Sutra Foundation

Ravana-The Haunting

admin — Wed, 08 May 2013 04:38:56 +0000

RAVANA – THE HAUNTING An Exhibition drawings and paintings by Kishore Sahoo.

Kishore Sahoo allows his imagination to run wild and found Ravana in Sutra’s garden flora: the Garden of Eden entwines with Panchavati, where the Golden Deer lured Sita to her abduction by Ravana. The Serpent entwines around the Tree of Life from which sprouts the ten heads of Ravana. All these imageries become alive in Kishore’s colourful canvas, an artist on the throes of creative discovery. Ravana, the Darth Vader of The Ramayana is an enigmatic figure in this powerful and timeless myth. Is Ravana really as evil as he was portrayed to be? Or was his rep only a politically expedient projection of a maligned personage whose position in history had been manipulated and distorted to serve the prevailing ruling tribe to perpetuate the status quo?

Embodied Elegance

admin — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 01:58:35 +0000

Embodied Elegance a Solo Art Exhibitions by Michel Anthony Malaysian-born artist based in Nice, France has led a colorful and nomadic life, growing up in Sungai Siput and finally establishing himself as a successful artist and sculptor in Europe. In the last few years, Michel has been creating bronze sculptures, loving the creativity that goes into producing three-dimensional works. Without doubt, Michel revels in movement and in the purity of forms which emerge from their almost narcissistic distortion. The final allusion to the elegance of the dancer’s body, immortalized in Michel’s works, is quite astonishingly beautiful.

RIVER SUTRA 2013

admin — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 07:07:36 +0000

River Sutra offers a stream of many genres of dances, moving away from Sutra’s overtly classical and seriously modern to something more accessible and engaging for the general audience but with enough bite of content for the high-brow.

Artistic director of Sutra Dance Theatre, Ramli Ibrahim, strives to create an atmosphere of positive energy, bringing in the cooling colours of brooks and mango shoots that signify warmth, togetherness and inclusivity of cross-cultural streams and perspectives.

Thus, River Sutra is conceived – a river of many cultural influences and cross-currents which made up the Malaysian mélange. River Sutra explores spring time moods with impressionistic dances that defy staid classification of genres. Apparent will be influences, not only of bharatanatyam and odissi, but also of Malay, Javanese and pop cultures. The Malaysian identity, as time goes by, is also evolving. What is ‘Malaysian’ is an enigma – it is neither ‘only this or only that’…

River Sutra celebrates the Malaysian cultural diversity and many sub-identities which make up that One National Identity of a Malaysia which defies absolute categorization.

Malaysia Tour 2013 :

7 April, 2013 – Johor Bahru

10 – 14 April, 2013 – Kuala Lumpur

17 April, 2013 – Ipoh

19 April, 2013 – Penang

20 April, 2013 – Kangar

24 April, 2013 – Seremban

Venue: Kompleks JKKN Negeri Sembilan, Auditorium D’Sury, Jalan Sungai Ujong, Seremban

Tel: 06-767 6793

27 April, 2013 – Kota Kinabalu

Venue: Kompleks JKKN Sabah, Jalan Tasik KM4 Jalan Penampang, Kota Kinabalu

Tel: 08-823 7052/051

5 May, 2013 – Putrajaya

(To be reviewed due to Election Day)

25 May, 2013 – Kota Bharu

Venue: Kompleks JKKN Kelantan, Lot1993, Seksyen 49 Tanjong Chat, Kota Bahru

Tel: 09 – 741 7000/ JR 019-980 6437

Flutters & Rhythms

admin — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 07:01:23 +0000

Flutters and Rhythms is an exhibition which brings together six Singaporean visual artists of Indian origin of different backgrounds and styles. Presented by collaboration of Sutra Foundation (Kuala Lumpur) and The Gallery of Gnani Arts (Singapore), the works of the six artists bring forth aspirations of an idyllic destiny – expressing love in cherished ones, in nature, in the Higher, and belief in the soul.

Where nature flutters like the free bird, in rhythm with all mankind…..

Where the heart soars with love, and seeks rhythm in peace……

Where the soul takes wing and hovers in resonance with the Higher Spirit, and aspires to be one with Him……

Where the heart flutters at the thought of another loved one and perceives rhythm in their oneness…..

