Currently ongoing @Studio and @ChinaHouse...

With the opening of ChinaHouse on Beach Street, Brand Bon Ton is now blessed with enough room space to hold more than just one exhibition at once. As our main gallery, Studio at Straits is now proudly exhibiting a collection of contemporary ceramics by Alex Tan and Cheah Yeow Seng. Come and be enthralled by the design and colors of these masterful art pieces, some reminiscent of old Chinese ceramics but truly in a league of their own. This exhibition will be held until December 18, so make sure to make some room in your busy schedules to follow Tan's and Cheah's footsteps in the wonderland of pottery.

As for ChinaHouse, two exhibitions are concurrently being held. The first one, entitled Faces of Expression, are paintings from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines by the artist collective House of Matahati. Here's the introduction to this extremely evocative exhibition, to be held until December 26 at Art Space I :

"Being one of the largest means of human communication, expression has always been the trait that defined us the most. Self representation comes after expression, as a conscious choice of individuals on how they wish for others to perceive themselves. The back and forth of emotions and their messages form a collective negotiation that is a constant everyday struggle. This dynamics of expression is expressed and suggested in the paintings, and presented for the inspection and appreciation by the viewer".

The second exhibition, beautifully named Equilibration and Expiration, is a photographic essay by Malaysian artist Fauzi Husin :

"According to Jean Piaget, a cognitive psychologist, when external reality does not match with the logical internal mental structures, Equilibration occurs as an effort to bring balance as the person adapts more sophisticated mental structures. On the other hand, like products display on the shelves of a supermarket, Fauzi Husin sees Expiration as something that revolves around life, existence, mortality and the process of aging and decay. These two series are the photographer's exploration of Equilibration and Expiration."

Equilibration and Expiration will be held until December 26 in ChinaHouse's Art Space II.

For more information on our exhibition, visit our website or feel free to get in touch. 

Studio at Straits

86 Armenian Street, 10200 Georgetown, Penang

T 04 262 7299  E info@straitscollection.com.my

ChinaHouse
153-155 Beach Street, 10300 Georgetown, Penang
T 04 263 7299  E info@straitscollection.com.my

Symphony & Oppression, by Louise Low

From October 22nd to November 15th, come and visit our brand-new exhibition at Studio : Symphony and Oppression, by talented Malaysian artist Louise Low Seok Loo. Louise has dedicated her artistic search to the representations of orchids, these exotic flowers well known to all living in or familiar with Malaysia. Here's what she has to say about her exciting exhibition and her irresistible attraction to orchids:

"The very representation of love, beauty and strength, orchids have always fascinated me. In my first series, Symphony of Life, the flower is my maestro in exploring the relationship between life and tradition while the colours portray instruments strung by my heart. Within my search for a sense of belonging within my own culture, my paintings surface as a visual and lyrical garden, alive through the juxtaposition of exotic orchids interlocking with traditional batik impressions".

Come and admire the colourful compositions of Louise Low Seok Loo, only until November 15th at Studio at Straits. For more information, visit our website. 

Studio at Straits

86 Armenian Street, 10200 Georgetown, Penang

T 04 262 7299  E info@straitscollection.com.my

Designers' Talk & Drawing Course at Studio

On September 21, fresh from KL Design Week 2011, design journeyman Fabian Sixtus Körner, animator and designer Olivier "Hero" Dressen and Pencilbrush inventor Alex Tarusha will share their work with Penangites and tell us all about their creative adventures. Joined by Lim Chun Woei of urban cr3atures, the talk starts at 8.30pm sharp at Studio@Straits.

On the same day, Alexander Tarusha, the inventor of the revolutionary Pencilbrush, will give a free two-hour introduction course to 12 lucky would-be artists among you ! Hurry up and register to learn the basics of using this new tool, ideal for faster drawing, easier shading and better effects ! For more info on Pencilbrush, watch the video below :



For more info on these two upcoming events, do feel free to contact us using the information below and on our flier. Looking forward to seeing you all at Studio and learn all about the latest trends in the world of design!

Studio at Straits

86 Armenian Street, 10200 Georgetown, Penang

T 012 482 8619 /  010 464 0812 
E info@straitscollection.com.my / eeyanchuah@gmail.com

Coming Home, An Introduction To Foo May Lyn

Our new exhibition at Studio@Straits will be starting as of Saturday, August 20, and what an exciting one it is! For the next three weeks until September 10, we are very proud to welcome Malaysian artist Foo May Lyn and her intricate works in our gallery.

Foo May Lyn began her artistic life as a 13-year-old performer in the late '70s with Teater Kanak-kanak Malaysia, an experimental children's theatre project run by the formidable and committed theatre practitioner, Janet Pillai. Everything truly stems from here : that rare and invaluable sense of empowerment given to a child. Here she was also exposed to the wide spectrum of myths, legends and performance traditions of Malaysia's multicultural heritage.

She has worked in theatre, dance, film and Festival productions under the direction of Krishen Jit, Ann Lee, Marion D'Cruz, Dinsman, Jo Kukathas, Nasir Jani of Malaysia, Ivan Heng, Claire Wong, Ong Ken Sen of Singapore, Agnes Limbos of Belgium, and Koike Hiroshi of Pappa Tarahumara, Japan. She was also a member of CommonLore Storytellers in London where she lived for 11 years.

