Yeoh (second row, fourth from left) and Soo (second row, right) with prize-winners (front row) of an art competition held in conjunction with the launch of Rukun Negara Clubs.
STELLA Maris International School in Damansara, Selangor, invited its students to participate in an art competition themed “Malaysia – My Heritage, My Home” for Malaysia Day.
Opened to both primary and secondary students, the competition received a total of 85 artworks.
The competition accepted art pieces in any medium such as oil, watercolour, pastel, acrylic, pencil and pen.
Experimental and mixed techniques were welcomed.
Art pieces were judged based on creativity, uniqueness and originality of the depicted theme.
The panel of judges comprised distinguished personalities like Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris Professor Emeritus Datuk Dr Ahmad Zainuddin, Malaysian Institute of Art-Fine Art Department head Liu Cheng Hua and The One Academy dean of study and group executive director Jimmy Tan.
The judges said the finalists’ artwork portrayed sound elements of creative thinking.
It also showcased the artists’ maturity of thinking with their choice of picture for the background and with renditions of illustrations in shapes and outlines.
“The talent and creativity reflected in the art submissions were remarkable and fascinating,” said Stella Maris International School president Margaret Soo in a media statement.
“We aim to give our students an opportunity to express themselves in the most compelling and inspiring way in art, where it gains the appreciation it deserves.”
Prizes for the top six art pieces were presented by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh in conjunction with the launch of Rukun Negara Clubs.
Selected finalists’ artwork would be featured in the school’s 2024 table calendar.
Student Jillian Lau Zhi Ling, 16, was inspired by the many local foods and traditional games.
She said, “I have always liked our local food delights since young and the uniqueness of our traditional games.”
She calls her carefully and meticulously arranged art piece “4D of Malaysia Heritage”, displaying the four dimensions of Malaysian culture and heritage, such as favourite local drinks, food delights, traditional games and iconic comic characters.
Wong Qianni, 11, remembers pre-war shoplots in her hometown, Penang. Her mother used to stay in one.
Qianni said these pre-war buildings reminded her of the Malaysian culture that she inherited.
But her “Penang pre-war heritage houses, our Malaysian Pride” is no ordinary picture.
It uses coffee grounds and expired food colouring for paint; a call to exercise responsible consumption by practising the 3Rs of reducing, reusing and recycling resources.
The 3Rs are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No.12, which the school is promoting among its students.
