Halo, art-loving viewers.
In Timore Leste, one
of the world’s youngest
democratic nations,
one group of young artists
are honing their craft,
not only for their own
careers but also to shape
the future of their country.
Arte Moris,
meaning “Living Art”
in the Tetun language,
is Timor Leste’s
first fine arts school,
cultural center
and artists’ association,
based in the capital city
of Dili.
In the midst of the nation’s
emergence from decades
of instability and conflict,
Arte Moris was founded
in 2003 by a dedicated
Swiss-Italian artist and
his innovative spouse,
to provide
a constructive tool
in the nation’s social and
psychological recovery
from a troubled past.
We came here in 2002
because we were
very curious to see
the newest nation
at the time.
We have been around
in Southeast Asia for
quite some years before.
After having been
travelling for four months
all over the country here,
what impressed us most
was all the young people
in the streets and
not having much to do.
But we saw some graffiti
and we saw some signs of
creativity and also talent
all over the country.
So we said, “Okay,
here one could maybe do
something and support and
help these young people,
maybe to discover maybe
their talent in the arts.”
After all this suffering,
we thought it's important
for the young people
to express themselves,
because it's not really
the culture to talk a lot
about the problems,
but if you can paint
or illustrate them,
So we decided to contact
or find young people, and
to interest them to join
a kind of an art community.
important is maybe
that we live together.
And then we can
exchange much better
on a daily basis.
Then we started
to offer courses.
My husband Luca
he was the major mentor
of the school then
and he would pass on
all his skills
and his understanding
of what art is about
and why it's important
to consider art
as a very strong tool
in a society, especially
like East Timor.
Then over the years,
we got interest
from different volunteers,
I would say maybe from
25 different countries
in the meantime.
So they would come here
and teach their skills and
give their impressions
because as Luca said,
it's very important that
they see also influences
of other people.
We would show art movies
about history of art a bit,
and other interesting artists
that have been living
in this world before,
that they can enrich
their knowledge
about the world in the art
and the world in general.
Creating art
has since been a way
of empowering youth
at Arte Moris,
not only through
creative expression
but also through
sharing responsibilities
toward the association’s
development.
It is still all free of charge
for the some
100 art students.
My art work,
I just paint the work
on tais (traditional cloth),
and this one too.
When I make it,
I feel like it’s going to be
two things here,
one is paint
and going to be,
we call mix with
this sculpture here.
And here also paint on tais,
but it's about the culture,
all about the culture here.
I just want to show
my traditional things
and culture to overseas
to everybody.
It was work for two months!
Two months.
And this one is like,
three weeks I worked on it,
three weeks.
My plan for the future,
I really want to like
become an artist.
Yes, and I want to like,
I have my own studio
and my own gallery,
and to be like
a Timorese artist.
The school is called
non-profit and
free art school because
most of the teachers
or the trainers
are giving classes for free
to the students
that come and learn,
and also we provide
free materials
for the students that come
and learn at the center.
Mainly all the income
that comes just to sustain
the school and the artists,
a little bit of income to
look after themselves
as well,
to finance their life needs
and also helping
a little bit of the families.
The principle
of the schools really is
just, in the beginning is to
spread the message of art
around the country.
The principle is also to
introduce the world of art
to the young people,
to start seeing
that there is a huge
opportunity and area that
could be also developed.
Up to now, we have all
around 125 students
been graduated, formally.
They receive certificate,
they have intensive course
for one year, and music,
fine art, photography,
in these three subjects.
Art give
a positive expression
to the young people,
to express themselves.
We offer a chance
for the young students
to be able to express
their emotion through art,
which is they create
something nice.
In 2003,
Arte Moris was awarded
the United Nations
Human Rights prize
for promoting
Freedom of Expression.
Apart from growing
international recognition,
Art Moris had also
earned the support
of then East Timorese
Minister of Foreign Affairs
and current President
Dr. Jose Ramos Horta.
Supreme Master
Television
had the honor
of interviewing
His Excellency
around the time
that he was honored
with the Shining World
Leadership Award from
Supreme Master Ching Hai.
During the interview,
he spoke about Arte Moris
as its longtime
Honorary Patron.
Arte Moris is one of the
best non-governmental
organization (NGO)
private initiatives
in this country
to foster art.
It started by Mr. Luca
and his wife Gabbie,
building up from zero
an outstanding art school
that engages hundreds
of young East Timorese.
They’re doing
fantastic work.
I patron, and whatever,
whenever I can do
to encourage it.
