ARTS OF MALAYSIA

The arts and crafts of Malaysia are as colourful and rich as its
multicultural background. From cloths to kites, Malaysian artisans use
various media for their expression. Internationally renowned Malaysian arts
and crafts include fashionable beach sarongs and pewter products from the
Royal Selangor Company.
A popular souvenir to bring home from the east coast states of Terengganu
and Kelantan is batik. Traditionally a technique of hand-dyeing fabrics using
wax to repel the dye in select places, batik also refers to printed fabrics
decorated with classic batik motifs. Another popular Malaysian fabric, the
songket, is made by weaving gold and silver threads together with fabric
threads to create delicate designs.
Some textiles have deeper religious significance. The process of weaving the
pua kumbu (a sacred ceremonial textile), for example, represents a spiritual
and socio-religious undertaking for the Iban women in Sarawak.
Yet another popular handicraft item is the labu sayong, a glossy, blackcoloured clay jar. Each gourd-shaped jar takes days in forming, firing, drying
and

engraving. The most authentic ones can

be found in Kampung Sayong in Perak.
While youre in Kelantan, dont miss the
opportunity to experience a dying folk
art, the wayang kulit (shadow puppet).
Be enthralled as the Tok Dalang (puppet
master) skilfully manipulates puppets
etched from cow or buffalo leather into
riveting characters from the odysseys of
Ramayana and Mahabharata, against a
backdrop of live gamelan music.

Also look out for large, colourful

kites called wau. The kites frame is
handmade from bamboo, while the
patterns and motifs are carefully
glued on piece by piece from rice
paper.
In addition to its handicraft,
Malaysias contemporary art scene
is turning heads and starting
conversations. Viewed as dynamic and relevant, work from the Malaysian

contemporary art scene has been auctioned at record prices abroad,

establishing visionary Malaysian artists as a force to be reckoned with.