Collaborating with Museums and others in Malaysia
One of the aims of the project was to create an exhibition which showcased the heritage and traditional skills from across the Malay world. The exhibition brought together different partners involved in looking after and sharing traditional and heritage items, this included unique photographs of Malay houses from Perpustakaan Alam dan Tamadun Melayu (PATMA), miniatures of Kelantanese culture by WCO Holdings Sdn Bhd., illustration of urban sketches from students at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and unique pieces from royal collection of Istana Puteri Bongsu provided by Malaysia Museums Department.
During the two-day exhibition, Gempita Istana Puteri Bongsu, the beauty of kelingkan embroidery was given centre stage. Kelingkan embroidery is an exquisite type of metallic embroidery used on head coverings and veils as worn historically by Malay women in the royal houses. It has been a signifier of status, grace, and cultural identity. The exhibition included ten pieces of kelingkan from across the Malay world—seven colourful kelingkans masterfully produced by artisans from the historical island of Lingga, Riau, alongside two long kelingkan textiles from Palembang and a precious piece from Sarawak. Each embroidery was paired with a traditional songket attire, representing the identity and artistry of the Malay people. To complement these textiles, several special pieces from the royal house collection were showcased.
The exhibition integrated AI and AR technology to create visualisation in several different ways. For the Kelingkan, integrated visualisation on the information boards presented the symbolic meanings of the patterns and motifs of kelingkan in an interactive manner. Other exhibitions also used AI and AR to demonstrate images and photographs in a vibrant and captivating style, as part of research collaboration between UKM and exhibitors. The student sketches of urban areas came to live once scan via the app, cars, birds and people walked through the beautiful illustrated scenes.
It was an honour to work alongside and we were gratefully loaned through the cooperation and MoU of the Department of Museums Malaysia with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia [ https://berita.rtm.gov.my/…/jmm-perkukuh-warisan-melayu…] Unique pieces of jewellery that illuminate the shared heritage, craftsmanship, and cultural continuity that unite the Malay world. It is thanks to the success of the partnerships in this exhibition, that the threads of gold and silver ran through it, creating a historical ambience to Istana Puteri Bongsu Palace. We are grateful for the opportunity to create this event and work alongside the following institutions and organisations.
Further photos from the event can be found via our facebook page