At 'Immersio 2023', visitors can make a beeline for an installation - by young artist group The Factory titled 'Hollow Love' - that responds to hugs, changes colour and shares heartwarming messages. Photo: Filamen
More than 20 new media artists have turned Muzium Telekom in Kuala Lumpur into a fun and festive wonderland, creating an immersive labyrinth of digital artworks and interactive installations for the entire family.
They are part of the Immersio 2023 exhibition, which will run through Jan 7.
The new media series, now in its fifth edition, is curated by digital arts collective Filamen and supported by Yayasan Telekom Malaysia (Yayasan TM), as the strategic partner through the Digital Technology Incubation Programme.
Embracing the theme Waris (Inherited), the latest iteration of Immersio offers the masses a multi-sensory experience that blends the old and new at Muzium Telekom (a building constructed in 1928, now seen as a digital arts hub).
'Immersio 2023' features more than 20 new media practitioners, with established and emerging names contributing eye-catching works. Photo: Filamen
The roster of artists include James Ly, Filamen, Suzy Sulaiman, Chong Yan Chuah, Unrealitykai x Izealist, Anwar Suhaimi, Roger Ng Wei Lun, Aw-kult, Duta Adipati and Haura Khalisha, and Ammar Hazman. A group of digital art newcomers from the Malaysia Multimedia University (MMU) and The One Academy have also been given a platform to showcase works.
“We are excited to present a dynamic line-up featuring artists and emerging creatives from diverse backgrounds and practices,” says Abdul Shakir (or Grasshopper), curator of Immersio 2023 and co-founder of Filamen.
"Immersio aspires to be a platform for new young talents to explore and experiment, providing a space for our artists to push their limits," he adds.
'The Glass Doughnut: An Interactive Chronicle Of Time And Transition' by artists UnrealityKai and Izealist. Photo: Filamen
Chong, a multi-disciplinary artist with an architectural background, presents a work that calls for visitors to play a video game called "Towkay’s Horizon". Here you can act as "a kopitiam owner in Taman Cyber in 2042". The layout of the game allows you to zoom in and interact with the futuristic elements in his fictional world.
Under the projection mapping light, Aw-kult uses discarded fragments of e-waste to spotlight a cycle of life narrative. Anwar offers a series of digital artworks, inspired by public data and algorithms, to showcase Malaysian cultures and ethnicities.
"This year’s distinctive challenge revolves around the transformation of a familiar venue into an immersive, serendipitous maze of experiences," says Abdul Shakir.
Visitors watching 'Wayang Kulit Animatronik' by Hakimi (Kognitif Lab) at Muzium Telekom. Photo: Filamen
Filamen, established in 2018, has had an eventful year, with festival projects, commissioned works and two projection mapping shows (the Terang series) in Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.
The Immersio 2023 exhibition is also hosting a series of weekend live performances, including a showcase this Saturday (Dec 23) – starting 3pm – featuring Rosemainy, Capt'n Trips And The Kid, Kamal Sabran, Golden Mammoth and Leaism.
Admission (for the exhibition): RM15 (RM5 for children under 12). Exhibition is closed on Mondays.
More info here.
