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New Straits Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
Nature through the eyes of four artists
NATURE has always been an artist's muse — from the fluid lines of landscapes to the fleeting beauty of flowers in bloom. At AweGallery, Petaling Jaya, that timeless inspiration takes on new life through Rhythm of Nature, a curated art exhibition that brings together four distinct voices, united by friendship, creativity, and a deep love for the natural world. The exhibition features the works of Jane Tan, Min Yin Thant, Wong Siew Lee and Felicia Yee — four artists connected through the Malaysia Art Society. While each of them has followed a unique artistic journey shaped by different backgrounds and personal experiences, Rhythm of Nature highlights the ways they each respond to nature's forms, rhythms and movements in their own way. The title of the exhibition itself is a reflection of that shared yet personal connection. Inspired by the gentle, constant movement found in nature — the sway of leaves, the flight of birds, the shifting of light — Rhythm of Nature captures how much like life and art, nature is never static. It changes, breathes and transforms over time. This curated showcase is a celebration of diversity, harmony and creativity, offering visitors an experience where different artistic voices respond to the same timeless muse. Among the featured artists is Jane Tan, an Indonesian-born Malaysian painter whose work reflects a sensitivity towards both eastern and western aesthetics. Tan's artistic journey has taken her to exhibitions across Asia, including the 9th Asian International Art Exhibition in Qingdao, China (2018), the Art Expo Bagan in Myanmar (2020), and a first-prize win in an international art competition organised by the China National Tourist Office. For Rhythm of Nature, Tan presents a series of five paintings dedicated to her two favourite subjects: ducks and swans. Through these elegant birds, she expresses a profound love for nature, using her brushwork to capture both the grace and symbolism of these creatures within their natural surroundings. Also exhibiting is Min Yin Thant, originally from Yangon, Myanmar, now residing in Malaysia. Thant was first introduced to the world of art at a young age by his father, a charcoal portrait artist. Many of his previous works are steeped in memories of traditional Myanmar, reflecting a nostalgic connection to his homeland. This time, Thant takes his work in a new direction, offering what he describes as an imaginative expression of nature viewed through a contemporary lens. His artworks for Rhythm of Nature remain infused with nostalgia, yet they reach for a fresh interpretation of the serene, meaningful past as seen through nature's forms and textures. Meanwhile, Malaysian visual artist Wong Siew Lee contributes a different perspective to the exhibition. Known for her abstract works inspired by Buddhist reflections on impermanence and transformation, Wong's journey into visual art came after an earlier career in quantity surveying. She later pursued a Master of Arts in Visual Arts from the University of Malaya in 2018. For this exhibition, she presents Beyond the Veil of Horizon — a panoramic painting that unfolds from left to right in a lyrical flow of colour, light, and movement. The work invites viewers to experience nature's transitions, from misty dawns to radiant sunsets, capturing the in-between moments that blur the lines between the seen and unseen, the transient and the eternal. Completing the quartet is Felicia Yee, an artist and educator who's been actively involved in art education since founding Ascend Art Studio in 2013. Yee's practice spans a wide range of mediums, from ink to mixed media, and she has exhibited her works in countries including Thailand, South Korea, and Singapore. Recently, her focus has shifted towards appreciating the understated beauty of everyday life — still life compositions featuring tea, flowers, and birds. This contemplative approach forms the foundation of the works she's showcasing, offering a gentle reminder of nature's presence in the ordinary and familiar. CELEBRATION OF NATURE What makes Rhythm of Nature especially meaningful is the way the artists, though distinct in their styles and mediums, come together in shared celebration of the natural world. It's a conversation across canvases — some abstract, some representational, some nostalgic — all echoing the subtle movements and enduring spirit of nature. Visitors to Rhythm of Nature can expect a thoughtfully curated collection of works that reflect not only the artists' technical skill, but also their individual ways of seeing and feeling the world around them.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Yahoo
Man who served 19 years for holding housekeeper captive resentenced, will be deported
DENVER (KDVR) — On Tuesday, a man pleaded guilty to 11 amended charges related to accusations of holding his Indonesian-born housekeeper captive and repeatedly molesting her over four years, and was immediately resentenced, according to a Colorado district attorney's office. Homaidan Al-Turki, 56, stood trial in 2006 and was convicted of 18 charges, ranging from false imprisonment to unlawful sexual contact, extortion and theft stemming from 2000 to 2004, the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office reported on Thursday. Since then, Al-Turki has been serving his six-year-to-life sentence in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Previous case reporting: Declassified documents show possible link between man in Colorado and 9/11 He became eligible for parole in 2011, but didn't participate in the DOC's sex-offender treatment program, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Because he didn't participate in the program, he was prohibited from release, delaying his deportation back to Saudi Arabia. Al-Turki has filed several motions with the court alleging that his defense counsel improperly represented him. A hearing to determine if Al-Turki qualified for post-conviction relief led to the DA's office agreeing to amend 11 counts if Al-Turki would plead guilty to them. Those charges were all criminal attempt to commit unlawful sexual contact by physical force, and a judge sentenced Al-Turki to six years on each amended count to be served concurrently. 'Mr. Al-Turki raised 6th Amendment concerns that his trial attorneys—all four of them— failed to adequately research Colorado statutes relating to sentencing for unlawful sexual behaviors,' Chief Deputy DA Ann Tomsic said in a release. 'This issue, coupled with the nearly 19 years the defendant has served in prison and the difficulties retrying the case due to its age, unknown location of the victim, and death of witnesses, necessitated an agreement to a reduction in the eleven sex offense charges and their sentences, along with an understanding that he will be immediately removed from the United States.' Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents took Al-Turki into custody on Tuesday and will remove him from the U.S. to Saudi Arabia. 'Al-Turki has served nearly two decades in prison for his heinous and aggravated conduct,' District Attorney Amy Padden said. 'Returning this convicted felon and sex offender to his home country ensures he will not be able to prey on anyone else in our community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
