Prudential Malaysian Eye Exhibition

Parallel Contemporary Art and leading life insurer Prudential today announces that PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE, an initiative to showcase the most cutting-edge contemporary artists and their works in Malaysia, will be launched in the spring of 2014. The initiative will include an exhibition featuring the works of over 20 artists, a seminal art reference book featuring some 75 Malaysian artists, and a series of programmes around creative education.

The PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE exhibition will take place from 27 March to 30 April 2014 at mapKL Publika in Kuala Lumpur and will be free to the public. Selected artists for the exhibition will subsequently go on to exhibit as part of START at the Saatchi Gallery in London, in June 2014.

PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE launches March 2014 to showcase Malaysian contemporary art. Exhibition, book, and education series to elevate local artists, and develop a wider appreciation of the arts

PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE is part of the Global Eye Programme, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to supporting emerging artists, established by Parallel Contemporary Art in collaboration with the Saatchi Gallery. Prudential Corporation Asia is the title sponsor of PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE, having previously supported Indonesian Eye (2011) and Hong Kong Eye (2013) exhibitions – collectively known as Asian Eye. To date, the Global Eye Programme has held 17 exhibitions worldwide and been viewed by over two million people.

“There is a high international demand for contemporary Asian art. Within that, Southeast Asia is a rapidly growing force. We chose to bring the Global Eye Programme to Malaysia to foster development and awareness of its contemporary art scene. PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE has received an overwhelming response. Thus far over 200 artist’s portfolios have been submitted. The quality and diversity of Malaysian artworks is impressive and deserves a wider audience,” said David Ciclitira, co-founder of Parallel Contemporary Art.

PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE is curated by:
• Serenella Ciclitira, Global Eye Programme co-founder and Royal College of Art Honorary Fellow
• Nigel Hurst, Saatchi Gallery CEO
• Chang Tsong-Zung, Hanart TZ Gallery director and China Art Academy guest professor

A new book “Malaysian Eye: Contemporary Malaysian Art” will provide a wide ranging survey of Malaysian contemporary art, with some 75 local artists being featured. The book, edited by Serenella Ciclitira and published by SKIRA, will be distributed worldwide by Thames & Hudson. 500 copies of the book will be donated to schools, institutes and libraries in Malaysia to help promote arts education.

“Like the Hong Kong, Korean and Indonesian Eye books, the Malaysian counterpart wants to provide a panoramic view of Malaysian contemporary art and hopefully an important reference publication,” said curator and MALAYSIAN EYE book editor Serenella Ciclitira.

The book will also feature essays from local advisors:
• Nazli Aziz, Galeri Chandan founder and managing director,
• Nani Kahar, Publika and labDNA project partner,
• Nur Hanim, Perak Arts Foundation curator, owner of publishing house Teratak Nuromar, and
• Zainol Abidin Ahmad Shariff (Zabas), artist, art historian and curator

Through the sponsorship, Prudential aims to provide a platform for local contemporary artists to reach global audiences and to develop Malaysia’s burgeoning arts scene.

“I am confident that PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE will provide vital international exposure for emerging Malaysian artists. Prudential has been present in Malaysia for almost a century, and this is one of the many ways in which we hope to give back to our community and inspire future generations to express themselves through art,” said Philip Seah, CEO of Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad, Prudential’s life insurance business in Malaysia.

Alongside the exhibition, Prudential is working in partnership with the British Council in Malaysia to host educational programmes to promote art awareness and activities such as master classes by the PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE artists, to leave a legacy through creative education amongst the youth.

Stephen Forbes, East Asia Regional Programmes Director of the British Council, said: “The British Council is looking forward to working with Prudential and the Global Eye Programme on this exciting programme in Malaysia. PRUDENTIAL MALAYSIAN EYE brings together our shared interests in the arts and in encouraging creativity. Creativity, for the British Council, is an essential element of education for people embarking on their careers in the 21st Century. We are confident that, working through teachers, the natural creativity of young people can be nurtured and developed.”

For more information, please visit:
Web http://www.malaysianeye.com Facebook facebook.com/MalaysianEye Twitter twitter.com/themalaysianeye Instagram instagram.com/malaysianeye

ABOUT PRUDENTIAL CORPORATION ASIA
Prudential Corporation Asia is a business unit of Prudential plc (United Kingdom)*, comprising its life insurance operations in Asia, and its asset management business, Eastspring Investments. It is headquartered in Hong Kong.

