Overview
AL-BIRUNI GALLERY HISTORY
Al-Biruni Gallery was originally a multipurpose or ready-to-use space built on October 30, 2010, with the Fine Art workshop and Ceramic workshop building. The design originally provided a prefabricated stage for the fashion show of students from the Fashion Department. The backroom still has a dressing room for a change of clothes model. Since the fashion department gets a lot of outside sponsorship, fashion shows are often held outside such as in hotels around Perak. So, GAB was made into a full gallery during the management of the Head of Faculty Art & Design, Dr Zainudin Md Nor. GAB has also been used as the final examination hall of UiTM Perak, a dinner venue, and has also been used as a trading space for the digital technology carnival by inviting outside companies to sell digital gadgets and tools. GAB was also rented by a fellow artist (Noor Azizan Rahman Paiman) to be used as a workplace for a month in 2016. On May 8, 2017, GAB was inaugurated by YBhg. Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Zarinah Anwar (Pro-Chancellor of UiTM) and the GAB Logo was designed by Mr. Syahrul Nizam Shaari (Pak Yop).
AL-BIRUNI GALLERY MANAGEMENT
The only gallery in Malaysia that has only one position appointed to run and manage the entire gallery system. A position of Curator appointed by the Rector. The Curator will set up a special gallery committee by appointing Curator Assistants from each department through internal appointments. GAB also receives practical training from students, especially students in the art field to help further streamline management. GAB also used to open membership (volunteer) to students as gallery partners. It is open to all UiTM Perak students regardless of any faculty. The advantages students will get are hostel coupons, t-shirts, and certificates. The program received encouraging responses and many students were included in the gallery WhatsApp group. But when the activities are carried out, the cooperation given by the volunteers is unfavourable. Only two volunteers came and sometimes none.
The curator who once held the position:
- Zainon Abdullah – 2000-2011 (Working at FSPU Gallery)
- Noor Azizan Rahman Paiman – 2012-2013
- Khairil Anuar (Paen) – 2014-2016
- Aznan Omar – 2017 (present)