By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Dec 18: Abot Gudang and Sandra Trinatta, from Bau made Sarawak proud after they won the Excellent Craft Award from the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific held two weeks ago in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Abot from Singai and Sandra from Serikin Bau have collaborated to complete the art work entitled “The Glow Tree of Life” in more than ten days.
“I’m elated by the recognition. It’s an innovative technique that we use that have won us this award,” Abot told DayakDaily after the presentation ceremony officiated by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah at the Sarawak Crafts Council Centre at the Kuching Waterfront here today.
While he is specializing on producing a glowing effect on the art piece using glow paints, Sandra on the other hand did the weaving, which is made of rattan.
“It’s hard work but we will focus on producing more of it. I think there is a market for this kind of art work,” said Sandra.
Meanwhile, Society Atelier of Sarawak president Eric Ong said the masterpiece which has won the international award is not only a beautiful piece of art but also an innovative piece created during the Cobid-19 pandemic.
He added that the artwork was commissioned by the Society Atelier of Sarawak for the proposed Fiber Arts of the Asia Pacific Exhibition and Symposium scheduled in July this year as a programme of the Rainforest World Music Fringe Festival but it was cancelled due to the pandemic.
“The concept of alleviating our Fiber Arts to another level of expression was our mission,” said Ong.
He added that his society will develop the exhibition concept to be “The Enchanted Forest of Sarawak” with more pieces of artworks and with the participation of more artists.
Ong added that Sandra’s “tikar gelasah” is now a well-sought after Bidayuh craft by customers throughout the country.
Present at the ceremony were Assistant Minister of Tourism Datuk Sebastian Ting and permanent secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Hii Chang Kee.
