On 20 July, Angela Hijjas delivered the opening address to Artriangle at Sokka Gakkai, a collective show bringing together artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Singapore to raise money for the MATAHATI Art Fund.
Rare Plants Take Root On World Environment Day
58 plants were installed at Rimbun Dahan on World Environment Day last month. Many of them are specimens of rare, uncommon or previously undescribed species now endangered by logging or habitat loss.
Nature Notes July 2008
An Oriental whip snake, Ahaetulla prasina, poses for a portrait in the Taman Sari at Rimbun Dahan.
TRACING: DANCE DIALOGUES IN SINGAPORE AND SOUTH AFRICA
Resident choreographers Joey Chua from Singapore and Mcebisi Bhayi from South Africa will perform a work-in-progress showing of their ground-breaking collaborative work on 1 & 2 August at the Fonteyn Studio Theatre in Petaling Jaya. Entrance is free. Q & A session follows the performance. (Updated 23/7/2008)
Art Exhibition by Former Rimbun Dahan Resident Artists
Australian artists Tim Craker and Louise Saxton, who undertook short term artist residencies at Rimbun Dahan gallery in 2006, explore their most vivid impressions of Malaysia in the exhibition dot-net-dot-au, at The Annexe Gallery from 10 to 27 July. The artists will give a public presentation about their exhibition on Saturday 26 July at 2pm. (Updated 24/7/2008)
Image of the Month
Staff at Rimbun Dahan turn out in force to address the problem of non-native tilapia fish taking over the waterways. (Posted 26/05/2008. Photo: Angela Hijjas)
Burmese Resident Artist Helps Cyclone Victims
Khin Zaw Latt, resident at Rimbun Dahan in May 2008, returned home to Burma to win the prestigious Myanmar Contemporary Art Award 2008, and to provide aid to victims of Cyclone Nargis in Burma's south. (Posted 18/06/2008)
Nature Notes: Return of the Blue-winged Pittas
The beautiful but shy blue-winged pittas have returned to Rimbun Dahan to breed, much further south than previously recorded. Their nest has been discovered in an abandoned woodpile and their calls can be heard all over the garden. (Posted 16/06/2008)
Hijjas Addresses Alumni in Australia and Malaysia
Hijjas bin Kasturi visited Australia in March 2008 to lecture at his two alma maters, the University of Adelaide and the University of Melbourne. He was later featured in the alumni magazines of both institutions. Angela Hijjas also gave a public lecture at the University of Melbourne about the residency program at Rimbun Dahan -- now you can listen to it online! And in May Hijjas gave the keynote address to a gathering of University of Melbourne alumni in Kuala Lumpur, expounding on his experiences at the university and on the proper use of a university education. (Posted 3/06/2008)
Remember/Rebel -- Balletbase Show in July
The preprofessional dance company Balletbase, run by Bilqis Hijjas, will present two new contemporary dance works from the 11 to 13 July -- 'Rebel without a Cause?' by emerging choreographer Radhimalar Govindarajoo, and 'River of Memory' by Bilqis. (Posted 27/06/2008)
year-long Resident artists settling in
Rimbun Dahan's year-long resident artists from Australia -- Lauren Black and Megan Keating -- are settling in at Rimbun Dahan. Both contributed new works to the 2008 Art for Nature exhibition, and Lauren (right) has been demonstrating to interested visitors how she creates intricate masterpieces of botanical art with the help of a microscope and specimens of rare plants from University Malaya. Lauren and Megan will display works produced during their residencies in an exhibition with Malaysian artist Justin Lim at the beginning of 2009. (Posted 27/06/2008)
Pioneering Asian-African Collaboration
Singaporean choreographer Joey Chua and South African choreographer Mcebisi Bhavi are currently in residence at Rimbun Dahan. Their collaboration, the first of its kind in the world, will produce a contemporary dance duet to be performed in July. (Updated 3/7/08)
Nature Notes: Python in the Henhouse
Like a bull in a chinashop, a reticulated python laid waste to the Rimbun Dahan chicken coop last night. Two hens were killed and one eaten, then hastily regurgitated as the python attempted to escape. Warning: contains graphic images. (Posted 12/05/2008)
Where are we going to draw the line between ecological impact and economic growth?
