LANGKAWI: The National Art Gallery is committed to making visual arts a key attraction for boosting tourist arrivals to this island resort through various programmes involving artists and the local community.
Director-general Amerrudin Ahmad stated that each programme emphasises three components: artist involvement across disciplines, local community participation, and engagement with creative groups and art entrepreneurs.
“Langkawi is a major island tourism destination in our country, and at the National Art Gallery, we are ready to position Langkawi as a destination that inspires visual artists while also benefiting the local community,” he told reporters after attending the PrintLab Festival opening ceremony.
Amerrudin explained that visual arts can convey information beyond language barriers, allowing international tourists to understand Langkawi’s stories, legends, and myths through universal visual language.
The inaugural PrintLab Festival, which runs until tomorrow at the National Art Gallery’s Langkawi branch, features twenty-six Malaysian artists and one participant from Japan.
Themed “Celebrating the Natural Beauty and Ecology of Langkawi Through Contemporary Printmaking”, the programme focuses on Pulau Tuba’s sustainable tropical ecology and local community identity.
Beyond printmaking, the gallery has expanded its focus to sculpture, stone carving, and ceramic arts to further enrich visual arts activities on the island.
Amerrudin added that the programme provides visitors opportunities to appreciate local identity through contemporary print artworks inspired by nature and people.
The National Art Gallery hopes this initiative will position Langkawi as a key destination on the national visual arts map, aligning with Visit Kedah Year 2025 and Visit Malaysia Year 2026 aspirations. – Bernama