KUALA LUMPUR (July 14): Desaru Coast in Johor is launching the Ombak Festival in a big way, bringing world-class names like Grace Jones, Macy Gray and The Cardigans to Malaysia for three days of music, food and fun in September. Festival director Karina Ridzuan shares the inspiration behind the idea, what to expect and why a music fest is best enjoyed to the beat of one’s own drum.
“This is an international festival with a Malaysian soul,” she explains. Its name is, of course, inspired by the Malay word for “ocean wave” and was thoughtfully chosen to highlight the deep connection between Desaru’s community and the long, vast expanse of the South China Sea-facing coastline it hugs.
“A coastal theme for our festival is a natural fit. It brings to mind a vibrant energy as reflected in the selected programming elements for this year’s event and activities. Each one is designed to reflect the rhythm of the tides, creating a seamless blend of high- and low-energy moments, all wrapped in a package of fun and enjoyable stays.”
If the idea of mixing luxury, art, design, culture and history in one glorious mélange sounds good to you, now might be an opportune time to start planning a weekend escape to Singapore. For just nine days, everyone is invited to visit the island’s historic Arts House, once home to the country’s parliament, which will see a special takeover by Cartier. From July 15 to 23 and in continuation of the Trinity ring’s 100th birthday celebrations, the luxury goods maker will showcase part of its 109-piece global travelling exhibition, The Cartier Trinity 100.
Back home, look out for “Not Just in Black and White: Works from the Steve Wong Art Collection”, which features 76 pieces of artwork by 71 artists from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines. These artwork, all carefully hand-picked by Wong, strip away the superfluous, presenting a raw and unembellished perspective that can evoke vulnerability or boldness.
Read about these and more in our July 15 issue of Options, out with The Edge Malaysia weekly.
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