‘Fight back': journalist taking Trump administration to court calls for media to resist attacks
The lead plaintiff in a lawsuit fighting Donald Trump's order to dismantle Voice of America has said the media has to resist as the administration becomes increasingly aggressive against the press. 'I never in a million years thought I would have to fight for freedom of the press in the United States of America. And yet here we are,' says Patsy Widakuswara, the White House bureau chief for the broadcasting network. 'As journalism is under attack, it feels empowering to fight back. We need more people to resist and fight back.' Kicked out of press conferences on multiple continents for asking pointed questions, Widakuswara is not the type to balk at challenging powerful leaders. In her three decades as a journalist those instincts have served her well, and perhaps at no better time than now. The White House reporter is now leading the charge to save VOA, which the US president has described as 'anti-Trump' and 'radical'. In March, Trump signed an executive order that effectively cut off its funding via its parent company, the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Launched in 1942, initially to counter Nazi propaganda, VOA is a federally funded international broadcasting network, produced in dozens of languages that reach about 350 million people around the globe. For decades it has been seen as a form of soft power, encapsulating the values of liberal America. But after Trump's order its operations have been suspended, with virtually all of VOA's staff of 1,300 placed on immediate administrative leave and about 600 contractors terminated. The lawsuit filed by Widakuswara and several of her colleagues follows lawsuits the Trump administration has taken out against ABC News and CBS's 60 Minutes in the US, and attempts to expel some press from the White House. Those backing the case argue that VOA has for decades provided an important source of objective information, especially in illiberal environments. 'These are not just women in Afghanistan or farmers in Africa,' said Widakuswara of VOA's audience. 'They're also activists in Russia and decision makers all around the world who are also facing the onslaught of disinformation and propaganda from Russia, Iran, China, and extremist organisations like [Islamic State] and al-Qaida.' At home having a quiet Saturday when she received the email about VOA's demise, Widakuswara says to do nothing was inconceivable. In a matter of days she had rallied a team to fight against it, and by Friday morning had filed a lawsuit. 'It's just the way I'm wired,' she says over the phone from Washington. 'Congress gave us a mandate to tell America's story to the world through factual, balanced and comprehensive reporting. If they want to change the size, structure or function of VOA, they can't just shut us down. They must go through Congress. That's the law.' Starting her career in Jakarta in the late 90s, just as Indonesia's decades-long dictator Suharto was being toppled, the Indonesian-born journalist has seen first-hand the impacts of authoritarian regimes. Widakuswara worked at a campus radio station, and later as a fixer for foreign journalists when they flooded in to cover the event, as mass student protests inundated the parliament building and forced Suharto to step down. Sign up to Headlines US Get the most important US headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning after newsletter promotion 'That was my first taste in media,' she says. 'Holding autocratic governments to account.' The experience led to a career in television, and a British Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarship to obtain her master's in journalism at Goldsmiths, University of London. After stints at the BBC and Channel 4, she was named VOA's White House bureau chief in 2021. Now, she finds herself pushing against fascistic tendencies in her adopted home. 'I grew up in 80s Indonesia where there was no press freedom and newspapers had to be careful what they printed to avoid government closure,' she says. 'Could the US backslide that far? Not if enough people resist, and that's why I'm fighting back.' Her lawsuit, backed by Reporters Without Borders and four unions, argues the Trump administration, through the actions of the defendants, USAGM, and the government's special adviser Kari Lake, are attempting to unlawfully dismantle VOA's operations because they deem it contrary to the government's agenda. Widakuswara argues that Trump's executive order is a violation of press freedom, the first amendment, and laws to prevent executive overreach, with VOA funding approved by Congress, not the president. Another motivating factor is to support her 47 colleagues at VOA on J-1 or journalist visas in the US, who could be sent back to countries such as Russia, Belarus, Vietnam and Myanmar which have previously jailed journalists. Widakuswara's efforts to save VOA appeared to score an early win, with a judge in April ordering the Trump administration to restore funding to VOA and other US-funded media. But the preliminary injunction was only a temporary measure. On Saturday, just as VOA staff were preparing for a 'phased return' to work, a court of appeals issued a stay on that ruling, saying the court did not have the authority to block Trump's executive order regarding employment matters. Keenly aware of the unfavourable political climate she is up against, Widakuswara says it is hard to know if their case will ultimately prevail, but the only choice is to try. 'Even if it's just like a 5% chance or even a 1% chance, that's better than a 0% chance, which is what happens if we do nothing.'