I would hope,
or my dream would be
that Arte Moris turn into,
become a formal
fine arts academy,
a formal fine art school
that is recognized
and supported
by the government.
Together
we developed a concept
for a peace campaign.
So we painted banners,
we developed slogans
and made posters
and had even slogans
on our cars, requesting
that the country should
re-unite again.
So whatever need
and whatever problem
we would have,
he would come
and look after us,
and see that we would
have a kind of a protection
also towards what
could come from outside
against the school, since
we hosted all these people.
Mr. Ramos-Horta is
the Nobel Prize winner
in 1996.
I think he is very keen
to help also because
he sees that we are
a young generation that’s
continuing his mission
on participating,
contributing to peace
of the society.
We are hoping
art is going to grow
in East Timor and we hope
that it's going to be
continuously participating
in the development
of this country
and create peace building
for the country.
Arte Moris,
this is the building
from Indonesian museum
in the past.
So, there’s this building,
and then the government
and Timor Leste
gave this building
for Arte Moris to do,
for their school ,
some space from
the gallery, classroom,
office and library.
So this is the classroom
for the kids.
One the place for the kids,
and one place is
for the urban classes.
This is our room,
another room
for the space where they
make some installation
and some sculpture,
and some for the colors
or everything here.
In general it is here,
space for them to make
a frame and installation
or another kind of the art.
Since its founding,
Arte Moris has grown
as a cultural center,
collaborating with
a theater group and opening
learning opportunities
to the greater
East Timorese community.
Another important thing
was, to show them also
the outside world.
Over the years now,
we organized maybe
10 exhibitions in Australia,
for example Sydney,
Melbourne, Geelong,
Darwin, Wollongong.
Usually what we would do,
we would contact,
or cultural institutions
would contact us,
and offer, for example,
possibilities for exhibitions.
We had four exhibitions
in Switzerland,
the first one was in 2006,
at the UN headquarters,
Palais des Nations
in Geneva,
where we presented
for the first time
artworks from East Timor,
since it's also one of
the youngest members of
the UN in the meantime.
Then we had another
exhibition the same year
during the same trip,
in Zurich
and in the Italian part
of Switzerland.
So the artists would also
have always the possibility
to meet other artists
from other countries.
And all of this they
bring back to the country.
By encouraging
East Timorese youth
to reach into their own
creative abilities
while extending out
into the international
art society, Arte Moris
is nurturing leaders
with firm visions
and accomplishments.
Eventually,
the 30 original students,
who are now
the resident seniors,
may assume
complete management
of the organization and
pass on their knowledge
to the next generation.
Since the beginning,
we involved students
or now the artists
in daily running
of the school, management
of the daily work,
that they also learn
how to be more or less
self-sustainable, because
for all these years
we had donors
or we applied for grants.
So respect your brush,
respect your paint, because
one day it's finished,
and if we don't create
a little income, that we can
buy again our supplies,
we will not be able to
work anymore.
Luca had a very strong
focus on teaching them
how to recycle
whatever you find, out of
almost every garbage,
you can do art.
Soon we are going to
work on a project
about sea issues
and beach issues.
So what the sea can give us,
and what we have to do
to protect it, or about
what we have to be aware.
With art, again, you can
illustrate the problem and
the beauty and explain it
to people who maybe still
have difficulties
to read or write, because
through images
you can make yourself
very well understood.
I think it's very important
for them and for all of us
to be very sensible about
the issues of this world.
About not to forget
that this world is
the only world we have.
For me,
Arte Moris is my life.
Arte Moris is really
important for me because
from Arte Moris,
I will develop my talent,
my skill from here.
And if no Arte Moris
in Timor, I would not know
my talent or my future.
That's why Arte Moris is
really important for me.
I believe that art is
going to give more
or be positive impact to
the society life, especially
in developing countries
and conflict countries.
So I think
here we started small,
but the mission is
that art can participate
more and more for
the peace in this planet.
For more information
about Arte Moris
in Timor Leste,
please visit
Our appreciation
and applause, Arte Moris,
its courageous founders
Mr. and Mrs. Gansser,
its supporters including
His Excellency
President Ramos-Horta,
and all involved
in helping to build
a more beautiful
and stronger country.
May the powerful vehicle
of the arts uplift the spirits
of their participants
and bring joy
and understanding
to our world.
Thank you,
gentle viewers,
for joining us on today’s
Enlightening Entertainment.
And now, please stay
tuned to Supreme Master
Television for
Words of Wisdom,
after Noteworthy News.
May Heaven
shower your life
with peace and blessings.