In their stories they explain their mission and creative process in addressing the urgency of protecting Mother Nature. Balqis mentions how “The Last Glow”, a collaboration between scientist Afiq and artist Shufitri - one of my favourite episodes of this series - challenged her worldview of how the relationship between humans and the ocean affects climate change and the ecosystem. Shufitri brings sea animals, such as corals and sea anemones, to life in his embroidered works, displaying their imperfect beauty. Through his art, he translates science to more simple terms, showcasing how the creatures’ way of life in the ocean contributes to the Earth’s ecosystem.

Balqis also enjoyed listening to photographers Nurul Huda and Azril Ismail’s sharing in “The Darkroom Practitioners” where they discuss their mutual love for slow craft and traditional image-making. “Just talking and listening to both of them gives me so much hope and courage to persevere in my journey”, she points out. “I can’t emphasise how important it is to listen and share our creative journey with others to relieve and empower each other. We need to practice more empathy and solidarity.”

They recently launched the first episode of Season 2, featuring archivist Syukri Shairi who shares his journey of note-taking and drawing visuals in his journals. In the coming episodes, Warenakita Collaborative will feature an artist-curator, a Singaporean writer, a paper artisan, a furniture designer and an art teacher.

Learning and growing in Warenakita Collaborative

Despite going through the usual trial and error, they are exploring different ways to better engage their audience of different backgrounds. Currently, they are using social media and websites to build their presence while having online discussions via Zoom and Google Meet. These online meeting platforms provide real-time face-to-face conversations with their audience and potential clients during the pandemic.

However, for smaller practices, technology can be a double-edged sword. “Too much social media and time spent online takes away the spirit and time for creation and exploration,” Balqis says. “Each practitioner needs to find their balance to avoid technology anxiety, which Hanisah and I personally face from time to time.”

They are still in the process of learning, exploring and growing alongside their guests and collaborators and Hanisah is extremely grateful for their support.

Protecting the craft scene in Malaysia

For Hanisah and Balqis, craft and science and technology have never been mutually exclusive. Both involve a dedication and commitment to knowledge and learning. However, in today’s society, most Malaysian crafts have lost their meaningful connection to tradition, and some people even see craft as shallow and reductive. They hope they can revive a deeper understanding and appreciation of craft. Balqis says, “Craft should be practised alongside the pursuit of knowledge. That’s how we can bring meaning and value back into our craft practices.”