Katakatha–The Exhibition: Best Platform For Younger Generation To Appreciate Southeast Asian Culture

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 29 (Bernama) -- 'This World, Out Here: Katakatha – The Exhibition' has become one of the best platforms for the younger generation to acknowledge and appreciate the spirit of Southeast Asian art and culture. Chief Executive Officer of Maybank Foundation Shahril Azuar Jimin said the objectives of this exhibition besides celebrating the difference in arts and culture across the region is to create a pipeline of future talents who are involved in this field. "We realise now with all the gadgets that we have people tend to be more impersonal, they tend to lose sight of the heritage and they tend to be less artistic. It is our role to make sure that the art and culture within this region does not die," he told Bernama after the closing of Katakatha – The Exhibition here Sunday. The exhibition is a combination of the efforts from conversation series starting from November 2015 which includes 10 prominent Southeast Asian artists to promote the arts and cultures of the region. During the event, poet Abdul Latiff Mohidin better known as Latiff Mohidin was given the honour to recite a poem from his poem collection and his latest book, 'Rempah Ratus'. After not performing publicly since the 1990s, Abdul Latiff strongly believes that poems should always be recited to keep them alive. "I believe that poems should be read from time to time...to keep the words, poems alive we need to read. So maybe the poem is 100 years ago but once you read it, it becomes present. He added, another important things in making sure that the interest in culture is alive among the younger generation is through hearing. "I think young people should listen more so they have an understanding what a good poem is and eventually it can generate their interest," he said. --BERNAMA