Today we’re hanging out with Lee Soon Yoong, designer for Little Giraffe Story House — a warm, community space in Cheras where people come together to read, learn, and share stories. It’s part library, part creative hub, and all heart. We’ll be chatting about how design can shape spaces that bring people closer. So sit back, relax, and let’s pow down with Lee Soon Yoong.
Today, we’re joined by AACE Malaysia, a non-profit that empowers disabled and disadvantaged communities through creativity and design. Their initiatives — from the Vacademy’s training in arts and crafts to the Goods for Good marketplace — are helping people build skills, livelihoods, and dignity. With us is Edmund, one of AACE’s founders. Driven by a deep passion for inclusivity, Edmund has dedicated his work to creating platforms where disabled individuals aren’t just supported, but celebrated as creators, entrepreneurs, and changemakers. He’ll be sharing more about their mission and the lives they’ve touched.
For our final episode of our first season this year, we have 2 artists who are both architecturally trained but have gone into the realms of digital art. The topic today has been called De/Re:Materialization; the abstraction of a physical object into a digital idea and rematerialized into a tangible outcome again. This process of abstraction has resulted into artworks that transcends medium.
Chong Yan Chuah was first introduced to me by Jun as the NFT boy genius. Hailing from the AA, he Co-founded Inferstudio in 2017 alongside Nathan Su and Bethany Edgoose. He later directed Somnii, an art direction, digital imagination and research studio. Beyond studio work, he has participated in architecture conferences hosted by DATUM:KL and Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM), advocating for a broader perspective on worldbuilding that transcends traditional architectural frameworks. As an artist, his works have been exhibited and collected internationally.
Wong Kaiyi was trained in the UK in architecture and has worked for Studio Red Hongyi and our very own POW Ideas. He founded Unreality as a platform to explore story telling through a multitude of mediums. I have personally seen the growth of his works from simple digital artworks to large scaled physically lighting installations that cover rooftops.
With similar trainings it has been interesting to see these artist get inspired by Malaysia’s rich culture. So lets start the session and learn about their works and who they are.
In this third episode we have Nini Marini and Haris Rashid. Both are artists in their own right and both explore art through traditional textiles. Coming from a digital media background and then moving back to her roots in fine arts, Nini has worked with the likes of the Royal Pahang Museum, Piaget and Nike. As a multi medium artist, her works are translated using ceramics, metals works, textile and even artificial intelligence. She also serves as the President of Citra; a Malaysian NGO for traditional textile and crafts.
This has also been an interest of Haris who is also a member of Citra. Having learned art from his mother; who was an art teacher in his school, his passion for art has taken him to work with CIMB, Diptyque, F&N and the Body Shop. Also a mixed medium artist, Haris works with a multitude of mediums with wood and textured paper being his favorite. He is also the Founder and leader of a young artist collective studio known as Studio Mekar.
For this session we have Sarah Merican from R+ and Lew Kong Hui of Process Magazine. R+ is headed by Sarah Merican and Shiela Samsuri, the research arm of the architecture firm GDP. It explores the boundaries between design, research and identity. In that similar vain, they have also published their findings in their first publication called Making Malaysia.
Kong Hui on the other hand is the editor in chief and co-founder of Process Magazine. An independent print publication that celebrates the creative process, they have published 3 volumes thus far. From long form interviews to essays and artworks, they seek to document works made by creatives in and around the region. With the 2 of them, we will dive into the world of creative publishing.
In the first session we have two highly sought afterartists; the first we have Nawwar Shukriah or better known as Bono Stellar, who is a multi dimensional creative who works with various mediums to create her vibrant paintings or installation. Hailing from Kuala Terengganu, her background in architecture serves as a interesting base for her works. You would have probably seen some of her works at Masjid Jamek LRT or at Good Vibes Music Festival.
Our second guest is Jefr, a graffiti artist from KL known for his bold yet simple style. Drawing inspiration from stories and communities, his works have brought him around the world to connect w different artists. Just look around KL for his tags JEFR and you would instantly recognize his stamp on KL. From illegal to now legal collaborations, he has worked with companies like UNIFI, Adidas and local clothing and lifestyle brand MotherChuckers.