| James Kon |
THE pristine rainforests of Temburong was recently the main subject of several paintings by a group of Bruneian and Chinese artists visiting the Green Jewel of Brunei.
Dato Shofry bin Abdul Ghafor, the owner and Manager of Rainforest Gallery, led the delegation of artists – comprising Gu Ying Qing, Chen Lei, Liu Hai Yong, Zakaria bin Haji Abdul Hamid, Haji Dayang bin Haji Mutalip, Pengiran Timbang bin Pengiran Haji Tuah, Osman bin Mohammad, Faiz Moshidi and Pengiran Ruslan – on the trip to Temburong District.
The group visited the Ulu Temburong National Park, the Karangan Waterfalls, Bukit Birup and a salted egg farm.
They also took the time to draw and paint the local scenery while staying overnight at the Sumbiling Eco Village.
Altogether, they managed to produce more than 20 works of art within 24 hours, including a view of the sunrise, at the Sumbiling Eco Village.
Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, the Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism, paid a visit to Temburong to take a look at the paintings, and speak with the artists about their experiences.
The artists are also participating in a Joint Art Exhibition, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, which is currently being held at the Brunei Darussalam Maritime Museum in the capital, from November 22 to December 20.
Group picture of the local and Chinese artists with Wardi bin Haji Mohammad Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary (Tourism) at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism. – JAMES KON
The exhibition marks 25 years of diplomatic relations between Brunei and China while at the same time promoting art exchanges and friendship between both countries.
Mutual exchanges in the field of art began last year, when three artists from the China Academy of Art (CAA) visited the country, and tried to capture its qualities in traditional Chinese ink.
In April this year, a delegation of Brunei artists had exchanges with their CCA counterparts, during a 10-day trip to China.
In July, five CCA painters came to Brunei for discussions with local artists, and to capture their impressions of Brunei on canvas.
Meanwhile, Sumbiling Eco Village is scheduled to host a cooking class in the coming weeks, to promote its acclaimed Bamboo Chicken dish to all five-star hotels and top restaurants.
The eco destination is also expecting an influx of Chinese tourists to Temburong District in December, for a taste of local culture and natural delights.
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