‘Con-Figure’ – Seeking The Essence Of Divinity In The Human Visage

admin — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 02:50:04 +0000

Sutra Foundation is pleased to present this Exhibition of paintings and drawings by two young and talented artists from India. Gopal Krushna Rath is from Bhubaneswar and had previously been in Kuala Lumpur with a group of Orissan artists fresh from Utkal University of Culture, Bhubaneswar (Legacy Reclaimed, 2012) whereas this is the first time that Guru Suraj (a graduate of Government College of Arts, Chennai) travels overseas. Most of the artworks you see will have been done in Kuala Lumpur. It is wonderful to share their day to day creative process, as they develop their works for the exhibition. Both are different in their approaches – Gopal is the shy one but articulate in his outpourings. On the other hand, Suraj’s exposure to yoga and dance is apparent in his attempt to integrate geometry with the human body…They are attempting a most difficult message – to communicate the essence of spirituality in the human visage, a theme which requires them to delve into the inner landscape and translate this to the outer.

Sutra Foundation has been an important platform for the cultivating of fresh talents – not just dance but also in the visual arts. It has been a place of integration for performing and visual arts and the results are slowly apparent in the original and authentic works we have catalysed which have stirred the imagination of those who have followed us.

We invite you to share the artistic journey of these two young artists who, definitely, will be someone to watch for in the not so distant future.

Our King honours Ramli Ibrahim – 1 Feb 2013

admin — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:51:18 +0000

Today, we proudly announce that Ramli Ibrahim has been honoured and conferred a “Datukship” by our King at the Palace in an official ceremony in conjunction with Hari Wilayah, witnessed by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and Distinguished Guests. Congratulations Master – Datuk Ramli Ibrahim! We are truly proud!

Elements 5! at Sutra Gallery January 23rd, 2013 @ 8pm

admin — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 01:29:36 +0000

Sutra Foundation is proud to present it’s first in the series of exhibitions scheduled for 2013

- Element 5 – features five talented women visual artists, Preet Badhwar, Deepika Gupta, Reena Kochar, Ardy Timmer and Shia Yih Yiing. All five women are experienced artists who are confident of their art, what they are saying and how they are saying it. They are admirable in the focused way they have developed and pursued their art. Sutra Foundation is confident that this exhibition will expose a potent creative vein and inspire many to discover their own inherent if not latent talents as the case with these five accomplished artists. The empowerment, the expressivity, the poetry of the works are palpable and we promise an engaging night. Come and meet them! All are welcome and certainly an occasion to celebrate!

Hari Mampus! 21.12.12

admin — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 02:28:51 +0000

Joined In Dance – Nartaka Dance Festival Malaysia

admin — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 06:32:37 +0000

Sutra Foundation Joined in Dance 2012

Talks

1) MALE MATTERS – past/forward discourse on Male Dance

ICC (India Cultural Centre) Capsquare, KL

6 November, 2012 7 pm

Ramli Ibrahim (Convener)

Male Matters

In general, there has been a consistent decrease in the number of male dancers in dance compared to the increase in the female counterpart. The present popularity of the Indian classical styles like bharatanatyam and odissi not only perpetuates a projection of image which is exotic and pretty, but also demonstrates a gender-biased preference to female dancers. Dance is still the least financially secured profession, and parents are unwilling to encourage this career option in their male children — even if they are talented. The misconception that dance produce ‘sissies’ still persists. This is the case in most part of the world. In spite of the increase in performing art institutions, there has not been significant strategy (say in film nor in curriculum) to counter this misconception and to change the general negative mind-set. In the last few years, the dance world has not been successful in projecting a male dancer or choreographer of major international standing – a phenomenal ‘star’ who is able to stir the imagination and interest in the younger generation of males to seriously take up dance.

See you soon!

From Sutra Dance Theatre

Ramli Ibrahim – Sangeet Natak Akedemi Award 2012

admin — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 01:52:26 +0000

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/10/9/nation/20121009200914&sec=nation

First Malaysian dancer to receive the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Ramli Ibrahim receiving the award from India’s President, Pranab Mukherjee for his contribution to Odissi. Sangeet Natak Akademi award Guru Ramli Ibrahim you made us proud with your achievment. Hats off Guru! Lots of Love, Sutra Academy