Visual artist Cheah showing how one can interact with the fabric drapes to play with light and shadows in the 'OH!Tenang' immersive art experience. – Photo: The Star/Jeremy Tan
Amid the hustle and bustle of a popular shopping mall in Penang’s George Town, is a calming space that allows visitors to reconnect with themselves.
It looks unassuming from the outside, but step in and you are quickly transported to a different world where sights, sounds and scents weave a soul-soothing rhythm.
All worldly troubles can be checked at the door so the mind is fully tuned into what plays out around you at that particular moment in time. And it promises to be rather therapeutic.
The space is actually an immersive art experience called OH!Tenang and presented by OtherHalf – a multidisciplinary artist studio run by former high schoolmates Cheah Su May and Ho Lay Hoon.
Located on the 7th floor of Gurney Plaza, it will be up till Jan 21 and is catered to visitors of all ages and abilities.
Visitors can also walk around the fabric drapes and enjoy the ethereal feel of colourful and diffused light. Photo: The Star/Jeremy Tan
“What we set out to create was a calming space that interweaves natural and cultural elements to take people on a multi-sensory journey. With our hectic lifestyles today, we could all use little moments to pause and reconnect with our inner beings,” said Cheah, a Penangite of Peranakan heritage.
At the centre of the darkened (74sq m) box is a curtain of white drapes, upon which moving imagery is projected. As these sheets flutter in the air, everything from flowers and greenery to birds, marine creatures, clouds and even rainbows, come to life.
The animation plays on a six-minute loop and is accompanied by music specially composed by Cheah and Ho’s long-time friend, Ashwin Gobinath from Nadir Music Studios.
One would pick up soft, slow tones from the gamelan and chords from other traditional musical instruments like the guzheng and sape, all intertwined with melodies from the natural world.
Visitors getting a closer look at the plant motifs that play out across the fabric screens. Photo: The Star/Jeremy Tan
“Sounds can be incredibly healing, especially traditional ones. Here, they are presented in more contemporary rhythms so modern audiences can relate.
“The visuals were all produced in-house, including some from my own meditative practices. There are hornbills and fish, which have names so younger visitors have an added point of connection.
“We felt these added cultural narratives would enrich the experience,” said Cheah, who made sure to make the space inclusive for all.
Differently-abled individuals can easily access it via wide openings, while details are presented in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, Tamil and Braille.
There are bean bags for visitors to sit on and enjoy the experience. A pair of mirrors on the floor act as reflective ponds to accentuate the surreal feel.
Visitors to 'OH!Tenang' can make themselves comfortable on bean bags and relax as sights, sounds and scents take their minds to a calmer state. Photo: The Star/Jeremy Tan
“Our work tends to revolve around the interplay of shadow and light. This imbues a space with character and complexity. Can you imagine a world without either of them?
“But more than anything, we strive to create meaningful and purposeful art experiences for all. We want to show art’s therapeutic nature and how it can help people’s well-being.
“It’s also a reminder for people to pause and feel the breeze or smell the roses. Because sometimes we can get so caught up in life that we forget to notice the subtle details around us.
“So come without any preconceptions and just see how the space makes you feel. Hopefully you leave feeling a lot calmer,” added Cheah.
The installation project also features several accompanying activities, including child-friendly cultural workshops.
Reach out and touch the hornbills which are part of the six-minute long animation series. Photo: The Star/Jeremy Tan
The OH!Tenang experience itself is free for visitors of all ages. It is open from 11am to 8pm daily.
The project was made possible by a grant from Arts for All Seasons (ArtsFAS), a programme under Yayasan Hasanah run in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.
OtherHalf is based both in Penang and Singapore, and its other works include immersive art experiences and installations and thoughtfully-designed play spaces. It also handle design consulting for museum exhibitions.
Since 2020, it has pledged to sustainably source their build materials, upcycling wherever possible.
