Transit A0

PREFACE – TRANSIT AO

Time flies so fast and so much had happened that we do not realise it has been a year since the launch of MARS in November last year. On that note, we are very glad to announce MARS’s first anniversary this year. To mark this auspicious celebration, we present TRANSIT AO exhibition that features recent works by 19 artists who we believe have resolute trust in MARS’s vision and commitment. Many thanks to them for their untiring kindness and support. This second edition of fundraising showcase is definitely essential and timely to help sustain and grow further MARS’s operation in the aim to turn this nascent space into a well-equipped, full-fledged research and reference centre.

Over the past one year, we have enjoyed enormous assistance and constant encouragement from various quarters in the art community. The National Visual Arts Gallery and Galeri Petronas, two of our major and influential art institutions, have contributed a large part of their publications to MARS and pledged to continue submitting materials published by them in the future. Alongside these two institutions, a large number of other organisations, mostly private galleries and artists-run collectives operating around Kuala Lumpur, have lent their hands as well in expanding the list of publications kept in MARS archive. To date, our collection has reached approximately 902 books and catalogues donated by 14 organisations and individuals. The next phase of the collection process will focus on obtaining printed and published materials from artists, as well as from individuals who have been collecting these kinds of materials on their own initiative.

In the effort to document diverse activities and happenings taking place in the art scene, MARS established its Documentation Department in January 2013. The main function of this department is to record art related events, particularly exhibition openings, book launches, art talks, workshops and seminars, on video, photos and audio recordings. The team has so far covered 86 events around Kuala Lumpur. The recordings are in the process of being edited and digitised to make them searchable and accessible electronically.

In addition to its collecting and documenting activities, MARS has also taken part in other programmes and projects directly related to art. In April 2013, MARS served as a co-organiser for a roundtable discussion arranged by RogueArt in conjunction with its Narratives of Malaysian Art project. Also in the same month, MARS’s space was selected as one of the meeting points during the visit to Malaysia of the representative from the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, whose aim was to research on Malaysian upcoming and emerging artists.

Recognising the need to learn from other more established art research and reference centres around the region, and probably to develop close networking and collaboration with them in the near future, MARS representatives visited IVAA (Indonesia Visual Art Archive) in Yogyakakarta, Indonesia and AAA (Asian Art Archive) in Hong Kong. Meeting and discussing with them had given us valuable insight into how to effectively structure and run an art archive.

In conjunction with this first anniversary of MARS, we would like to yet again extend our deepest gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to all institutions, agencies, galleries, organisations, collectives, artists and individuals who have rendered their unwavering cooperation and support towards the building up of the initial collection of reference materials at MARS. We hope one day soon MARS will function as an important institution that is able to cater to those keenly craving for comprehensive information and documents concerning the art and artists of Malaysia.

Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Shahnim Safian & Nur Hanim Khairuddin

Directors

Opening Reception & Crowds :