Cherie wins Sabah Design Competition
Published on: Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Kota Kinabalu: For her design "Rewoven", designer Cherie Gregory, who is currently working in London, bagged the first prize of RM2,000, Life Membership to the KadazanDusun Cultural Association (KDCA) and a hand-beaded memento in the lst Sabah Design Competition with the theme "Portraying Kadazandusun Culture from Traditional to Contemporary Design".Her aunty Mary Goretti collected the prize on her behalf from the Chairperson of KDCA Women's Council, Joanna Datuk Kitingan at the prize-giving ceremony held at the Sabah Art Gallery, Monday.Cherie said of her winning creation: "Traditional Sabahan handicrafts' vibrant colours and woven patterns inspired me to create a modern homewares range. The Traditional Kain Dastar patterns have been reimagined as a modern, bold tile style fabric, digitally printed and brought up to date.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I also found inspiration in the tungkup baskets, with my patterns echoing the vibrantly dyed bamboo weaving. I find a connection to my heritage by interlinking my family's historical handicraft technique with modern design."Kitingan said the Women's Council will be taking Cherie's designs and working with traditional weavers and basket makers to produce a series of craft objects. "In this way, a connection will be made with traditional weavers to help provide them with a sustainable income as well as provide the designer with a percentage of the profit."Three highly commended winners, who received a cash prize of RM200 each, were designer Alesia Adrian Goinipison (Rekaan Baju Tradisis Dusun Tambunan), designers Nursiah and Nursineh Tamsir (Wakid Lamp), and designer Mary Joan B. Puvok (Tomboboizungon Do Bambarayon).
ADVERTISEMENT
The KDCA Women's Council in partnership with Sabah Art Gallery and Sabah Cultural Board launched the Design Competition a year ago. "We are devoted to the task of preserving, developing and promoting Kadazandusun culture. Through the 1st Sabah Design Competition, we are celebrating contemporary Kadazandusun design. It's amazing what Sabah's young designers can create," Kitingan said, adding that 65 entries were received since the launch.
ADVERTISEMENT
The competition was championed by Minister of Culture, Environment and Tourism, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun who encouraged the Council to find Sabah's design talent and support Kadazandusun Culture. Sabahan YouTube icon Adam Shamil and KDCA Women's Council member Shelley Jolison promoted the competition through a video produced by Vinoun Films (owned by KDCA Women's Council member Rachel Ongkili).Design Competition Organising Chairpersons, Jo Luping and Shelley Jolison, said the competition was created to find and license Sabah designers' work and then produce ranges of handicraft products that would be made by our local Kadazandusun artisans. "In this way, the KDCA Women's Council hopes to work towards achieving its goals, which are to preserve and promote Kadazandusun culture and to provide sustainable income for Kadazandusun women," they said.The judges were three of Sabah's most renowned individuals from the creative sector - Jennifer Linggi (Director and Manager of Sabah Art Gallery), I-Lann Yee (internationally renowned artist whose work has been exhibited widely in museums and biennials around the world) and Teo Zye Keun (Brand designer and Illustrator, former President of Visual Communication Association (2014-2015), Co-Founder & Director at Generator Creative Studio and Asgardian School of Art).Entries were judged on Technical Skill/Craftsmanship (20pc), Originality/Creativity/Innovation (40pc), Portrayal of KDM Culture (30pc) and Presentation (10pc). Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
