ink paintings are bright and funny, reflecting his inner child. In conjunction with his 80th birthday, “Ripples: Yap Hong Ngee at 80 – Looking Ahead” was held at the Oriental Art & Cultural Center in...
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