Digital art is an artistic activity that incorporates digital technology into the creation or production process, or as computerised art that employs or interacts with digital media. In the month of October, a Digital Arts Festival was held in conjunction with the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak 2024 (IDECS 2024) in Kuching.
Thought-provoking Digital Arts Festival
Digital art is an artistic activity that incorporates digital technology into the creation or production process, or as computerised art that employs or interacts with digital media.
The digital art movement began in the 1960s, and today the digital technology’s effect has revolutionised traditional art activities while new approaches such as digital installation art, net art, and virtual reality have arisen.
We have seen works by painters like Vincent van Gogh being digitally preserved in recent “immersive” digital exhibitions, which is allowing more spectators to enjoy works that were formerly much more challenging to see.
In Kuching during the month of October, a Digital Arts Festival was held in conjunction with the International Digital Economy Conference Sarawak 2024 (IDECS 2024) and proven a success.
Hosted by the Sarawak State Government, it was jointly organised by Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation (SDEC), Sarawak Multimedia Authority and SAINS at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) Kuching.
“We are thrilled to partner with HAUS KCH to stage such a dynamic group of artists and creators for this year’s IDECS 2024. The festival highlights the importance of creative innovation in shaping the future of the digital economy. By blending traditional cultural elements with cutting-edge technology, it mirrors our commitment to fostering sustainable AI practices that align with Sarawak’s digital economy goals,” said Dr Khairul Hafiz Sharkawi, lead secretariat of IDECS 2024.
At the heart of the festival was the thought-provoking art exhibition, “Does AI Dream of Electric Mouse Deer?” (DAIDEM). The exhibit drew inspiration from the themes of Philip K. Dick’s famous novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, which explored the increasingly blurred line between the real and the artificial.
Visitors experienced a collection of new media works that imagine future scenarios, blending cultural and environmental elements with cutting-edge digital art.
The ensemble of new media work offered glimpses into possible scenarios that draw from recognisable cultural and environmental shapes, sounds, forms, and relationships; how these melded together or stood apart, varied on the path taken through the exhibition. The full experience comprised static, interactive, and immersive stations.
The festival featured over 30 artists from East and West Malaysia, France, and China. These artists include Alimy, Art:Tech, Azarikh, Cerikapak, Claudia Song Mei Ling, Crystal Amira, Futuresigner, Grasshopper, Hu Jueling, Jérémy Griffaud, Kicau-Bilau, Letterhythm, Low Pey Sien, Moonlit Hour Studio, Muizz Dicky, Nessy Voon, Nini, Noemosyen, Perempuan Melawan Art, Raito Low, Rahaf Elmahdy, Rakan Animations, Raymond Lee, Rias Sofiyah, Spaciestarz, Titik Buta, Tristan Lo, Vasflow, Zhonk Vision, Zoooomorphism.
The festival was brought to life with ambient and experimental music performed live by Kretek, a Kuching-born DJ. DAIDEM was curated by Syed Rusydie of HAUS KCH and Abdul Shakir of Filamen.
Syed Rusydie, project manager and curator of DAIDEM, said, “Like many of our fellow Sarawakian creative industry players, I dream of bridging the divide between disparate creative communities and different disciplines of art — DAIDEM achieves this by combining various types of art forms produced meticulously by artists and art collectives from East and West Malaysia, in addition to involvement from our French and Chinese friends, all of whom lend to a greater understanding of the IDECS 24 theme on sustainable AI practices. We thank Huawei Malaysia and IDECS for offering us this golden opportunity to play our part towards addressing future possibilities while surfing this digital horizon.”
The Digital Art Festival was a collaborative production led by HAUS KCH and Seni Kita and was supported by creative groups such as Filamen, Zass Puravida, Odd Job Co, Carya Kolektif, NWHR, and UGM.MY.
About
Seni Kita (‘Our Arts’ in Malay) was born out of a collective desire to foster active collaborations between Kuching’s space providers and amplify the city’s vibrant art scene through shared resources. Currently led by HAUS KCH, it accommodates all art disciplines and their related practices: visual arts, performing arts, literature, etc. This initiative also involves spaces not traditionally known to actively feature art events. Launched in 2021, it started off as a collaboration between HAUS KCH and The Hills community lifestyle hub.
HAUS KCH is a creative hub based in City Square, Kuching, that advocates and facilitates the empowerment of grassroots creative individuals and entities through space- and programme-based collaborations. The hub was established in late 2016 with input from over 10 community groups. Today, it houses 8 collectives, businesses, and associations that operate within the building. It also contains a rentable event space, a creative residency programme space, a co-working space, an art jam space, a recording studio, rentable creative studios, and multiple exhibition spaces.
To learn more about HAUS KCH, visit their website at www.hauskch.com
Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC) is a company wholly owned by the Government of Sarawak. Under the Ministry of Finance and New Economy purview, SDEC is mandated to spearhead Sarawak’s digital economy initiatives and transform Sarawak into a digital economy powerhouse. Established in January 2018, its main objectives are to revolutionise Sarawak’s economy and industries as well as to spur socio-economic growth and advancement.
Filamen is an audio-visual collective, founded as a platform for emerging artists working within digital media and artists who seek to navigate the confluence of art, design, and technology.
Unit Graffiti Miri, also known as UGM.MY is an indie Miri graphic design brand based in Kuching, Sarawak. UGM.MY expresses emotions and passion through graphic design created in products with electronic/comic/street art style.
