If you’re curious to see just how mind-blowing this art form can be, head to RexKL’s immersive digital art gallery where “Other World” is being staged.
The exhibition consists of three moving and immersive digital-art shows that span a total of one hour, each offering visitors a transcendent escape into the realms of enchantment and creativity.
FMT Lifestyle caught up with Malaysian motion graphic artist Fahmi Hosnan, 30, and DJ Ashish Khilnani, 32, who created one of the three moving art shows. Theirs is titled “Yume”, which means “dream” in Japanese.
The exhibition features over 30 Japanese paintings from artists like Hasui Kawase, Katsushika Hokusai, Katsushika Oi and more.
“We’ve seen these paintings before as some of them are quite well-known, so I wanted to present them in an illustrative and moving form, rather than just exhibiting them one by one,” Fahmi, who is “Yume’s” motion graphic artist, said.
Through “Yume”, Fahmi unfolds a breath-taking digital art show that takes visitors on a journey of time and cultural wonders.
His exhibit transitions from paintings of tranquil snow-covered landscapes such as “Heian Jingu no Yuki” to the roaring sea of “The Great Waves off Kanagawa”.
“As we transform them into this immersive style, it lets you feel its storyline and the happenings of those eras. It’s like going into a ‘dream’. I hope that makes sense,” Fahmi said, laughing.
These mesmerising moving exhibits are rendered all the more compelling through the accompanying music composed by Ashish.
“The music I usually produce are three- to four-minute tracks that are electronic in nature, whereas for ‘Yume’ I had to draw inspiration from classical Japanese music and then replicate those vibes,” he said.
He added that the zen Japanese vibe at the start of “Yume’ contrasted radically with the vibe of the later paintings. “As it delves into the more exciting fight scenes, I amped up the pace for a more pumped up and excited mood.”
Ashish said working on the project was a refreshing change from his usual work as a DJ as it got him thinking about incorporating classical elements into his future compositions.
Both Fahmi and Ashish said “Yume”, which took six months to complete, was a truly massive but totally satisfying undertaking.
“It was a momentous and exciting moment since it’s the first exhibition for each of us,” Ashish said.
The other two exhibits in “Other World” are “Foreign Nature”, which delves into the realm of mathematical landscapes that reveal nature’s intricate beauty; and “Annihilation”, which blends dance, video, lasers and electronic music to explore the connections between humanity, technology and nature.
“We would say this concept of making the art pieces in motion graphic forms is relatively new in Malaysia, so it’d be nice if our work here can inspire artists in the country,” Fahmi said.
Pro-tip: Check out the time slots for the live dance performance in “Annihilation” if you want to take the immersive experience to another level!
Head to REXKL’s website to book your ticket.
Other World @ RexKL
80, Jalan Sultan, City Centre
Kuala Lumpur
Opening hours: 10am-10pm daily
Admission fees:
Adults RM60 (regular show); RM80 (live performance)
Children RM30 (regular show); RM40 (live performance)