From practical beginnings, textiles has come to play as objects of expression.

The act of
sourcing to manipulating materials has given life to techniques and motives, brought to motion
by the touch and tensions of collaboration.
Making honors time and the senses. Of space, of object and of people.
Textile Room Project is a collective project by four artists to create artworks made of all things
textiles!
Throughout the project, they have made Bonton Locale their home. A space that memorialize
the classics and nostalgia through traditional local architecture. The artists have had the
opportunity to live and work in a kampung house where daily rituals are familiar yet novel.
We wake, we eat, we work, we play, we rest and we repeat. Accompanied by the songs of wood
and wrinkles underfoot
After months of cooking, we would like to open our home to you in celebration to share these
artistic meals

Dari penggunaan yang asas dan praktikal - sebagai pakaian, alas meja, tudung dan sebagainya,
tekstil telah berubah menjadi suatu bahan yang ekspresif. Proses penuaian sumber dan
pengolahan bahan melalui pergerakan tangan dan tegangan benang menghasilkan teknik dan
juga motif tertentu, yang secara tidak langsung memberi penghormatan kepada tempat, masa
dan deria manusia.
Textile Room Project ialah projek kolektif oleh empat orang artis yang menggunakan tekstil
sebagai bahan utama dalam penghasilan karya.
Sepanjang tempoh projek ini, kesemua artis telah berumah di Bonton Locale, sebuah ruang
klasik dan nostalgik yang ditampilkan melalui senibina tradisional tempatan. Mereka berpeluang
untuk berkarya dan menjalani kehidupan seharian ala-ala kampung di binaan kayu tersebut.
Kami bangun, makan, berkarya, berehat - proses yang sama berulang setiap hari, dikelilingi
bunyian mergastua dan lantai kayu yang berurat.
Setelah kian lama mengumpul ramuan kreativiti di sini, kami ingin membuka rumah ini kepada
semua untuk meraikan bersama menjamah selera; menikmati hidangan seni yg sudah kami
masak.
In the beginning, there was one. Then two
became three. By the end there were four. The day we arrived in Langkawi, it
was sunny. Soon we learn it was like
* Kris took us on a
this everyday. Our skin becomes hike on Bukit Kilim 1.
We buka puasa up
tacky smothered by salty air. there. Only when
we were there, was
when Kris told us
that the hill had
snakes - “oh great”

*sat
Oh, u, dua
adu l
h pa embu b
nas e
nye rlari.
hari
-ha
ri

*ni kita baru nak kenal - kenal

*If you walk out of Bon

Ton Locale, take the right
heading to Pantai
Tengah. Look to your left
in the big open fields. Some days we work, most days we
That's where the cows are
chilling played. Those lines blurred quickly
through the days.
 There are many moments in making
where things just don’t turn out how
it’s suppose to

*sometimes they don't turn up at

all! Dayang tried to print her whole
body

*we tried to print the Bonton cats

but of course they wont hold still.
Thanks Zul (cat daddy)!

*the love, hate + fear relationship

goes on and on with the machine

*Anissa has uneven tan lines

 Yet there were much more moments of
accidents, reflection in rest and
shortages that sparked something new

*each resident cat has a

favorite human. This is
PP (formally known as
Bubu). He peed inside a
lot. Typically sleeps with
Dayang or Siti

*This is Monkey. She

*the nyamuk here is WILD has short meows...just
*panas gila kat ruang kerja BUT not gonna lie, the
like her tail. Usually
lighting is so pretty
sleeps with Nia

*nak trace and takde light box? No problem *Biskut likes to sleep with Anissa. She is stinky
(referring to Biskut)
Batik— an art that also has presence in
Malaysia. Historically, the humble batik is
"a cloth with purpose", and reflects the
culture and roots of its people.

Often handed down within families for

generations, as her grandmother did, the
craft is intertwined with cultural identity
and through the symbolic meanings of
its colours and designs, expresses
creativity and spirituality. Not only is it
wearable, Batik was used in ceremonials
and each motifs had its own meanings.
Different regions would have their own
style and colours.

slendang ketapang + tunjung (left)

slendang ketapang + tawas (right)

31 cm x 180 cm
batik tjap naturally dyed with ketapang leaves
RM 1500 (each)
As Batik motifs draw inspiration from its
surrounding ecosystem, Nia tends to
adopt traditional elements of the design
and their attached meanings into her
work but with a twist to narrate her own
personal experiences. Upon practising
the craft, she is currently exploring the
use of natural dyes and botanical
printing. The modest tones of naturally
dyed textiles harmonise gently with her
quiet and delicate imagery.
Papan Series
90 cm x 16 cm
batik tjap, tjanting and handstitched on cotton
RM 300 (each)
RM 2500 (set)
For the past year Nia has been
conducting various tjanting and tjap
Batik workshops mainly in the city, as a
mission to re-introduce the importance
of our traditional art; in hopes to get
more younglings into part of our culture
and to revive the Batik scene altogether.
- Nia Khalisa
 The Thread of Life intricately weaves through each of my
artworks, intertwining the past, present, and future to share a
story. During my residency at Bon Ton Locale, Langkawi,
Malaysia, I found myself captivated by the folklore of a woman
called Mahsuri. It is a powerful story that is prevalent in Langkawi
and embedded in their culture, symbolizing innocence and the
tragic consequences of false accusations. These art pieces are a
testament to the enduring power of storytelling and the
important role of women in these narratives.

