A New Lens on Malay Culture: Rejuvenating Local Arts with the Re:Vision Kaleidoscope

In November 2022, the State Tourism Ministry of Selangor, Malaysia, organized the TUKANG Design & Craft Festival 2022 to promote local artisans and showcase the rich culture of the indigenous communities. 

The goal of the festival was to provide tourists visiting Selangor, the most populous of the 13 states in Malaysia, with a deeper understanding of local culture with engaging experiences. The Tourism Ministry aimed to create opportunities for cultural exchange between visitors and local communities while empowering resident artists. The results reignited the interest of the younger generation in their traditional craft heritage.

The Temuan Orang Asli are the 4th largest indigenous group in Peninsular Malaysia, known for their rich, diverse culture, which has been passed down orally from generation to generation. Traditionally, the Temuans were forest dwellers renowned for their knowledge of the use of natural remedies and materials. Many Temuans now work in agriculture or run small businesses.

The FabCafe team visited one of the Temuan villages to conduct research on their traditional crafts.

Even up until modern times, the Temuan have preserved much of their cultural heritage, including their language, myths, songs, dances, and craft technology like basketry, bamboo utensils, and unique fish traps. However, such traditional knowledge has been poorly documented and has not been well-transmitted to the younger generation or other Malay communities.

FabCafe Kuala Lumpur presented Re:Vision, an interactive art installation that enthralled Festival visitors with its impressive 4-meter long kaleidoscope.

The artwork’s name, Re:Vision, refers to the act of revisioning the future and the concept of vision itself. This art piece combines digital and analogue fabrication techniques to bring to life a dreamy, infinite space featuring light and color inspired by traditional Temuan Orang Asli patterns and motifs. The fun and engaging experience was popular among families and people from younger generations, who were delighted to explore traditional culture through contemporary technology.

Meet Re:Vision, an impressive 4-meter long kaleidoscope! On the left, Ignatius Andi Permadi (FabCafe Kuala Lumpur Co-founder), and on the right, Gwyneth Jong (FabCafe Kuala Lumpur Co-founder).

When visitors peek into the Re:Vision kaleidoscope, they are immersed in a colorful world of Temuan designs.

By integrating digital fabrication, FabCafe Kuala Lumpur was able to push the boundaries of traditional art forms. The combination of cutting-edge technology alongside deep research and respect for the native culture allowed the Re:Vision project to provide a unique and meaningful experience for the TUKANG Festival visitors. In addition to the art installation, FabCafe also offered participative workshops where attendees learned about digital fabrication and made their own small kaleidoscopes to take home.

A workshop participant shows her completed miniature kaleidoscope.

While most of the presented projects at the Festival focused on traditional crafts such as woodcrafts and pottery, FabCafe Kuala Lumpur took a bold step towards immersion to appeal to young visitors. The Re:Vision installation offered them a chance to literally immerse themselves into the Temuan Orang Asli imagery by placing their head directly inside of the kaleidoscope. The experience was met with great excitement and was widely shared on social media.

Visitors of all ages enjoyed the Re:Vision installation.

・Project client: Selangor Tourism’s Department of Industrial Development

・Supported by: Selangor State Government

・Co-organizers: MBSA, Galeri Shah Alam, MMU Faculty of Creative Multimedia, RantaiArt

・Project time: August 2022 – November 2022

・Project members: Directors: Ignatius Andi Permadi (FabCafe Kuala Lumpur Co-founder) and Gwyneth Jong (FabCafe Kuala Lumpur Co-founder). Assistants: Mustafa Kamil and Maisarah Lubis (FabCafe Kuala Lumpur Staff)