The 'A Life In Shadows: The Story Of Wayang Kulit' exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the legacy of the late great Dalang Dollah Baju Merah, showcasing his storied wayang kulit puppets. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
A funky green Wak Jamal brings the comedy, while the mystical Bapa Jin Gedung Gemita serves as your genie-like companion. Dewa Betara Guru rules over three worlds, Maharaja Rawana plays the villain, Dewa Daru inspires as the motivator, and Dewa Seru stands as the formidable guardian.
Meanwhile, a handful of worn and weathered shadow puppets bear the marks of time.
Some of the colourful characters that once drove the late Tok Dalang Abdullah Ibrahim’s (1937-2005) wayang kulit shows are back in the spotlight.
It may be serendipitous, but an exhibition in Kuala Lumpur featuring 25 rarely seen wayang kulit puppets from the collection of Dollah Baju Merah – as Tok Dalang was better known – serves as a poignant reminder of his enduring legacy.
These wayang kulit characters, once animated by Dalang Dollah Baju Merah's masterful storytelling, now stand as enduring symbols of Malaysia’s rich shadow theatre tradition, presented alongside regional counterparts that highlight the deep cultural ties across South-East Asia. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
As one of Kelantan’s most influential wayang kulit masters, Dollah Baju Merah’s artistry helped shape the traditional arts landscape, and this regional showcase titled A Life In Shadows: The Story Of Wayang Kulit at the Museum of Asian Art, Universiti Malaya, arrives in the 20th anniversary year of his passing this September, reaffirming his impact on Malaysia’s cultural heritage and its wider regional influence.
The exhibition, running until April 30, is a collaboration between the Museum of Asian Art and Australian photographer Constantine Korsovitis, who spearheaded the effort – expanding on his book A Life In Shadows: Shadow Theatre In South-East Asia and sourcing regional artefacts through his network of friends and private galleries.
It brings together nearly 100 shadow puppets and artefacts from the museum’s collection, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia, showcasing shared regional history and folk theatre.
From Kelantan’s wayang kulit to Cambodia’s sbek thom, Thailand’s nang yai, and Indonesia’s wayang beber, these shadow theatre traditions draw from the Hindu epics 'Ramayana' and 'Mahabharata'. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
“Displaying Dalang Dollah Baju Merah’s puppets publicly is a special occasion. The Museum of Asian Art received his first collection – nearly 80 wayang kulit puppets and instruments - in 1999, followed by a second collection later. The museum team has been documenting each character ... there are nearly 150 puppets in our collection,” says Zahirah Noor Zainol Abidin, senior curator at the Museum of Asian Art.
“This is also our first exhibition of the year, and it’s especially meaningful as it coincides with the 20th anniversary of Dollah Baju Merah’s passing and also marks Malaysia’s Asean 2025 host year,” she adds.
If you’re new to Malaysian wayang kulit, Dollah Baju Merah was among the last shadow puppeteers in Kelantan to embody the formal traditions of wayang kulit in its purest form.
Cultural organisation Pusaka, which forged strong ties with Dollah Baju Merah in the early 1990s, continues to preserve his legacy.
A display of Thai shadow puppets, featuring characters from the Nang Yai and Nang Talung traditional styles. Photo: Faihan Ghani/The Star
“This exhibition is a wonderful way to remember him,” says Pauline Fan, Pusaka’s creative director.
“We worked with Pak Dollah until his passing in 2005. Since then, Pusaka has nurtured a group of performers who carry on Pak Dollah’s legacy— Kumpulan Wayang Kulit Sri Warisan Pusaka, helmed by Abdul Rahman Dollah, Pak Dollah’s former head musician, and Dalang Nawi, a disciple of Pak Dollah,” says Fan.
Beyond traditional wayang kulit, the exhibition showcases contemporary shadow puppets from Fusion Wayang Kulit, a Malaysian arts group bridging tradition and pop culture.
Heart of the community
Korsovitis, 57, has travelled extensively across the cities and far-flung villages in the region between 1999 and 2023 to document shadow theatre in its many forms. He sees the current exhibition as an opportunity for visitors to explore Malaysia’s wayang kulit history and its deep connections with neighbouring traditions.
Plans were in place for him to hold an exhibition in KL after photographing Dollah Baju Merah’s wayang kulit puppets at Universiti Malaya in 2019 – but then the pandemic hit.
Korsovitis with his book A Life In Shadows, documenting South-East Asia’s shadow theatre traditions. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
He stayed in touch with the Museum of Asian Art team and eventually secured an exhibition slot, curating a showcase that blends the museum’s wayang kulit treasures with his selection of regional shadow theatre artefacts, including rare 1950s wayang beber scrolls from Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
“The initial idea was to have a major photography exhibition only. The challenge was to try and edit the images and make them fit with the energy of the puppets and the new look of the space.
“It felt right to scale, so the audience could get the opportunity to see the museum’s collection of puppets. We added the last component of the exhibition by adding puppets and historical paintings from across Asean,” he says.
Like his book A Life In Shadows: Shadow Theatre In South-East Asia, now available in Malaysia, Korsovitis envisioned an exhibition that not only showcases the artistry of shadow puppetry but also celebrates its resilience, its ability to captivate across generations, and its role in fostering community bonds.
In Indonesia, the now-rare wayang beber features vividly painted scrolls wound around wooden sticks, brought to life by the dalang. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
More than just a visual display, the show reflects how this ancient tradition continues to evolve, adapt, and transcend borders.
“The idea behind the project and the exhibition is shared cultural heritage and how we can use that to build bridges between our communities. Wayang is the singular traditional art form that is constant throughout South-East Asia,” says Korsovitis, who will be holding a book talk at the museum on Feb 26 at 11am.
“Its values are the same in every country. Family, community, the divine, education and entertainment. For the Malaysian audience, I wanted them to look at these artefacts and photos and feel like they were looking into a mirror. To really think about what connects us. An image of a family member or a community gathered around the dalang for a night of storytelling, fun and magic. A shared melody,” he says.
A portrait series of Malaysian wayang kulit practitioners photographed by Korsovitis. Photo: The Star/Faihan Ghani
From Kelantan’s wayang kulit and Cambodia’s sbek thom to Thailand’s nang yai and Indonesia’s wayang beber, these shadow theatre traditions share a common thread – the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata as their principal sources.
“The puppets chosen are characters with names that ring a bell. Rama, Sita, Hanuman.
"The photos of the most famous masters could belong to any country in the region. Though we have many stories to tell, they are all the same,” concludes Korsovitis.
A Life In Shadows: The Story Of Wayang Kulit is showing at the Museum of Asian Art, Universiti Malaya in KL until April 30. Free admission. Open: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. Saturday, 9am-4pm.
