Survial thingy

Keeping a job means survival. It also means do whatever it takes to earn for a living. A person would have to choose either to be in the right direction or the wrong and of course, in between. For example, being in positive direction means is to become a teacher and to have a negative career means selling drugs. In Thailand, prostitution is a legal career.

However, we need to clarify ourselves, what is the purpose of our career and what will the direction be in the future? It almost comes to whatever it takes to earn for living. I was amazed, disgusted and feel for what happen concerning the video my friend pass to me via email, showing how badly raccoons slaughtered while they are still breathing. All because of cosmetic demands, such beloved noble creature such as raccoon, become victim of human. I told my colleague that if I ever see the guy who slaughtered the raccoons, I’m going to ‘kill’ him. However, my friend told me that killing won’t solve anything, as he is also need to earn for living, which he has a point.

Sometimes, never that I thought to see anything around that bothers me other than my family, friends and work. Yes, there are sometimes that I would go and pay a visit to old folks home in Taman Melawati or attend charity or AIDS volunteering program but after seeing the horrible video, there are those out there who face much worst than I am, so I am thankful for that.

I know that we spent almost two years back then in Geelong, Victoria buying few kangaroo skin for home decorations. Without realizing today, my home has now seems to be free from any of that. I don’t see any kangaroo skin or sheep’s skin lying on the floor in our living room. If I do see it in future, I would kept it in our store (Je ne peux pas le brûler ou bien ma mère serait folle à moi!). I’m glad to use Body Shop range as it’s free from animal-test. I think we need to think and act intellectually about it. From this moment on, I would like to ensure that neither me or my friends or anyone around me should wear any animal skin if possible especially fur. If there's a way we can do it, we can start by spreading this awareness. Killing precious creatures is not the best way to go especially the contribution is for cosmetic. So you ladies, just make sure you don't..

You can request for the video, if you have the courage to see it. Just a precaution, make sure you had your lunch or you’re not munching anything in front of this blog in your computer. Terrible things might happen. You might loose your mood or appetite to eat.

Chances Are:

This picture, which I like, was taken by my dear friend who is now in South France. Gabby, thanks! (Click for hi-res). Skali tengok cam bertapa la pulak! cheh..

'Wish I wasn't, in love with you, so u can un-hurt me'. I always listen to this song sang by Heather Headley. It's nice. To you, my love, there are times we can forget things but the love we have wasn't just love, it was a life. This is the chance for both of us to prove to ourselves that we can make it, till the end. I'm lost without you again, and not to be able to see you again, it would be helpless. But stronger I get, and learn from my mistake, as well as yours, all it takes for us to communicate with each other, that what keeps the day upon us full of sunshine. Never walk out of my life again.



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* another spin...

From Paris with luv

Saturday was awesome. If it wasn't for Riz, I won't be able to experience the most funkies chillout club with Dimitri From Paris at Luna on a VIP pass :P. Hanging out with bunch of creative people from Leo Burnett (and Arc) and few from MFX, Luna was one of the probably best club I've been (for a long, long time) located on the top floor of Pan Global building, next to KL Tower.

I never thought of laying on the semi-sofa nearby the pool watching people having fun while listening to great music, especially when Dimitri From Paris was around. Wish I have the whole list of tracks that night. Thanks Riz!

Sunday? Three open house. I eat so much! From Riz's open house to Yunus (my collegue) and to my sister's (Abby) friend Zizie's open house, it was definately a 'jalan-jalan cari makan'. Yummilicious.




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* two night of dance!

Art Exhibition @ Gema Rimba

Excited and nervous at the same time, I finally join the free-designer exhibition, this time with my juniours who's more successful, famous and artistic than me which includes my pet brother Saiful Razman and dearly sister Rina Shukor, along other

Art Show (Synopsis)
This group exhibition is the first in what is to become an annual Gemarimba Gallery event, where the gallery opens its doors to exciting young talents and established artists, with art works priced at below RM1000, done to make art more accessible to all.

Open House will feature some 60 works from 28 artists, showcasing everything from jewellery works by Terry Law to sculptures by Goh Chiu Kuan and even paintings by Suzlee Ibrahim, just to name a few.

