Muzium Padi Kedah, Malaysia
In conjunction with the International Museum Day 2016 celebrations, a CollAsia exhibition booth was set up at the Muzium Padi in Kedah, Malaysia.
Organized by CollAsia alumni in Malaysia in collaboration with the Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM), the exhibition aims at spreading the core messages of the CollAsia programme, while engaging Malaysian heritage professionals in this regional and international collaboration.
Thirty three museums and other heritage organizations from Malaysia and beyond participated in the Museum Day 2016 event. Each booth represented in a unique way the different institutional approaches to this year’s theme of “Museums and Cultural Landscapes.” Represented among the participants were the Sarawak State Museum, which hosted the last CollAsia workshop on “Packing, Handling and Moving Collections” in 2015, and the Thaksin University of Thailand.
The CollAsia booth attracted visitors from all walks of life: school students, art collectors, heritage workers from other state museums and army personnel who were also present to exhibit their collection.
Activities at the CollAsia booth included practicing the traditional “ikat” tie-dye technique on napkins using watercolours, and recreating the “pamor” or damascene pattern characteristic of “keris,” the traditional Malay weapon. A corner of the booth was dedicated to observing objects under the microscope. This was particularly popular among the school children, who were fascinated by magnified images of corrosion products and weaving patterns.
This exhibition brought together alumni from Malaysia and reinforced the strong network at the heart of the CollAsia programme. The exhibit also raised interest in the CollAsia programme among several state museums and private galleries, who were keen to participate in future workshops. We hope to be able to share the exhibition material with other CollAsia alumni to inspire further exhibitions and awareness-raising actions.
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