The 2008 Art for Nature exhibition has been a great success, raising over RM 270,000 for WWF and participating artists! The exhibition can be seen until 1 June in the Underground Gallery at Rimbun Dahan.
On Sunday 1 June at 9am, Angela Hijjas will lead visitors on a guided walk through forest, herb and wetland gardens at Rimbun Dahan, including a visit to Rumah Uda Manap, the restored century old kampong house from Perak, and a tour of exhibition, followed by refreshments. The tour is free and open to the public; donations to WWF-Malaysia are appreciated.
Dance Day Workshops
Over twenty dancers assembled in the dance studio at Rimbun Dahan to celebrate International Dance Day with four workshops: Cunningham technique conducted by Yuka Tanaka, ballet performance skills by Kim Long, contemporary repertoire by Rathimala, and Horton technique by Joey Chua. (Posted 1/05/2008)
Gabrielle Bates' Australian Exhibition Opened
Angela Hijjas gave the opening speech at the launch of Gabrielle Bates' exhibition 'Mouth of Flowers' at Trocadero Art Space, Footscray, Melbourne, on 26 March. The exhibition displays the body of work that Gabrielle created during her residency at Rimbun Dahan during 2007. Now updated with images! (Updated 9/04/2008)
Then and Now
How much a garden can grow in seventeen years! From a few saplings and not much shade to riotous greenery -- check out the before and after images. (Posted 8/04/2008)
Permanent Collection Online
A selection of works from the Rimbun Dahan permanent collection is displayed in the Underground Gallery in between other exhibitions. Featuring works by former resident artists, images of the permanent collection are now available for viewing. (Posted 27/02/2008)
Accommodation for Resident Artists
To help prepare resident artists for life at Rimbun Dahan, we have published images and descriptions of the various styles of accommodation available.
Curator's Talk
Noor Mahnun Mohamed will conduct a tour of the 2008 Art for Nature exhibition, lending insights on the contributing artists and their work, on Saturday 24 May at 3pm. Refreshments will follow. The talk is free and open to the public; donations to WWF-Malaysia are appreciated.
A Fitting tool to investigate our nation
Humour surfaces for the first time in the works of Rimbun Dahan resident artist Ahmad Fuad Osman, despite the strong theme of social criticism running throughout, according to Carmen Nge in her essay for the catalogue of Fuad's recent exhibition. (Posted 19/02/2008)
The Elasticity of a Golden Thread
"It mixes memory and ambivalence with a restless exoticism, " writes Southeast Asian arts correspondent Gina Fairley of Rimbun Dahan resident artist Gabrielle Bates' new body of work. Gina's essay accompanying the catalogue for Gabrielle's exhibition at the Rimbun Dahan gallery in January 2008 is now available online. (Posted 17/02/2008)
Burmese Performance Artist in Residence
Moe Satt, a performance artist from Yangon trained in zoology and community development, will be resident at Rimbun Dahan for three months, from February to April 2008.
Hundreds Flock to See new art
The opening of the 13th Rimbun Dahan Residency Exhibition on 12 January was a roaring success, with over 500 guests coming to view the work by Gabrielle Bates and Ahmad Fuad Osman. The food may have run out early, but the fun lasted all night! Check out the images from the evening. (Posted 4/02/2008)
More Large Trees on Plant Lists
Work continues apace to keep the plant list at Rimbun Dahan updated with new plantings and a few unfortunate losses. 42 images and 39 species have been added in the past few days, mostly to the family of large forest trees Dipterocarpaceae. (Posted 29/01/2008)
Nature Notes Dec 2007
Four new bird species have been spotted at Rimbun Dahan recently -- the Rufous Woodpecker, Purple Heron, Hodgson's Hawk-Cuckoo, and Stripe-Throated Bulbul -- much to our resident birdwatchers' delight! (Posted 07/12/2007)
13th Rimbun Dahan Residency Exhibition
Rimbun Dahan will open its annual exhibition of works by Ahmad Fuad Osman (Malaysia) and Gabrielle Bates (Australia) this coming January 2008. The exhibition will showcase paintingsandslide projections by Ahmad Fuad Osmanand paintings, objects and video works by Gabrielle Bates, as well as a collaborative video work. The exhibition will be open from 13 to 27 January, with an Artists' Talk at the gallery on 19 January.