Prudential is a leading life insurer that spans 13 markets in Asia, covering Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Prudential has a robust multi-channel distribution platform providing a comprehensive range of savings, investment and protection products to meet the diverse needs of Asian people.

Eastspring Investments is one of the region’s largest asset managers with operations in 11 markets plus offices in North America and Europe. It has £62 billion (about US$94b) in assets under management (as at 30 June 2013), managing funds across a range of asset classes including equities and fixed income.

For more information, please visit www.prudentialcorporation-asia.com

*Prudential plc is incorporated in England and Wales, and its affiliated companies constitute one of the world’s leading financial services groups. It provides insurance and financial services through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for 165 years and has £427 billion in assets under management (as at 30 June 2013). Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc, a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America.

Prudential plc is listed on the stock exchanges of London (PRU.L), Hong Kong (2378.HK), Singapore (K6S.SG) and New York (PUK.N).

ABOUT PRUDENTIAL ASSURANCE MALAYSIA BERHAD
Prudential Assurance Malaysia Berhad (PAMB) was established in Malaysia in 1924. For the financial year ended 31 Dec 2012, it achieved RM1.078 billion in new business sales. New business sales include both life insurance sales and takaful contributions. Takaful products distributed by PAMB’s wealth planners and agents are underwritten by Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad. As a leading and innovative insurer, PAMB serves the savings, protection and investment needs of Malaysians by offering a full range of financial solutions through its 43 branches nationwide. With approximately 1,400 employees, PAMB is committed to helping people achieve their ambitions for a brighter and financially secure future.

PAMB is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of UK-based Prudential plc. Prudential plc is incorporated in England and Wales, and its affiliated companies constitute one of the world’s leading financial services groups. It provides insurance and financial services through its subsidiaries and affiliates throughout the world. It has been in existence for 165 years and has £405 billion in assets under management (as at 31 Dec 2012). Prudential plc is not affiliated in any manner with Prudential Financial, Inc., a company whose principal place of business is in the United States of America.

ABOUT PARALLEL CONTEMPORARY ART
Parallel Contemporary Art is a not for profit organisation, founded by David and Serenella Ciclitira in 2009. PCA has launched three major ‘Eye’ initiatives, Korean Eye, Indonesian Eye, and Hong Kong Eye, to provide a platform for emerging contemporary artists internationally. Each non-profit ‘Eye’ initiative aims to foster contemporary art development and appreciation around the world. PCA is delighted to present Hong Kong Eye, sponsored by Prudential and in association with the Saatchi Gallery, providing the first major opportunity for emerging and pioneer artists in the contemporary Hong Kong art scene to showcase their works on both an international and local stage.

ABOUT SAATCHI GALLERY
The Saatchi Gallery was founded in 1985 by Charles Saatchi to provide a platform for work by largely unseen young artists or by international artists whose work has been rarely or never exhibited in the UK. Its role is to bring contemporary art to as wide an audience as possible and make it accessible. Over the last three years the Saatchi Gallery has hosted seven out of the top ten most visited exhibitions in London, according to The Art Newspaper’s survey of international museum attendance, and it is also ranked amongst the world’s top three most liked museums on Facebook and Twitter by Museum Analytics.

ABOUT START
In June 2014, Parallel Contemporary Arts will launch London’s newest and most exciting art collaboration, START at the Saatchi Gallery during the peak season for contemporary art and cultural events. 52 upcoming international galleries will exhibit the latest in contemporary art to an estimated 30,000 visitors, over a month-long period, providing a bridge for established and new collectors to discover new artists. A selection of Malaysian Eye works will feature at START, as an extension of the Global Eye Programme.

ABOUT THE BRITISH COUNCIL
The British Council creates international opportunities for the people of the UK and other countries and builds trust between them worldwide. We are a Royal Charter charity, established as the UK’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. Our 7,000 staff in over 100 countries work with thousands of professionals and policy makers and millions of young people every year through English, arts, education and society programmes. For more information, please visit: www.britishcouncil.org. You can also keep in touch with the British Council through twitter.com/britishcouncil and blog.britishcouncil.org/.