Other participating artists are Abd Latiff Padzali, Abu Bakar Idris, Angie Seah, Baktiar Naim Jaafar, Filib Schurmann, Hasanul Isyraf, Juita Jaafar Manap, M. Bakir Baharom, M. Fazli Othman, M. Firdaus Shah A. Karim, M. Radzi Ismail, M. Razif M. Rathi, M. Sarip Abd Rahman, M. Suhaimi Ahmad, Maggie Tan, Muid Latif, Niki Cheong, Norhaslinda Nordin, Nurul Aida, Rina Abd Shukor, Saiful Razman, Salmah Ali, Sharaad, Wan Mohd Zulkifli Wan Yaakob and Yazila Yaman.



Date:
Sun 27 Nov - Mon 26 Dec 2005

Venue:
Gemarimba Gallery
B-8, Taman Tunku Apartments,
Taman Tunku, Bukit Tunku, 50480,
Kuala Lumpur
Phone: 603- 6201 3505

Tues - Sun: 11.30am - 8pm;
Mon: By Appointment Only

Admission: FREE

For futher information, you can visit the link provided below :)
http://kakiseni.com/events/exhibitions/Nzc2NQ.html

Thanks guys! Oh..and credit goes to Rizal & Suzanne for helping me out with the canvas.



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It's A Designer's Life! (Part 4)

It seems obvious what we have seen in today’s design community. Either we aware or not, besides plagiarism, there are more things that reflects the growth of the local wired culture. I’ve been in communities for years, but recently, we are able to see a lot of new young and emerging designers put priority not on their works, rather their appearance (face, name and glamour). So how can we see passion in designers today?

Are we vain?
Can we entitle ourselves designers or celebrity? There are so many ‘celebrities wannabe’ out there who don’t understand the definition of DESIGNER and CELEBRITIES. Why do I relate to celebrities? One of the few example, there are few individuals who likes to approach to online communities, portal, medias and press carrying the title 'designer' but none of that particular person show how strong his/her ideas & concept. Hmm.. talk about getting famous for nothing? It's like you join a reality-show (for example, Malaysian Idol and such) to gain popularity, being featured his/her face in TV shows, newspapers and magazines without realizing the fact that his/her album only sell less than 15,000 unit? That's what's going on in both industry. We want to be so popular as whatsoever we want to call ourselves but we don't care to emerge, improve and grow from our work, taking on step ahead further. I mean, I had that problem once, but when I mix with different crowd, you will get to see and experience more. You learn more, you gain more creative. You take risk to explore and try out new things. I start out using Photoshop, now I love to use Illustrator which I thought I can never use any of the tools. I never thought doing graffiti can be so much 'fun', where I discovered how to differentiate thick and thin lines, working out a throwup in dark and that feeling when you felt like someone is watching you ;-). I began to carry my sketch book everytime I went out of the house. Like Shieko (one of my mentor) said, keep drawing, you will master it. So what do I have to say when I refer to celebrities? Joshua Davis. WWFT (Mike Cina & Young). There are more! This people have passion as an artist/designer/ideas/and achieve themselves as a star.

Designers invent, recreate, design, Celebrities live for what their put their effort on – work, and taking the advantage of it to gain more business, but we locals seeing it as popularity, not to work hard and smart to get more income in our lives. Why do we see so many young designers out there emphasizing on their name so much, yet we see less work, which doesn’t assemble with the quality of work they do. So, are they to into themselves?

Not revamping, not facelift but recycling your ancient work
I came across many websites especially the local designers. This is by no means to put their self-esteem away, but rather to take this so-called issue for positive act and finally to find a solution. When I browse their website or portfolio, what I can see is only a huge label of names (example ‘AZMIL MUSTAFA’) which however showcase such a small amount of work. It is more tragic to see the work that they had showcased is from their very own college work, which happens to be way back years ago. Do we ever came across our mind that there are web visitors out there who has been following our works and progress? The answer is yes. Like art, an artist MUST NOT recycle back their artwork. They are hurting their collectors and buyers.

A lot who claim to be web designers could not even figure out how layout works. Why? Don’t use a blogger template or some other templates to layout your portfolio. It’s not a professional way to do it. If you want to be smart, there is a way and we called it ‘creative modification’. This is because YOU are building your brand through a website; you want to sell your own idea, NOT from other people’s idea or work. If you said you don’t have the time to build your website or a portfolio, there’s always time. We designers also should read more, do more research and be mature in our creative thinking. Don’t ever be in one circle of community, mix and communicate because communication is important, and it’s the key to all of us, designers.





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* more to write ;)