Sampat Studio – a collaboration between Malaysian design duo Marcos Kueh and Isabelle Nair-Lacheta – interweaves the physical with the digital, and the tangible with the intangible. The designers share the belief, deeply-rooted in Asia, that every object has its own spiritual properties. Bursting with Southeast Asian symbolism, their colourful tapestry tells the tale of the spirit of a female warrior in the style of Wayang Kulit (traditional shadow puppetry). It depicts the space in which the warrior resides, and which remains hidden, elusive to the naked eye. A new layer to the story is revealed through augmented reality. Without that virtual layer, the descriptions themselves convey the idea of the myth.

Studio Sampat’s work appeals to the imagination with impressive craftsmanship in terms of both design and technique. These young designers excel in expressiveness. Their work Wayang Kulit raises questions about what you see and what you cannot see, and invites the viewer to dive deeper into the story. An innovative and layered piece, full of contrast, with hard and soft patterns in which materials have been used sensitively. The virtual translation is a great way of depicting the belief that everyday objects have a soul. This introduces the viewer to the world behind the symbols, bringing the piece even more explicitly to life.