Current Short-Term Resident Artists at Rimbun Dahan
Thai artist Sarawut Chutiwongpeti arrived on 10 October and will be staying at Rimbun Dahan for three months, working in installation art, photography, digital art and video. He has come fresh from a residency in Korea and will be following up his stay at Rimbun Dahan with the Malihom artists' residency program in Penang.
Indonesian photographer Bahtiar Dwi Susanto arrived on 15 November, for a stay until 14 January 2008. Affiliated with Insomnium Visual Studies Malang, he has just finished working at Cemeti Art House in Yogyakarta. At the end of December he will be conducting a photography workshop at Home of Matahati. He has started a project working with local artists called "Me, Friends and Photography" and will have an exhibition in Indonesia after the residency, supported by the Indonesian Embassy.
Writer/poet Cecep Syamsul Hari will be arriving for a residency this Saturday, completing a full house at Rimbun Dahan! (Posted 07/12/2007)
Memorial: Mulch, 1988-2007
Mulch, our oldest and most long-suffering dog, passed away yesterday, 19 years after he was born at Rimbun Dahan. He lived a long full life and in the end his demise did not come as a surprise. He leaves behind a pack of five other dogs, none of whom are mourning him overly much. His regular barks at the evening azan will be missed. Meanwhile, the People page at Rimbun Dahan has been updated to reflect our current population of pets (Posted 03/09/2007)
PROGRESS REPORT: AHMAD FUAD OSMAN
New works by resident artist Ahmad Fuad Osman, featuring Rimbun Dahan dog Samson, were collectors' favourites at a recent Matahati group show. Images from Fuad's recent series 'Recollections of Long Lost Memories' have also just been put online on 13 Nov 2007.
Progress Report: Gabrielle Bates
Visual artist Gabrielle Bates has now been at Rimbun Dahan for six months, half way through her year-long residency. She has spent her residency exploring combinations of patterns and figuration, using interesting and unique media.
Nature Notes August 2007
A pair of the shy and unusual Blue-Winged Pittas has been sighted several times in the at Rimbun Dahan over the last week. Usually a winter migrant to this area, these pittas might even be a breeding pair!
Residency for Choreographers
Applications are invited for residencies for Malaysia, other Southeast Asian and Australian contemporary dance choreographers, for a three-month stay at Rimbun Dahan from March to June 2008.
PLant list still growing
After a spate of planting and documenting, there are 80 new images of trees growing at Rimbun Dahan in the online plant lists. (Posted 16/06/2007)
Video artist on site
Malaysian video artist Lau Mun Leng is resident at Rimbun Dahan from July to August 2007. She will be researching new media, digital video and audio production for a new work for public presentation. Mun Leng's stay comes on the heels of Yaksa Agus from Yogyakarta, who was resident at Rimbun Dahan in June, and Matt Cox from Australia from February to April this year.
Nature Notes June 2007
A Black-Crowned Night Heron visits the pond at Rimbun Dahan.
RARE
WATER Plant Moved to Rimbun DAhan
As the Selangor State Government will not guarantee the protection
of the Sungai Buloh Nature Park, some specimens of Cryptocoryne
minima have been transferred to a new home at Rimbun Dahan. (Posted 16/04/2007)
HALF OF MALAYSIA EXHIBITION
This year, Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) celebrates its 25th year of service to women and children. Rimbun Dahan will host an art fundraiser for WAO between 28 and 30 July at the Underground Gallery. Angela Hijjas will conduct a public tour of Rimbun Dahan on 29 July. Images of most of the works on sale are now available online. Proceeds from the sale of artworks will go towards WAO's Refuge and Child Care Centre. (Posted 18/07/2007)
VISUAL ARTISTS SETTLING IN AT RIMBUN DAHAN
The 2007 recipients of the year-long Malaysia-Australia Visual
Artist Residency are Australian painter Gabrielle
Bates, whose practice explores motif and pattern-making in
relation to identity, and Ahmad
Fuad Osman, who has created a new video work for the Art for
Nature 2007 exhibition.
Plant
Lists Restructured
Within the last week, over 80 new images of trees growing at Rimbun
Dahan have been added. The list of trees has also been reorganised
by taxonomic family names. (Posted 26/04/2007)
Nature
Notes May 2007
A bevy of butterflies come to visit a flowering Hoya carnosum
in the Taman Sari. (Posted 5/05/2007)
Contemporary
Dance for Every Body
A workshop in contemporary dance, the creative process and free
movement improvisation by resident choreographer Donna Miranda,
at The Annexe Central Market on 16-17 June.
