A yearning for peace

Saturday June 27, 2009
A yearning for peace
By JEREMY TAN


AN international art exhibition featuring paintings depicting the plight of Palestinians and their hope for peace and non-violence is currently being held at the Penang State Art Gallery until Tuesday.

Themed ‘Art, Peace and the Global Village - Against Violence’, the exhibition is a collaborative effort between the gallery and R A Fine Arts - The Gallery.

It encompasses the works of around 30 local and foreign artists from Palestine, Bosnia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.


Tongue in cheek: 'Portrait of a Prime Minister as a Decorated Terrorist' by local artist Rahmat Haron.

Gallery curator Haryany Mohamad said the exhibition conveyed the artists’ longing for peace and sensitivity among humankind and he hoped the paintings would open the minds of viewers towards the plight of the Palestinian people.

State Town and Country Planning, Housing and Arts Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, who launched the exhibition, commended everyone involved for highlighting the plight of the Palestinians.

“The message of this exhibition is the need for freedom, justice and peace in this world. We live in a global village. It is in our common interest to have a basic standard of human rights,” Wong said.

The gallery is open daily from 9am to 5pm.