Art can shape young minds and foster critical thinking, which Naimah Khalid, widow of the late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin, says is the key to freedom.
She said that governments, institutions and powers sometimes try to silence, restrict and control the people, but art allows people to “think in new ways”.
“No one can restrict freedom of expression, and no one can silence the power of ideas,” she said at the opening of Rahmi Bujang’s solo National Day exhibition, titled “Tanah Airku: Retak Di Bawah Mahkota”.
The exhibition, which ends on Sept 28, is dedicated to Daim and was organised by O Sculpture Art Space. It is being held here at the Hin Bus Depot, which is open Fridays to Sundays, from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free.
Naimah said art teaches people to “see with their hearts” and encourages them to question, dream, and think critically.
On Rahmi’s sculpture, she said his art is “bold, uncompromising and generous”.
Lee Khai, chairman of the Penang state art gallery, described Rahmi’s works as confronting difficult truths. He said the sculptures represented warnings, reflections and calls to conscience.
Daim, a former Umno treasurer-general, died on Nov 13 last year, at the age of 86.
He spent his final years facing court battles, accused of failing to declare his assets, which included stakes in 38 companies, 19 plots of land across Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Kedah, and Kuala Lumpur, as well as six properties and seven luxury vehicles.
Rahmi said his art is a thought-provoking, mixed-media exploration of power and control. Using ceramics, wood, and glass, the 18 pieces depict citizens trapped within the complex structures imposed by those in authority.
