THE underlying peacefulness and the subtle beauty of ordinary places are often forgotten.

This has prompted some 38 artists from Sabah to join forces in Saruk Kinabalu, a retrospective showcase that captures the culture and heritage of the Land Below The Wind at the National Art Gallery, Gallery 2B, second floor (off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur) till Sept 18.
The first of its kind, Saruk Kinabalu is jointly-organised by National Art Gallery and Sabah Art Gallery. Among the artists are Anna Chin, Awang Azmi Awang Bakar, Awang Damit Ahmad and Awang Fadilah Ali Hussein.
"The idea came from the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Datuk Dr Rais Yatim some time ago. He envisioned making art accessible to the public. Saruk Kinabalu is exclusively for artists from Sabah to exhibit at our premises," said exhibition curator Mohamad Majidi Amir.
Mohamad Majidi said a piece of artwork is often influenced by the environment of an artist.
"At this exhibition you’d notice that culture, environment and nature are paramount in the artists’ works.
"Conceptually, these artists have opted for various styles including realism, surrealist and optical art while their subjects revolve around their surroundings. What’s interesting is that the artists aren’t ‘radical’ compared with those from bigger cities such as Kuala Lumpur who would normally highlight current issues in their works," he said.
Although most of the artists are self-taught practitioners, "they possess unrivalled skills and this is reflected in their high-value works."
Saruk Kinabalu also traces the history of art in Sabah via an essay titled The Brief History of Sabah Visual Art, written by Sabah Art Gallery director Datuk Mohd Yaman Ahmad Mus.
Some of the highlights include contemporary paintings and prints of ethnic textile weaving.
Mohamad Majidi said the National Art Gallery will host an exhibition featuring works by artists born in Terengganu in October.
Viewing hours: 10am-6pm (daily). Admission is free. Call 03-4025-4990.