Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Mushlim's House - Desa Paku

I had a chance to catch up with my friend Mush in Malacca yesterday. We spent two pleasant hours together and had a lot to talk about. The last time I visited his house with the lush tropical garden must have been six years ago. It is still lush and fascinating though rather overgrown. I had been privileged to see the house and its garden when it was first created in 1985 and had watched how Mush lovingly turned it into a tropical paradise and along the way made it a heliconia haven; he had one of the largest variety of heliconias in the world ! He is still today an active member of the international heliconia society having hosted some members from around the world to lunch a few weeks back. The place had also been visited by countless dignitaries international and local. It was also the set for the entire Rahim Razali film ABANG 92 which starred Deanna Yusof.

These days Mush is more spiritual and does not tend to the garden with the same energy he did before. He told me he had in fact given the property away and upon his demise the property will automatically belong to his beneficiary according to the Muslim 'hibah' tradition.

Mush gave me five young trees and palms for my new house when I left. It was indeed good and warm to see him again. God bless and keep you Mush.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

The little boy from Angkor Wat

After a tour of Angkor Wat in Cambodia recently, I was browsing at a nearby souvenir/food market when I came across a really cute and handsome little boy happily playing with his sister. I stopped to observe and interact and took some photos of them. Nearby their mother was calling out, "One dollar, one dollar, only one dollar sir!"

So I scooped up the little boy and said to her, "Okay, I'll take him for one dollar!"

That's when she reacted, " No, he one million dollar sir!" She was obviously offering her souvenirs for one dollar!

What a miss! Such a beautiful and happy little thing. I hope he grows up fortunate and successful (maybe as fortunate as Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Angelina and Brad's adopted Cambodian son). It was obvious that he was much loved by the sister, and mother of course.


Thursday, December 9, 2010

"You are a lucky man..." and U-Wei's HANYUT

Today I had over an hour of interesting and stimulating conversation with U-wei Haji Shaari, the famous film director (Perempuan, Isteri dan Jalang, Jogho, Kaki Bakar etc) the only Malaysian film director whose movies, two of them, had been screened at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

Some weeks back U-wei gave me the honour of previewing his latest film HANYUT (adrift), based on Joseph's Conrad novel 'Almayer's Folly' on dvd. And what a film it was, so beautifully crafted and with an international cast and crew and an epic feel. Beautiful Sofia Jane was so engagingly menacing in her rather mad role!
U-wei  said the film was still not completed though he had already spent RM11 million on it! He still needed some RM5 million to complete it, including a specially written music score by an international (Japanese) composer. And I thought the film was already good!  I am really honoured to be one of the rare people to whom he showed his 'unfinished' film.   

We talked about many things, mainly the Malaysian art scene and of our art collections. He said something which I thought was very nice and significant, which in fact never occurred to me. He said that I was 'a lucky man', in response to me saying that I was no longer tied down or obsessed with my art collection and other material things, that I was no longer worried,  or afraid to loose anything or worried or upset if my things got damaged or accidentally lost. Yes in fact it was so liberating to feel that way without me realising it. Thank you for making me realise it U-wei.

Reminds me again of the lyrics in Kris Kristofferson's 'Me and Bobby McGee' - freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose!
I look forward to U-wei 'finished' HANYUT, which he told me he planned to submit to Cannes! Anyone wants to foot the RM5 million?