I solely rely on old, upcycled fabrics to bring the past into the
present. The stitched patches of fabric symbolize the layers of
Mahsuri’s life, each piece of fabric representing a different
aspect or event. She is embroidered standing confidently with
My Version of Mahsuri one arm resting at her hip. Her head is filled with textual
reflections on folklore's significance. I sought to capture the
205 cm x 93 cm x 6 cm essence of the tale by letting the brighter colors symbolize her
fabric, thread and
innocence and purity combined with the darker colors
embroidery on
cyanotype fabric representing the tragedy and injustice.
RM 25000
The vessels relate to Mahsuri’s story. Just as a vessel
holds its contents together, Mahsuri’s story is held
together by the memories. The threads and patches
of fabric that bind these scraps together could
symbolize the interconnectedness of these events,
reflecting how they collectively shaped her destiny.

The stitching of the fabric on both pieces represents

the passage of time and the collective memories
that cradle and will carry the new memories. Mahsuri (right)

210 cm x 29.7 cm
print on scrap
fabric
RM 1800

Vessels (bottom left)

Variable Dimensions
scrap fabric and glue
RM 650 onwards
The boats, the third piece of my artwork, are a Boats
tribute to my grandfather, a diver, and his love
Variable Dimensions
for the sea. These boats are not just vessels, fabric
but carriers of stories, memories, and a legacy RM 50 onwards
that will sail through time. Crafted by a group
of female refugees, these boats are a
testament to their resilience, strength, and
hope.

The common Thread of Life across all 3

pieces carry the legacy of the past and the
promise of the future. They are a tribute to
the spirit of women, a testament to their Nelayin #1 (left)
resilience, and a beacon of hope for the Nelayin #2 (right)
generations to come.
29 cm x 22 cm
linen fabric with
- Dayang Salim thread
RM 2000 (each)
Curi-curi Pandang

My tingkap. Kalau lalu tingkap, tercuri…curi pandang kat luar

tingkap. Tak tahu kenapa, mungkin bosan, nak keluar?
Mungkin tunggu orang datang? Tapi siapa? Mungkin nak
cek cuaca saja kot.
- Siti Gunong

20 Inch x 85 Inch
mixed media
Not for Sale
Jangan Pandang Atas

Aku suka menjahit. Perangai dapat dari

Mak Yeng dan Mak. Bersyukur juga
membesar tak berapa senang dulu.
Dapat banyak buat benda sendiri.

Selama proses aku buat karya ni, aku

rasa sangat terhibur setiap kali orang
anggap apa benda ni. Sampai aku pun
tak tahu apa benda, benda ni sebab
boleh jadi macam-macam. Salah
satunya Tuhan.

- Siti Gunong

40 Inch x 40 Inch
mixed media
RM 1200
 Art of Killing

Fuck you Nyamuk

- Siti Gunong

55 Inch x 53 Inch
silkscreen print
RM 850
One Mans Trash

Doors doors doors. There are many

wooden doors around the Bonton. I
always wonder why they are there.
Ada yang dah rosak which makes me
continue to wonder are they not
trash? Then again, I was also holding
on to my scraps.

This piece is made from scraps and

“failed” prints during the early stages
of trying to print cyanotype on fabric.

- Anissa R

220 cm x 75 cm
tracing paper, scrap cloth, and
cyanotype on cotton
RM 600
Nyamuk VS Coil

This piece was sparked by Siti.

Who was open to let me play
with her nyamuk. Nyamuk is a
struggle we share.

Fuck you again nyamuk!

- Anissa R

95.5 cm x 29cm (each)

silkscreen (Siti) and cyanotype
on cotton
Not For Sale
Kawan?

Langkawi is in heat and there were lots of

news of snake encounter. They need
somewhere to stay cool too. Still, it is scary.

Teringat pulak something a friend told me:

15 cm x 94 cm
cyanotype on cotton (8 pieces)
RM 400

They attack when they are surprised!

Turns out they also boleh terkejut. Our

general rule was to take slow steps when we
are walking somewhere grassy.

You know. So diorang tak terkejut

- Anissa R
Sang Tupai dan Si PP

Si PP is the grey cat that likes to stay in the

residency space. He pees a lot in the house.

There was also this Giant Black Squirrel that

always throws seeds on the roof and roam around
the area.

One day I saw these two. Step by step, getting

closer to each other.

- Anissa R

12 cm x 15 cm (approx)
PP (15 pieces)
Squirrel (17 pieces)
cyanotype on cotton (stop motion)
RM100 (each)
......that’s the story
ABOUT THE
ARTSISTS

As you know, mosquitos

Then Dayang came with
and Siti are not friends.
her embroidery. She Anissa likes the sun.
She uses her silk screen
One day there was Nia. works long hours in the She like crispy days
to express this Love (?)
She likes to draw from studio. Then takes a well more than wet rainy
Hate relathionship
nature and design them deserved evening days. She works with
into Batik Cap! She reward with fresh drinks cyanotype. Perfect
Ig: sitigunong
really enjoys floating in Pairing indeed
the water Ig: dayangvanwezel
Ig: kering.things
Ig: guaniah
SPECIAL THANKS
TO EVERYONE
THAT HAVE
PATCHED A PIECE
TO OUR CLOTH!