ART
FOR NATURE 2007: 00:15 sUPERSTAR
"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes,"
said Andy Warhol in 1968. In the celebrity-driven present, Warhol's prediction
has come true. This year's exhibition to benefit WWF-Malaysia, on display
at the Rimbun Dahan Underground Gallery until 3 June, explores the hype
around celebrity. The New
Straits Times
calls it "an interesting showcase of some of the best in contemporary
art in the country."
There will be a curator's talk on 19 May at Rimbun Dahan
at 3 pm.
Seats are limited; RSVP to River Foo at 780 33 772. (Posted
16/04/2007)
Choreographer
Looking for Collaborators
Filipino choreographer Donna Miranda, currently on a three-month residency
at Rimbun Dahan, is interested in collaborating with local artists in
new media, video, performance, fashion, theater and dance. (Posted
26/04/2007)
Choreographer
Presentation at Annexe
Filipino choreographer Donna Miranda, currently on a three-month residency
at Rimbun Dahan, invites artists in new media, video, performance, fashion,
theater and dance to a presentation of ideas for her new work at the Bau
Bau Cafe, Annexe Central Market, Kuala Lumpur on Monday 23 April 2007
at 8:30PM. (Posted 21/04/2007)
Tour
of Rimbun Dahan Gardens On 11 Feb
Angela Hijjas will conduct a tour of the gardens, gallery and restored
kampong house at Rimbun Dahan, on Sunday 11 February. Meet at the front
gate at 9AM, wear long sleeves and white if you are susceptible to mosquitoes,
and bring along repellent. There will be a charge of RM10 per person,
in support of the Malaysian Nature Society, and visitors will be encouraged
to join the society as members. Refreshments will be served after the
tour. To register, if you are not a member of the Malaysian Nature Society,
please send an email to
12th
rimbun Dahan residency exhibition
Featuring a year's worth of work by Malaysian resident artist Chang
Yoong Chia and Australia resident artist David Jolly,
this exhibition will be open to the public from 28 January to
11 February 2007.
Rimbun Dahan Gallery opening hours are Saturdays & Sundays
10am – 6pm, weekdays by appointment only. There will be an artists’
talk at the gallery at 3pm on Saturday 3 February. (Posted
10/01/2007)
RESIDENCY
FOR MALAYSIAN CHOREOGRAPHERS
Rimbun Dahan is expanding its offer of residencies to include a special
residency for Southeast Asian choreographers in the first half of 2007.
We are currently accepting applications from young/emerging Malaysian
contemporary dance choreographers who are interested in spending 3 months
at Rimbun Dahan focusing on their art. Application deadline: 15 February
2007 (Posted 12/01/2007)
Resident
Artists Open tHEIR Studios
All the current resident artists at Rimbun Dahan had an open studio day
in early November to share how they have been developing their art practices.
(Posted 12/11/2006)
Dinner
and Dancing
As there is an imminent exodus of artists from Rimbun Dahan in November,
they cooked a dinner of western food for the staff to enjoy. Meanwhile,
Balletbase had their first rehearsal in the Rimbun Dahan dance studio.
(Posted 12/11/2006)
Illuminated Leaves
An online exhibition of poetry and art, presenting the poetry of Jan Owen and Noël Norcross,
and works in progress by artist Margot Wiburd.
Image of the Month 
Rimbun Dahan's year-long resident artists from Australia -- Lauren Black and Megan Keating -- are settling in at Rimbun Dahan. Both contributed new works to the 2008 Art for Nature exhibition, and Lauren (right) has been demonstrating to interested visitors how she creates intricate masterpieces of botanical art with the help of a microscope and specimens of rare plants from University Malaya. Lauren and Megan will display works produced during their residencies in an exhibition with Malaysian artist Justin Lim at the beginning of 2009. (Posted 27/06/2008)
Nature Notes Dec 2007 
Current Short-Term Resident Artists at Rimbun Dahan 
Memorial: Mulch, 1988-2007 
VISUAL ARTISTS SETTLING IN AT RIMBUN DAHAN
Illuminated Leaves