In the last decade, May Lyn has focused on producing drawings, jewellery, toys and books. Her talisman "jewellery", which were featured in Paris' Elle Magazine, and bought by Christian Lacroix were sold and exhibited in Paris (2008) where she lived for 12 years.

In 2005, she was part of a group exhibition with Pang Khee Teik and Phuan Thai Meng entitled "Crowds" at Reka Art Space. Her work has fascinated cultural producers for their allegorical resonance of deep human experiences through detailing that is naive, spontaneous and surprising. For more info, visit our website.

Studio at Straits

86 Armenian Street, 10200 Georgetown, Penang

T 012 482 8619  E info@straitscollection.com.my 

Melaka Dreams, by Daniel Brinsmead

We are especially proud to uncover the theme of our new exhibition held at Studio : Melaka Dreams, by Australian artist Daniel Brinsmead. Born in 1970 in Murwillumbah, NSW, Brinsmead is part of this new generation of Australian artists unafraid to tackle personal political issues and interpret their world views through art. Deep, dark and undisciplined are common descriptions of Brinsmead's paintings, which - in the words of David Broker, director of the Canberra Contemporary Art Space - "reflect a world in which the individual has a tenuous grip on the controls. While Daniel never openly reveals specific situations or events, one always feels that he is painfully honest and that this cathartic work might drive us along the dangerous path to understanding the Cimmerian recesses of the human psyche".

Here's how Daniel Brinsmead describes his work : "My work examines human nature in relation to contemporary culture. I like to question the way we think, feel, and behave, and explore how we act and react to our social and physical environments. I am inpsired by the way children approach art. It is direct and honest, an immediate interpretation of life as they know it. My personal search within myself as an artist and how I want to express my creativity has taken me to a kind of simple and direct of being in my art. I am constatntly looking for the way to paint and work where I am energized and excited by what I am doing. I then take this simplicity and combine it with the knowledge and perspective of an adult to explore the question of who I am and the world around me".

We hope to see many of you coming to Studio to experience Brinsmead's paintings with your own eyes. Melaka Dreams is ongoing until August 16th, 2011. For more info, visit our website.

Studio at Straits

86 Armenian Street, 10200 Georgetown, Penang

T 04 262 7299  E info@straitscollection.com.my 

Kopi Cine is temporarily closed and being relocated

Dear followers,

As you may have already noticed, Kopi Cine is currently closed. This is however only temporary and we will soon announce a new location for our brand-new gourmet outlet. So stay tuned, more news coming soon...

Also, the Stewart Lane residences which were part of the Straits Collection are now under a new management. However, our residences on 89 to 95 Armenian Street are still available and you can proceed with your booking on our Straits Collection website.

In the meantime, we would like to thank all our patrons for their continuing support and look forward to giving you all more details soon of our reopening and expansion plans.

Remember that it is still time for you to enjoy our current exhibition in Studio @ Straits on Armenian Street. THIS IS IT - Black & White is an exhibition that looks into the integration of art and design to make artworks beyond a wall hanging visual artwork.

For more details on the THIS IS IT exhibition, click here.

And don't forget the ongoing Georgetown Festival 2011, a month-long celebration of the inscription of George Town on the UNESCO World Heritage Listing on 7th July, 2008. Scheduled to be an annual event, the Festival is a feast of theatre, music, dance, film, art, opera, food, fashion, photography, and inspirational talks.

Studio @ Straits - "7th Heaven" by Ong Oh Hup Hoe

Studio @ Straits is delighted to welcome you for their second exhibition, this time showcasing works by a master colorist : Ong Oh Hup Hoe.

The 7th Heaven Series, curated by Scarlette Lee of Core Design Gallery, is the latest and third solo 7th Heaven Series art exhibition by Ong Oh Hup Hoe. It will run from February 15 to March 31 at Studio @ Straits.

"In the past couple of years, Ong Oh Hup Hoe has channeled his mind fittingly to create a symphony of colours that dances to the tune of seventh heaven, the realm of God and the highest state of bliss which is the theme of his latest and third solo exhibition" 

- quoted from Dian Pasquinal Kaur, The Prestige January 2011 issue.

For more information about the exhibition and the artist, please click here to read the full article.

Please come join us for a wine tasting and nibbles on the 15th February to celebrate this exciting 7th Heaven Series. We look forward to meeting you there ! You can RSVP here or directly on Studio at Straits' Facebook page (link on the right sidebar).

Studio at Straits

86 Armenian Street, 10200 George Town, Penang

T 04 262 7299 E info@straitscollection.com.my

Travel Contest January 2011 - Malaysia Asia blog

Travel blogger David Logan Jr is a travel addict whose addiction is dangerously contagious... If you wish to know where to go on a holiday when travelling through South-East Asia, a great and reliable source of information would be his blog Malaysia Asia. From Pattaya to Bali, from Halong Bay to Sandakan, from Cebu to Singapore, David has seen it all (or almost) and he always gives interesting depictions of the places' culture, people, food and things to do and see.

Not only is he travelling all year round, but he also wants you to travel and experience the best of South-East Asia. His new travel contest now allows you to win up to 16,500 RM in prizes (travel vouchers, holiday trips, packages, etc.) and it is incredibly easy to take part in. Check out his blog for more information on how you can become the lucky grand prize winner !