Samyama Creative Director John Ang’s “Devotion” exhibition at Harta Space, Habib in Kuala Lumpur merges east and west through innovative designs. Celebrating craftsmanship, it features vibrant Ajrakh prints and intricate Indian textiles alongside diverse artworks.
Celebrating devotion in art and fashion
John Ang, the Creative Director of Samyama, bridges east and west with his innovative designs at an exhibition and fashion show held at Harta Space, Habib at Ampang Point, Kuala Lumpur.
Titled “Devotion”, the event celebrates the devotional qualities of craftsmen in creating beautiful artworks.
In his opening speech, Ang said, “In this digital age, everything moves quickly, especially with AI and our smartphones. As a result, we often lose our patience, endurance, and understanding. I believe it is crucial to remember our humanity and the importance of patience in producing quality textiles.”
To help the audience understand his art pieces and fashion, Ang narrated stories as the models moved around the event space.
One of the collections presented was the Ajrakh Block Prints collection. These prints have been an integral part of the Indian textile industry for centuries, known for their vibrant colours and intricate designs.
Ang, who embarked on a journey to India and witnessed the production of such textiles, said, “Ajrakh prints, when observed from afar, appear like printed cotton. In the desert, we witnessed the Kutch people beating the cloth, preparing it to absorb the dyes, and mixing the dyes in the correct chemical compositions before subjecting it to water multiple times to filter out any elements that could cause the textiles to turn black.”
The complex process can take weeks to months to complete and requires real concentration and devotion. Despite famines, earthquakes, and sometimes the loss of lives, as well as their woodblocks, the Kutch people endure the hardships and continue carving out new woodblocks. They use centuries-old techniques to process the textiles with devotion, and not without innovation.
Pointing out the arabesque designs on two pieces of textiles hanging on the walls in Harta Space, Ang shared an interesting story of how a Kutch designer was inspired by his first visit to the Sultan Hassan II Mosque in Morocco. Enthralled by the designs he saw, he reproduced them back in India, Kutch, by creating two arabesque patterns using the Kutch process.
Coincidentally, Habib Jewels also produced an arabesque pattern on coins. After the fashion show and launch, the guests crowded the section to see the coins and jewellery featured in the fashion show.
This fashion show was the first of its kind in Malaysia, aligning with its theme: “Devotion”. It featured Ajrakh prints, little-known Bhujodi handloom weaves, tie-dye, and clamp-dye textiles, all from the Muslim communities in Kutch, Gujarat, India, many of which were fashioned into kaftans and Malay-style clothing for both men and women.
The art exhibition showcases Ajrakh textiles recognised by UNESCO and the World Crafts Council (WCC) Seal of Excellence, Cambodian rice paintings, Malay wood carvings and silverware, European ceramics, Indonesian krisses, along with contemporary Malaysian paintings by highly acclaimed artists.
“Although these artworks are diverse and eclectic, they are all unified by a common thread of devotion. This is evident not only in the meticulous, time-consuming work involved but also in their purpose and intention in creating these artworks,” said Ang, who hosted it in collaboration with Harta Space and Habib Jewels.
Do catch the exhibition, which is still ongoing in an 8,030 sq ft space on Level 1 above the Habib Ampang Point 2 showroom, located between Cash Converter and Agro Bank.
