GEORGE TOWN, April 29 — The wall adorned with colourful cloth rabbits stands out in this exhibition of oil paintings and other mixed media art works.
Featuring a total 150 handmade rabbits, known as raburabi (love rabbits), the Warm Hearts exhibition at Hin Bus Depot is a one-of-a-kind one that focuses on the creative works of artists with disabilities.
Organised by Syiok Wasabi, the exhibition also showcases oil paintings, mixed media paintings, a large Japanese paper art, sewn works, paper mobile and paper collages — all made by special artists from three non-governmental organisations.
Syiok Wasabi co-founder Harumi Mizushima said the whole purpose of the exhibition is to showcase the creativity of people with disabilities.
“It is to give them a platform to display their works and to change public perception about them,” she said.
The exhibition, which kicked off yesterday, is on until May 3 but the main highlights of the programme are a tea party and sharing session tomorrow afternoon and an Arts & Crafts Market on Sunday afternoon.
The three participating NGOs are Asia Community Service, Community Rehabilitation Programme (PDK) Kedah and Palette International Japan.
This is also the first time Palette, an NGO that provides assistance and support to persons with intellectual disabilities, is participating in an event outside of Japan.
Its founder, Naoko Taniguchi, said one of the raburabi artists Riho Masukawa is also here and another member, Yui Takemori, is a baker who will be baking and selling cookies for the Arts and Crafts Market.
Harumi said some of the artwork being exhibited are also for sale so the public can show their support by purchasing any of the exhibits. All proceeds will go towards the NGOs and the artists.
The exhibition is open from 12pm to 8pm daily while the tea party on April 30 is from 3.30pm to 5.30pm with a sharing session from 5.30pm to 7pm.
The Arts and Crafts Market on Sunday (May 1) is from 11am to 5pm.
