AS a multi-ethnic country, Malaysia is home to a wealth of cultural diversity and rich heritage.
Our country is unique for its identity where we respect each other’s differences yet take pride in our sense of togetherness as one nation.
With diversity comes many distinct qualities and values that make us Malaysians, especially in craftsmanship across different art forms.
These are the qualities that leading property developer EcoWorld aims to celebrate this year with its #AnakAnakMalaysia campaign.
Every culture and heritage have its own creativity to reflect values and beliefs thereby, it is important for us to cherish and appreciate all of these artworks.
With the theme #GENERASiSENSASi, the campaign seeks to rekindle the appreciation of local arts and crafts through Kuala Lumpur’s artisanal mall – Malaysia Grand Bazaar (MGB) at Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC). MGB directly connects to the Mitsui Shopping Park Lalaport, Zepp Kuala Lumpur and Golden Screen Cinema (GSC).
MGB pays homage to the creativity and artistry of Malaysian creators and crafters, providing a dedicated platform for artisans, micro-brands, start-ups and art entrepreneurs to scale their businesses.
As an integral component of BBCC, MGB spans 100,000sqft (9,290sqm) of carefully curated spaces with touches of heritage architecture that house up to 100 artisanal and authentic local brands.
This annual campaign – a collaboration between Star Media Group and EcoWorld – will feature four jointly produced National Day videos that introduce selected unique Malaysian craftsmanship at MGB.
Cherry Art Studio: Origami craft
Among the brands featured in this series is Cherry Art Studio. Kenneth Tan, the founder of Cherry Art Studio, pioneered a whole new spectrum of wearable arts.
The brand specialises in creating high-quality and exclusive wearable crafts through the traditional art of origami.
All of the origami foldings are made from high-quality handcrafted Japanese washi paper, carefully hand-folded with love and attention and fashioned into lovely curated arts.
Trusted Sharks: Borneo tribal design
Joining Kenneth in this series is Nazri K. Hamid who founded Trusted Sharks in 2019, which focuses on Borneo ethnicity and tribal-inspired designs applied to customised apparel such as T-shirts, polo tees, corporate uniforms, sports jerseys, and lifestyle clothing.
Nazri hopes the brand will promote Sabahan ethnic motifs by making the design wearable in everyday attire.
Pal-My: Eco wear
From the passion of founder Asna Nabihah to save the environment comes Palmy – a lifestyle brand that specialises in beautifully handcrafted paper and textile goods made from agricultural waste such as pineapple leaves, bananas, stems and bamboo shoots.
Made in Malaysia by Malaysians, the eco brand aims to make a positive impact on ecological and social causes.
Jas & Co Jewellery: Wire-wrapped jewellery
Jas & Co Jewellery specialises in handmade wire-wrapped jewellery.
According to founder Jasmine Chew, wire-wrapping is the most ancient technique in jewellery making. She picked up this valuable skill in 2016 and has never looked back since.
Show of support
Tune in to the #GENERASiSENSASi videos at #AnakAnakMalaysia 2022 Video Playlist. which will see each video on the aforementioned participants being released on every Friday throughout August.
This year, Star Media Group and EcoWorld hope all Malaysians to come together and support our local artisans and brands at MGB.
Visitors of MGB get to appreciate the best and unique creations in various categories such as clothing, arts and crafts items, jewellery and accessories, home decor and local snacks.
Show your support for local works by taking a picture against any visual art masterpiece and Instagrammable spot adorning the corners of this cultural hub. You can find everything from inspirational Malaysian-themed murals to graffiti and doodle art under one roof. Upload them on your social media and tag #AnakAnakMalaysia, @ecoworld and @thestaronline.
Additionally, local performances, activities and workshops will be held in MGB from Aug 20 to 21, featuring live drawing sessions by artists, Joget dance, hand percussion, Wu-Shu, ghazal performance, LED dragon dance, childhood games and snacks redemption, tote bag painting, wooden accessories box painting, kids T-shirt painting and batik canting.
Meanwhile, in conjunction with the #AnakAnakMalaysia campaign, a Malaysian food fair event will be held in EcoWorld Sydney. Delicious, homemade and authentic Malaysian food like Penang assam laksa, traditional nyonya kuih, nasi lemak, banana leaf meal and durian will be ready for you to purchase.
For more information, visit www.mgb.my
