Designing Textile Galleries in Malaysia on Spatial Narratives, Cultural Meaning, and Visitor Experience
List of Authors
  • Azizi Bahauddin, Ismi Luqman Hamadi Ibrahim, Mohd Azri Mohd Jain Noordin, Muhammad Rizal Khairuddin, Nik Umar Solihin Nik Kamaruzaman, Nor Diyana Mustapa, Nurul Izzati Othmani

Keyword
  • Textile Gallery Design; Spatial Narratives; Cultural Heritage Interpretation; Visitor Experience; Conservation and Exhibition Strategies

Abstract
  • Malaysia’s textile inclusive of batik, songket, limar, tekatan and numerous regional weaving traditions are rich in artistic cultural and symbolic values. As awareness of cultural heritage ebbs and flows, however, it is the textile gallery that must work to preserve, interpret and celebrate traditions. But as a traditional museum cases only exhibit, textile display cases showcase fragile and beautiful works of art; craft work, and preserve. The quality of these spaces and their effectiveness is very much a function of the manner in which spatial narratives, and indoor exhibition strategies are conceived as supportive to issues of cultural comprehension, preservation needs or visitor behaviours. This article profiles the desire to create visitor friendly gallery design of textile galleries in Malaysia, and how spatial arrangement, display configuration, interpretive translation and even climatic condition might have impact on textile display and visitors experience. Qualitative research methods were used to search actively and systematically, semi-structured interviews with the curator and designer, feedback from visitors. The results indicate that maintenance of good physical quality over time is associated with stable spatial order, the power to control, controlled conservation practices such as controlling light level, regulating or moderating humidity and moderate levels of handling touching. Such forms of preservation enrich cultural storytelling, a realm in which visitors may find materials explaining the craft systems that go into the production of texture and meanings behind shapes of textiles. Great multimedia and tactile reproductions with sweaty thick interpretation layers work to elevate the whole visitor experience. In light of this, it aims to introduce more transparent narrative and communication, immersive sensory experience and flexible display space and for all.

Reference
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