For about 3 years now, I am started a preservation project of Kampung (Villages) around Penang Island in Malaysia. This is a very interesting project and I am personally attached to it as I spend most of my childhood and high school around Penang Island.
I started this project due to the fast development in the island. With my two research assistants, Chris Mak and Hairi, we constantly thinking on how this project can help to continuously preserving the what’s left from the kampung. It is sad to see how the kampung is being demolished due to the need of the development but it is much more devastating to see nothing is done to keep some memories for the sake of history of this kampung.
This project is call Visual Collections of Kampung Artifacts or also known as VCKA. We are fortunate, that this research project is supported by a grant to assist the research that we conducted. The grant is by Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, and Bank Rakyat. Actually, the very first idea was supported by Tan Sri Prof Dzulkifli Razak, who was the previous Universiti Sains Malaysia’s Vice Chancellor. I accidentally met him at DOME cafe at Queensbay Mall in Penang, where I have briefly expressed my concern and interest to do this project. In the same week, he sent me email asking for my full proposal and said that he might be able to get me some fund to support the project. This man is a man that is full of vision and never stop supporting young designer/academic that is eager to conduct research. I wish all the vice chancellor in Malaysian university think like him.
Anyway, thanks to Prof. Dzul (that’s what I call him), we have been continuously supported to conduct this VCKA project, even after I have gave birth to my 2nd child and in my long leave. I never stop running this project.
We are now at the end of the fund and project timeline, and currently working on the outcome of the project. We are currently developing the project with the VCKA book and website. Will be updating the progress soon. Logo design by Nurul Rahman #designbynurulrahman
