USM PENANG, 10 December 2021 – There’s a new attraction at the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Gallery (MGTF).  

AL-HILAL at MGTF USM, is a co-creation exterior open wall, intended for community engagement and story-telling through projection mapping, 3D holography and live streaming. It will provide an immersive and engaging learning experience for all.

MGTF Director, Associate Professor Hasnol Jamal Saidon said, MGTF USM welcomes potential partners and communities inside and outside USM to design experience through co-creation method and projection mapping.

“We look forward to sharing narratives and research findings that are pertinent to our shared global concerns,” he said.

He explained, “the name AL-HILAL means 'the crescent moon' in Arabic. It implies the notions of reflected or borrowed light, illumination, time, cycle, rotation and phases.”

“In many non-Western cosmological traditions, the moon takes a central position when it comes to time. One may find the Sanskrit word 'purnama' used to describe time in the traditional Malay-Nusantara literature,” said Hasnol.

“With regards to the open wall, it reflects the importance of seeking for signs (knowledge) in Nature and the Universe as our living map or guide, especially during darkness.

“AL-HILAL was initiated by a special screening of "The Reckoner", a short film, custom‐made for Al-Hilal wall by Anderson Ee. The film is about the notion of light, forgiveness and compassion,” he added.

MGTF USM welcomes potential collaborations with interested Schools, Centres of Excellence (COEs) and Departments in USM.

Source & Photo: MGTF USM/Text: Tan Ewe Hoe