CIMB Foundation honours Malaysia’s emerging artists from the MEA Award at the Thirteen Best Artists Showcase

07 July 2023

This 10-day exhibition features 65 new creative artworks from local young artists 

Kuala Lumpur: CIMB Foundation honoured and celebrated local young artists from the Malaysian Emerging Artist Award (“MEA”) Award by CIMB Foundation by featuring 65 new creative artworks at the Thirteen Best Artists Showcase. In line with one of CIMB Foundation’s key pillars, Economic Empowerment, this exhibition further reinforces the Foundation’s commitment in reinvigorating the local arts and cultural ecosystem.

The showcase featured artworks by the winners and finalists of the MEA Award 2022, where CIMB Foundation participated as the main Corporate Partner. The exhibition is open to public for 10 days starting from 6 July 2023 and is taking place at the International Gallery, LimkokWing University of Creative Technology, Cyberjaya. Amongst the top 13 artists showcasing their artworks include the five winners of 2022’s MEA Award by CIMB Foundation, namely Amar Shahid, Aza Ikmal, Noor Zahran, Syahmi Jamaluddin and Syazwan Rahim. Throughout the event, a line-up of exciting art talks, classes and curatorial tours is scheduled to provide visitors with in-depth sharing of the art pieces. 

Established in 2009 and the brainchild of renowned local artist, Bayu Utomo Radjikin, the MEA Award is a biennial art competition that honours the country’s emerging talents in the arts industry by providing them with opportunities to advance their ambitions in the local and international landscape. All thirteen artists were given the opportunity to visit galleries, workshops and artist studios in three cities in Indonesia – Jogjakarta, Bandung and Jakarta. The trip was meant to provide greater exposure to the young artists, in addition to networking and fostering business relationships with artists and art collectors during an intense 10-day visit as part of the enriching experience of the MEA Award. 

A ceremony marking the commencement of the exhibition saw YB Dato’ Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Chairman of MyCreative Ventures in attendance, together with Dato’ Tiffanee Lim, Chief Branding Officer of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad, Chairman of CIMB Foundation and Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, Acting CEO of CIMB Foundation, as well as representatives of CIMB, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and MyCreative Ventures.

Datuk Mohd Nasir said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, CIMB Foundation places emphasis in elevating and enhancing the lives of the surrounding community that we operate in. We are steadfast in empowering the community economically, by creating more opportunities, whilst doing our part in supporting the wellbeing of the creative industry. We need to treat art as an asset and thus, we are pleased to take the lead in ensuring our local arts and culture ecosystem continue to flourish by injecting more excitement in the market through the Thirteen Best Artists Showcase. The artworks displayed at this showcase signal a positive momentum for the ecosystem and we hope the exposure they garner will act as a catalyst to spur a brighter future for our local talents. Looking ahead, we are hopeful to see more active participation from the public and corporations alike to band together in supporting the growth and viability of the arts and cultural scene.” 

“Art is a large contributor to the economy and also plays an important role in shaping our personal identity, as well as contributes to nation building. As such, I am pleased to see corporates such as CIMB through its Foundation, championing the local art and culture scene through their support in MEA. I encourage and urge corporates and companies in Malaysia to build their own art collection comprising works by our gifted Malaysian artists to strengthen and complete our art ecosystem. We look forward to working together with CIMB in the upcoming CIMB Artober to continue increasing the awareness of art and the impact it creates, whilst providing a marketplace for art practitioners to elevate their presence,” said YB Dato’ Muhammad Bakhtiar. 

The MEA Award by CIMB Foundation was one of the initiatives under the CIMB Artober 2022.  This year’s CIMB Artober will return with the Group’s annual three-month art, culture and lifestyle initiative that aims to energise the local arts and cultural ecosystem. It will kick-off with the CIMB Artober Art & Soul at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (“MITEC”) and is scheduled to take place between 5 October to 8 October 2023. 

(Back row, second from left) Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Founder of HOM Art Trans; Rositah Mariam Sulaiman, Head of Corporate Responsibility, CIMB Group; Datuk Mohd Nasir Ahmad, Chairman of CIMB Foundation; YB Dato’ Muhammad Bakhtiar Wan Chik, Chairman of MyCreative Ventures; Ahmad Shahriman Mohd Shariff, Acting CEO of CIMB Foundation and Dato’ Tiffanee Lim, Chief Branding Officer of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology together with winners and finalists of the MEA Award by CIMB Foundation 2022 at the Thirteen Best Artists Showcase launch ceremony.