National Art Gallery Publishes 'Stage 0.1', A Concert Photo Book By Tapa Otai

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- In a move to expand the documentation of Malaysia’s visual arts, the National Art Gallery has, for the first time, published a concert photography book, titled Stage 0.1, by veteran photographer Mustaffa Ahmad Hidzir, better known as Tapa Otai.

The 240-page book features around 300 photographs of local rock concerts, including behind-the-scenes shots of musicians who are rarely captured by the camera.

National Art Gallery Publications Branch curator Mohd Fairus Ismail said that the book’s publication is part of the gallery’s new approach to documenting the country’s music and cultural scene.

“We started this initiative while planning an exhibition focused on social, cultural, and musical issues from the 1979 to 1989 era. During the research, our curators discovered Tapa Otai’s photographs, which captured many significant moments in the local rock music scene.

“When he expressed interest in publishing a book based on his collection, we agreed to support it through a collaborative publishing platform, which also covers printing and limited distribution at the gallery,” he told Bernama at the gallery today.

Fairus said that he gallery also viewed Stage 0.1 as an effort to document Malaysia’s rock music heritage from a photographic perspective, noting that most of Tapa Otai’s works had previously been kept privately, without any formal publishing platform.

He added that the book is not merely a collection of concert photos, but a significant visual archive, which shines a light on the musicians and crew behind the scenes - the true heartbeat of every performance.

Meanwhile, Tapa Otai, 70, said that the idea of producing the book came after a suggestion from film director, Dr U-Wei Saari.

“U-Wei asked me about all the concert photos I had taken. I told him I just kept them. A few days later, we met again, and he suggested I publish a book,” he said.

Tapa Otai added that the book mainly focuses on musicians who are often overlooked, although it also features some well-known artists as added value.

“I dedicate this book especially to the musicians who are the backbone of the industry - those working behind the scenes. This book is for them. I don’t focus too much on singers, but I’ve also included photos of renowned artists, such as Datuk M. Nasir, Datuk Ramli Sarip, Wings and Search, to add to its appeal,” he said.

Apart from being available at the National Art Gallery, Stage 0.1 is also sold on the e-commerce platform Shopee, for RM180.

-- BERNAMA