SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA– 19 curation team members of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) consisting of academic and administration staff, students as well as alumni gathered to curate UiTM creative ads for global segmentation in conjunction with the 15th QS-Apple Creative Awards 2019 which will take place this November in Fukuoka, Japan.
Based on UiTM’s past participations, the same team had produced creatives ads for UiTM and managed to bring home Bronze Award in 2017 through its theme ‘Be Spectacular, Be Bold, Be UiTM’. Subsequently in 2018 the theme ‘Be the First, Be UiTM’ was featured and won Silver Award on the eve of the 14th QS-Apple held in Seoul, Korea.
QS-Apple is a prestigious annual event founded by QS Asia Rankings that bring together universities from across the Asia-Pacific and around the world with participation of more than 400 academic members from 143 institutions in 30 countries.
This year, the topic proposed by the organiser was ‘Industrial Revolution (IR4.0) and Ageing Societies: The Changing Roles of Universities in the Asia-Pacific’.
As such, the theme of ‘RECONNECT’ with the intellectual concept of BUDI as value in life was highlighted by the UiTM curation team to voice the institution’s concern and readiness as an educational institution in facing the phenomena.
Mel Rasidi, Senior Curator, UiTM GESTURZ in the interview talks about how curation work demands the intuition, sensitivity as well as mental and visual acuity of a Curator in studying, understanding, selecting and combining visual, textual as well as scientific data. These were classified individually to provide detailed specification that can be customised and matched accordingly through a process of redefining, screening and reducing, taking into account aspects of fairness. Ultimately, it enables the presentation or showcase of the curation project to be seamlessly translated that delivers great value, creates a new unique experience as well as enriches the target audience’s engagement.
He added, the existence of UiTM GESTURZ as Centro for Curation & Engagement is significant to support the sustainability of creativity through a curatorial approach that extends beyond the walls of the exhibition. “The definition of curation needs to be expanded and enriched in a more energetic and dynamic way through the integration of current, influential and informative content,” he explained. Therefore, we present ‘RECONNECT’ as a creative advertising work resulting from cross-disciplinary synergies such as photography, graphics, advertising, creative writing, fashion, communication, design and style, videography, media technology and more collaborative efforts by 19 young artists with its own artistic power.
In this curation project, ‘RECONNECT’ features Video Advertising, Advertising Series and Information Booklet. ‘RECONECT’ tells of human adventures in a disruptive world that has changed the way they live their lives. By touching the issue. Should we accept or reject it? Today, the rise of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 has become a key dialogue among respected intellectuals and business moguls. The revolution is a discovery that has led to a fast and drastic transformation in the way we manage and live our lives today.
Unconsciously, we are not aware that time is passing so fast. Busyness is the new norm in our life that has led to a decline in the quality of life. Hence, the world is facing the phenomenon of aging.
Thus, we need the past to enlighten the present and the future. As a higher learning institution, UiTM take responsibility and look forward to balancing these changes through BUDI, an intellectual concept as living values that promote a balanced life and redefines humanity.
We need education as a pillar that will RECONNECT us with nature and habitat, family and people, spirituality and peace, health and well-being, as well as unity and harmony in order to clarify the role of education that reconnects us back to the universe.
Prof Dr Roziah Mohd Janor, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Institute of Quality & Knowledge Development (InQKA), UiTM explained that the initiative was made to support the strategic planning of UiTM achievement and rating by enhancing UiTM visibility globally. InQKA spearheaded this effort in collaboration with UiTM’s internal departments and alumni by choosing GESTURZ as its creative advertising curation.
“Being a modern civic university that exists in every state of Malaysia, our existence has definitely impacted the community and the nature surroundings. Thus, we believe in shaping the personality of our students that embrace BUDI as values in life, nurturing them with BUDI PEKERTI (gentility), BUDI BAIK (generosity), BUDI BICARA (tolerance), BUDI PENYAYANG (compassion); hence, becoming a BUDIMAN (wisdom and goodhearted) person. Undeniably, education will always be the nucleus in developing a strong foundation in one’s life and RECONNECT them with the purpose of life,” she added before ending the conversation.
Curator of Photography and Videography, Senior Lecturer in Creative Photomedia, Mohd Fadhil Kamarudin said that the shooting involved internal and external locations that challenged our team to ensure every visual produced complied with the curation objectives. Visual impact requires a mix of artistic elements and technology components. As an artist, we need to observe, be meticulous and understanding a subject that is beyond the lens which is the heart. To work with visual languages in search of layers of meanings, theme as well as the story. In closing, Fadhil jokingly says, “Sensitive people are often creative and capable of producing aesthetics.”
At the showcase of ‘Audience Experience’, guests were given the opportunity to watch and appreciate the creative work created by the curation team and view their earliest work before it is being presented to 15th QS-Apple’s organiser namely QS Asia Rankings.
Congratulations to the UiTM curation team who have proven that the ‘synergy’ and ‘empowerment’ approach can lead to something greater. May their sincere efforts contribute a sense of pride to the university as well as the community.