The 7th Winds of Artist in Residence 2006 Part 1

“Artist in Residence” is a residential program for artists to allow them to stay at one place for a period of time to engage in art-making and workshops.  Fukuoka Asian Art Museum has been conducting this “Artist in Residence Program” for Asian artists since 1999 on a continuous basis.

In this first residency period of 2006, we have hosted Khadim Ali (Pakistan), Sarath Kumarasiri (Sri Lanka) and Pengiran Timbang (Brunei) for three months from May.

Khadim Ali brought drawings made by children in Afghanistan to Fukuoka.  The drawings of battle planes, hand grenades and rifles reflect the severe reality of Afghanistan.  In Fukuoka he conducted workshops with over 200 elementary school children asking them to draw something peaceful for Afghan children.  Khadim Ali made a series of seven miniature paintings based on the drawings made by the children from the two countries.

Sarath Kumarasiri brought with him a pair of jeans and a pair of shoes used by his friends who were victims of the civil war in Sri Lanka.  He reconstructed these objects in terracotta to make a part of his work.  In Fukuoka he collected objects used by people who were killed by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima and the Pacific War as well as in the air-raid on Fukuoka and made terracotta sculptures.  Sarath Kumarasiri expresses his deep mourning for people who lived through these periods, even though he is not directly connected to those people and places.

Pengiran Timbang’s work is all based on the women called “Padian”.  They used to row wooden boats to sell vegetables and fish to the people living in the water village of Brunei, and supported their families for a long time.  Using layers of wallpaper made in Japan and a unique technique of rendering the layers, he expresses the strength of these women who lived through great hardship, and contemporary society in Brunei.

These three artists lived in Fukuoka for the first time and developed their concepts and techniques to complete their works, inspired by new encounters with the people and culture of Fukuoka.

Participating Artists

Khadim Ali  (Pakistan)
Born in 1978. Graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, Pakistan National University of Arts. Khadim Participated in  ‘Contemporary Asian Art III: The Miniature Artists of Pakistan’ held in 2004 at Fukuoka Asian Art Museum.

Sarath Kumarasiri (Sri Lanka)
Born in 1968.  Graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Kelania. Studied Sculpture and Archeology at the Royal College of Art, London.

Pengiran Timbang (Brunei)
Born in 1959. Self-taught artist. Exhibited in the 4th Asian Art Exhibition, Fukuoka City Art Museum in 1994.