KL boasts new space for arts in the region

KL boasts new space for arts in the region

Helly Minarti, Contributor, Kuala Lumpur

The 103-year-old brick wall of a train depot from the British
colonial era has been married to a sleek, modern, four-story
steel and glass structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to produce a
place dubbed a hub for the performing arts community.

It is an organic space for artists and arts practitioners to
explore artistic possibilities, instead of a shiny theater to
stage blockbuster shows. Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center
(KLPAC) or PentasSeni KL, started to stage a variety of
performances last May, and has been busy and well-booked through
to 2007.

Looking at its impressive architectural design -- even the old
zinc roof has been retained as part of the theater design -- or
strolling through its vast park, also designed to be an outdoor
performing space, one can hardly believe that the design concept
was drawn up just a year ago.

That is ironic, in comparison to the years-long, yet
unfinished renovation of Taman Ismail Marzuki arts complex in
Jakarta.

Moreover, the venture is the initiative of three non-
government bodies: YTL Corporation Berhad (one of Malaysia's
leading property businesses), Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia
(YBPM) and The Actors Studio Malaysia (a theater group).

Each had a role to play. While YTL Corporation, widely
recognized for its arts sponsorship in Malaysia, built the
complex, YBPM assists with the promotion of cultural heritage and
the arts, while The Actors Studio manages the artistic program.

"It is a dream comes true," exclaimed Prof Mohd Anis Md Nor,
from the University of Malaya. As the president of the World
Dance Alliance (WDA) Asia-Pacific chapter, he booked the space
for the organization's annual general assembly and conference,
which was held in conjunction with the MyDance Alliance Festival,
even though the building had not yet been constructed.

Now, the extensive, yet compact site in Sentul -- which is 20
minutes' drive from the city center -- houses two theater spaces
with proper backup facilities for a modern theater, strategically
fitting artists' needs.

The large, 500-seat proscenium theater, while equipped with
state-of-the-art rigging, lighting and sound systems, is designed
to be sufficiently flexible to cater for many types of
performance.

The 200-seat black box theater offers even more flexibility,
with movable seats, designed for smaller, experimental
productions. It also has 10 rehearsal studios, with a unique,
open concept in which the technical workshop is at the front on
the ground floor, so people and audience members passing the
front can easily watch stage designers and technicians at work.

Offices are on the mezzanine between the ground and first
floors, so anybody climbing the stairs can see the staff working.

"We aim to serve a broad spectrum of the arts. This is built
for arts practitioners by providing access to affordable studio
and venue rental," said Marge Chew, the general manager.

Hence, this sets the space apart from the government-built
Istana Budaya, an official venue more appropriate for staging
large-scale shows and orchestral performances.

"It has answered what the artists had been asking: a
performance space with multidimensionality, which is able to
accommodate many things without having to fit into an ambitious
performance site, which might be too large or small," added Prof
Mohd Anis, an expert on ethnomusicology and ethnochoreology.

One of the expected results is that it will allow access to
shared and different kinds of space, for artists to meet or
interact with each other.

Another of its functions is arts education, thus the academy
of the arts was established, now offering arts classes for
children, adolescents and adults.

Two months after opening, KLPAC organized two large events:
the French Spring Festival and the MyDance Festival.

While the physical site attracts international acts, local
programming and presentation provide a real challenge.

During dance performances by the local artists, traditional,
folk and contemporary numbers were confusingly wrapped into a
night showing.

Too much dry ice was spilled onto the stage, enveloping the
dancers in an overly thick cloud-like fog; many in the audience
found it spoiled their enjoyment of the dances.

Improvements are, however, likely to continue as the space
inspires the local arts scene to evolve.

(Visit www.klpac.com for future updates.)