KUALA LUMPUR, 6 January 2016 – Galeri Petronas unveiled #tanahairku: Two Decades of Bringing Malaysians Together, a unique exhibition that celebrates the nation’s racial unity by reliving 20 years of PETRONAS festive TV Commercials that have brought Malaysians together.
Inspired by the late national laureate Dato’ Dr Usman Awang’s poem “Tanahair”, the exhibition rekindles a sense of nostalgia and reawakening amongst Malaysians from all walks of life. The #tanahairku retrospective commemorates our national unity and social harmony that has been an integral within the fabric of Malaysian society for many years.
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Speaking at the official exhibition opening, Puan Zahariah Abdul Rahman, PETRONAS’ Senior General Manager, Group Strategic Communications said PETRONAS was the only organisation that produced commercials for all major cultural festivals in Malaysia, noting that the commercials are beyond just promoting festive cheer to the masses.
“It has always been PETRONAS’ intention to help promote and inculcate the common underlying values within our diverse heritage, traditions and cultures that bring together all Malaysians from all backgrounds. The PETRONAS festive commercials portray the quintessential essence of the Malaysian spirit and its unique identity in promoting a sense of unity, beyond racial and religious lines.
“We strongly believe that the common values we share are what make us Malaysians, a message we hope will shine through in the #tanahairku exhibition.” She added.
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Featuring a selection of 21 iconic and memorable festive commercials, #tanahairku will sure bring back those memories for those who grew up watching this TVC’s. It also depicts the real life experiences of the featured individuals of each ethnic group and highlights the various aspects of our society, culture and religious beliefs.
The exhibition takes visitors on a sentimental journey through six themes: Proud to be Malaysian, Our Diversity Makes Us Beautiful, What’s Life Without Love? , A Lifetime Of Friendships, Kerna Kita Satu Sama Dipunyai, and Negaraku Powered by The People.
Visitors will be taken back in time to the late 90’s, when PETRONAS premiered its first Merdeka TV Commercial, The Little Indian Boy, It tells the story of an Indian boy and his vivid memories of that historic day in 1957 spent with his late farther.
Guests will also relieve one of PETRONAS’ most heart warming commercials, the simple yet beautiful Tan Hong Ming in Love. The short video shows a young Tan professing his love for schoolmate, Ummi in an impromptu interview recorded at their school by story-teller extraordinaire, the late Yasmin Ahmad.
While providing an immerse and interactive experience, the exhibition also lets the audience peek at the behind the scenes of PETRONAS festive advertisements, props and scenes used in the commercials. Additionally the #tanahairku exhibition features a series of 10 amazing mural artworks commissioned by 22 local street artists in city heritage quarters of Johor, Sarawak, and Sabah. These work comprise the third edition of PETRONAS’ street art project.
The #tanahairku exhibition is now open for public viewing till 7 February 2016 from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 8pm at Galeri Petronas, KLCC. Admission is free.
