The Resonance: Echoes of Nature art exhibition officially launched at Think & Tink, showcasing an array of community-driven artwork, environmental reflection, and cross-cultural collaboration. The event marks the culmination of a one-year Frugal Artists-in Residence (FAiR) project led by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and Coventry University, in collaboration with Borneo Laboratory.
In attendance at the launch were Professor IR Dr. Siti Noor Linda bt Taib, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation), UNIMAS; Tuan Nazeri bin Idi, Ketua Kaum Kampung Pasir Pandak; Dr. Mark Tee (IEEE); Miss Wendy Teo, Director of Think & Tink; and Associate Professor Dr. Jacey-Lynn Minoi, Director of the Gamification Centre, UNIMAS, and FAiR Project Leader. Also present were Dr. Stephanie Chua, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology, UNIMAS, and Dr. Lau Sie Ping, Deputy Director of the Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovations, UNIMAS.
Professor Dr. Sylvester Arnab, the project lead from Coventry University, expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the UNIMAS team and the Pasir Pandak community for their invaluable contributions towards the successful completion of the FAiR project, which culminated in the Resonance exhibition. Professor Arnab, who is scheduled to speak at the House of Commons during the Young Entrepreneurship Programme on empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs through Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL), also shared his pride in the project’s far-reaching impact—not only on those directly involved, but also on members of the public who devoted their time, effort, and enthusiasm to both the FAiR project and the Resonance exhibition.
The exhibition showcases a variety of creative outputs by renowned local and international artists, student artists, researchers, and Pasir Pandak community members who worked closely in co-creating works such as cyanotype printing, leaf printing, as well as a documentation of the creative processes behind the mural and installation at Pasir Pandak. These artworks represent more than artistic impressions, but rather depicts the emotions, reflections and hopes for taking lead and moving forward growing efforts on nurturing environmental awareness and conservation in coastal communities.
Adding a literary dimension to the showcase, five original poems reflecting the thoughts and emotions of locals and visitors inspired by Pasir Pandak’s natural beauty are also featured at Resonance. Paintings on mangroves inspired by the history and Pasir Pandak community are also featured at the exhibition. Apart from that, a dedicated Creative Nook within the space also invites visitors to contribute their own thoughts, drawings, or impressions — encouraging interaction, reflection, and creative exchange.
The project emphasizes frugal yet playful methods of engaging with environmental themes, demonstrating how art can be a powerful, accessible tool for awareness and community empowerment. Through these creative expressions, the project aimed at paving a way of stirring emotions, sparking conversations, and inspiring future generations to become stewards of the land and sea.