Sketches of Tradition

In Southeast Asia, traditional Malay kampungs, once vibrant with wooden houses on stilts and village chiefs, are disappearing amid urban development. Artist Rahim Ismail now focuses on sketching these vanishing cultural icons to preserve their heritage.

Malay kampung houses through art

The word “kampong” or “kampung” in the Malay language means village, a common feature in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore have a lot.

Malaysia has many kampungs inhabited by a few thousand people. These kampungs have leaders called penghulu, or chiefs.

Although kampungs are tourist destinations for their natural and historical attractions, most, whether modern or traditional, are fast disappearing, giving way to new urban development.

When I first mastered the art of cycling, one of my routes took me to the old kampung nearest to Satok and Green Road in Kuching. There, the classic Malay house is a structure raised on stilts high above the ground, with wooden walls, partitioned rooms, stairs at the front of the house, and a vernacular roof. Some houses had wood carving designs.

Sarawakian Nancy Cheong admires the kampung painting.

A restaurant in Kuala Lumpur that serves authentic Malay food is now showcasing Rahim’s paintings.

Rahim (right) with his client, who bought the first painting at Hening.

Over the years, we have seen traditional Malay houses renovated or reconstructed using modern architectural materials and construction methods. In fact, it is harder to find a typical classic one with a thatched roof and wood-based construction today.

Imagine how delighted I was when I spotted an artist at a cosy mall in Kuala Lumpur sketching kampung houses.

Rahim Ismail is a Malaysian sketch artist from the Mersing district of Johor, which is famous for its beautiful beaches and islands. Born in 1958, his first ambition was to become a vessel designer, but he began his studies in architecture.

His early work experience was as an architectural draughtsman for four years at Akitek Haj & Rakan Rakan in Kuala Lumpur and Razak Akitekon in Johor Bahru.

With an additional Diploma in Interior Design from Institut Teknologi Mara Shah Alam, he became a business partner at KDR Interior, an interior design firm, in 1988.

In 1990, he established his own firm under the name DESIGN PRINCIPLES and went on to win many design awards, including the following:

⦁ MIFF 2008 AWARD
⦁ BEST PRESENTATION AWARD SILVER AWARD
⦁ MIFF 2009 AWARD
⦁ BEST PRESENTATION AWARD GOLD AWARD
⦁ MRM AWARD
⦁ MALAYSIAN GOOD DESIGN MARK
⦁ MIDI AWARD
⦁ MERIT AWARD FURNITURE DESIGN
⦁ MIECO AWARD
⦁ TERPILIH SEBAGAI ARTIS ARCA MIFF 2009
⦁ MILAN I SALONI
⦁ MEWAKILI MATRADE KE PAMERAN DI ITALI 2009 / 2010

Rahim has produced innovative designs and products based on bamboo, such as furniture, shelters, and houses for local markets. He has also exhibited in Italy, England, Frankfurt, Dubai, the UAE, Tokyo, Romania, and other regions.

Currently, he has chosen to spend more time sketching Malay kampung houses, from those in his childhood days to a large one featuring the famous Kampung Baru in Kuala Lumpur.

A Malay enclave in central Kuala Lumpur, Kampung Baru is one of the most valuable tracts of land in the capital, but it is also the last Malay kampung remaining in the city centre.

Established in 1899 by a grant from the then-Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Alauddin Sulaiman Shah, the kampung was built to allow the Malays to retain their village lifestyle within the city, well before it vanished into modern development.

Rahim wants it remembered in his artwork.

“Some of the kampung houses I have drawn are no longer in existence,” said Rahim, whose works are currently exhibited in Hening Restaurant, an exclusive venue famous for its classic Malay cuisine.

Rahim is currently collaborating with Hening to decorate its walls, making it a gallery for his paintings. Situated in an aesthetic spot near the Intermark in Kuala Lumpur, it is also close to the LINC Mall, where I met him.

When asked how long it takes for him to finish a piece, he said, “Depending on my mood, maybe three to four days or even a week if it has more details. Then, a series with the same story or concepts will take more time.”