If you have visited the 2nd floor of XMUM Library for the past few days, you may have noticed that a “tree” is growing on the wall.
On 6 October 2023, a sharing session for the “Tree of Knowledge” project, the first-ever Artist-in-Residence project at Xiamen University Malaysia, was held at A3 Library.
Sponsored by the “Lighthouse Library” Project by the Malaysian Social Entrepreneurship Foundation (MSEF), “Tree of Knowledge” is a wall painting project organized by XMUM School of Communications and renowned Malaysian artist Shia Yih Yiing.
During the 10-day project, students were able to work with the artist to complete the wall painting in the library, depicting their life experiences with a paintbrush.
During the sharing session, Dr. Aki Chong Li Chin, MSEF’s director, explained to the students the origin of the Lighthouse Library Project. She said that the era of donating books for charity is over, and having books that no one can read is a problem in today’s society. Thus, MSEF hopes to work with like-minded people to promote reading in various ways, making reading the brightest light in the education system by building a good interactive reading environment and cultivating reading habits.
“Starting from planting a tree” is the first step determined by the three parties, which is also where the idea of “Tree of Knowledge” came from.
Speaking of the process of creating “Tree of Knowledge”, artist Shia Yih Yiing showed the students the images and materials she had researched: from the Tree of Life and Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden, to the huge branches of natural sciences and humanities, she wanted to make the tree visually beautiful and meanwhile, rich in textual information.
After two months of experimenting, she finished designing the tree with lush branches and fruits made up of words from one discipline and knowledge to another. Finally, she gave the tree the blue colour belonging to the emblem of Xiamen University Malaysia.
“I want everyone to come together and dream.” On both sides of the “Tree of Knowledge”, Shia Yih Yiing designed a free drawing space for the students. She hoped that what grew there was the “Trees of Life” drawn by the students themselves.
“A dream you dream is a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality.” At the end of the sharing, Shia Yih Yiing shared her favourite quote with the students.
In the second half of the sharing session, students used drawings and texts to “plant” their own tree on a blank piece of paper, and through those trees, which have both fruits and pests, they were able to explore and learn how life blossoms and changes.
The “Tree of Knowledge” project will run till 14 October. During this period, every Tuesday to Saturday, students are welcome to visit the 2nd floor of the A3 Library and create their own Leaves of Life for the “Tree of Knowledge”. Join us and have your own life grow together with the books.
Leaves of Life drawn by students
Contributed by Zhou Chenyan, photo by Huang Yiyang & Library
Reviewed by XMUM Librarian
如果这几天你造访过A3图书馆2层，或许你已经发现，一棵“树”正在生长。
10月6日，厦大马校图书馆驻校艺术家“知识树”创作分享会在A3图书馆召开。
“知识树”创作项目是一项由马来西亚著名艺术家谢薏颖（Shia Yih Yiing）与人文与传播学院合作发起的墙画艺术活动，由马来西亚社会企业家基金（MSEF）灯塔图书馆计划提供赞助，也是我校首次驻校艺术家活动。
为期10天的活动期间，同学们可以和艺术家一起完成馆内墙画的创作，用画笔记录自己的独特人生。
在分享会上，马来西亚社会企业家基金负责人庄诒晶博士（Dr. Aki Chong Li Chin）向同学们阐述了灯塔图书馆计划的由来：捐书做慈善的年代已经过去，有书没人读反而是当今社会的问题。他们希望能够与志同道合的人一起用各种方式来推动阅读，通过构建良好的互动阅读环境，培养阅读习惯，让阅读成为教育体系中最亮的光。
“从种一棵树开始”，这是三方在多次商讨后确定的第一步，也是墙画主体“知识树”的萌芽。
提起知识树的创作过程，艺术家谢薏颖向同学们展示了她所进行的图像与资料研究：从最早的伊甸园中的生命树和知识树，到由自然科学与人文科学展开的庞大分支，她想让这棵树在拥有视觉美感的同时，蕴含丰富的文字信息。
在两个月的尝试与修改后，她终于完成了这棵由一个个学科与知识单词组成的枝叶繁茂、硕果累累的树。最后，她为这棵知识树赋予了属于厦大马校校徽的蓝色。
“我希望大家一起来做梦。” 在知识树两侧，谢薏颖为同学们设计了自由绘制空间，她希望那里生长的是同学们自己画下的生命树。
“A dream you dream is a dream. A dream you dream together is a reality.”在分享结束前，谢薏颖向同学们分享了这句她喜欢的名言。
分享会的后半部分，工作人员为同学们准备了纸笔。在谢薏颖的指导下，同学们用图画和文字在空白的纸上种下了一棵棵小树，通过这棵有硕果亦有害虫的小树实现自我探索。
“知识树”创作项目将持续至10月14日，在此期间每周二到周六，欢迎感兴趣的同学前往A3图书馆2层，完成知识树“生命叶片”的绘制，让你的生命之树与书籍一起成长。
采写 / 周辰妍
摄影 / 黄奕扬、图书馆
编辑 / 王怡然
