KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 — Concerns over the declining popularity of wayang kulit (a traditional form of shadow puppetry) have driven three artistes to take an innovative approach to ensure the heritage art remains relevant, particularly among the young generation.
Founded in 2012 by Muhammad Dain Othman, along with his two partners Tintoy Chuo and Teh Take Huat, Fusion Wayang Kulit blends traditional Kelantanese wayang kulit with modern elements, introducing new storytelling and iconic characters from popular culture to attract audiences.
Muhammad Dain, 73, a 13th-generation Tok Dalang (puppet master) of traditional Kelantanese Malay wayang kulit, said shifting audience interests motivated them to innovate while preserving the art form’s original format.
“Kelantanese wayang kulit is fading due to a lack of interest, especially among young people. If this continues, the art may eventually disappear.
“So, we thought, why not do something to keep our wayang kulit alive,” he told Bernama when met at the Fusion Wayang Kulit gallery at GMBB, a creative community mall in Bukit Bintang here.
Fusion Wayang Kulit’s first attempt at introducing modern characters for wayang kulit began by creating characters from the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, including Darth Vader, Skywalker, Princess Leia Organa, C-3PO, Stormtroopers and the Star Destroyer Spaceship — with their first performance held in 2013.
The debut performance was well received, opening doors for international showcases in Germany, Australia, China and Japan.
Fusion Wayang Kulit’s first attempt at introducing modern characters for ‘wayang kulit’ began by creating characters from the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. — Bernama pic
Muhammad Dain said despite incorporating modern elements, they remained committed to preserving the traditional Kelantanese wayang kulit format by maintaining its five key characteristics — music, language or dialogue, performance, puppetry and characters.
“What we did was modify one of the story elements in the show known as the ‘foreign story’. The foreign story is a segment outside the core narrative, featuring different characters and music.
“The Tok Dalang can adapt it to the current context without mixing it into the main story,” he said, adding his team also conducts workshops to train the younger generation in wayang kulit.
Muhammad Dain said initially, Fusion Wayang Kulit faced resistance from some traditionalists who believed their innovations compromised the authenticity of wayang kulit.
However, after a clear explanation of the concept, many came to understand and accept it.
“In fact, I have received support from international experts who agree that incorporating new elements does not undermine the fundamental principles of Kelantanese wayang kulit,” added Muhammad Dain, who has been involved in the art since the 1980s.
To date, Fusion Wayang Kulit has created shadow puppet designs of various characters inspired by DC superheroes (Justice League), Sony PlayStation video games (Horizon Forbidden West, God of War, The Last of Us, Ratchet & Clank, Ghost of Tsushima), Japanese mecha (Evangelion, Zaku from Gundam), Tokusatsu (Ultraman, Kamen Rider), and Venom. They also developed the world’s first transforming wayang kulit puppets, inspired by the anime series Macross.
The Fusion Wayang Kulit team, consisting of about 20 members — including graphic designers, musicians, sound engineers, projection supervisors and the puppet master — has also performed in Singapore, Thailand, Japan, China, Austria and Germany. They were also invited to give a lecture at Pixar Animation Studios in California in the United States.
“Performing abroad is a step towards introducing Malaysia’s cultural heritage to a wider audience. We want wayang kulit to thrive, not just be a distant memory. Our hope is to inspire more people to revive and elevate this art form to a global level,” Muhammad Dain said.
Fusion Wayang Kulit is also involved in puppet making and wayang kulit performances at the exhibition, A Life in Shadows: The Story of Wayang Kulit, at the Asian Art Museum, Universiti Malaya here, running from February 13 to April 30. — Bernama
