UNBOX Art Exhibition by FCI's DMDA final-year students

Group photo of UNBOX committee members, students and sponsors

UNBOX Art Exhibition, a final year project (FYP) exhibition organised by 92 final-year students from Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Graphic Design & Multimedia and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Digital Animation took place from 13 May 2023 to 15 May 2023 at The Grey Box (GMBB) in Bukit Bintang. The exhibition saw the display of student works, featuring branding, web design, animation, publication and advertising.

The exhibition was a collective effort between the students and the academics of the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI). It was supervised by FCI academics Ts Ng Perng Jeu and Lee Kin Keong, and supported by the Department of Multimedia Design and Animation Head, Dr Wan Irma Sabrina binti Idris. Fifteen academics were chosen to be in charge of different categories. The lecturers in charge were:

Category	Print	Web	Animation
1	Tan Hwei Ping	Ts Mohd Fairuz bin Ali	Ts Ng Perng Jeu
2	K. Jeevamalar	Ahmad Syawal bin Mohd Lajis	Dr Wan Irma Sabrina binti Idris
3	Suhaila binti Ahmad Zaki	Sim Kian Boon	Goh Kiang Kuan
4	Yang Suk Lan		Hafez bin Zainudin
5	M. Ravindran		Mohamad Faiz bin Md Khalid
6	Mariah binti M Johari
7	Lee Kin Keong

The UNBOX Art Exhibition was a resounding success. Over the three days, an average of 118 visitors participated in the exhibition per hour, resulting in a total attendance of approximately 2,478 visitors. The exhibition attracted a diverse range of individuals, including those from design backgrounds, companies within the creative industries, design and animation enthusiasts, and parents.

The opening ceremony commenced with notable speeches by the Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI), Dr David Tneh Cheng Eng, the Head of Department of Multimedia and Animation (DMDA), Dr Wan Irma, and the event chairperson, Yong Wei Lin. The event continued with informative talks by industry leaders, a captivating sand art candle workshop, and a special performance by an influencer. The presence of students, sponsors, and the general public created a vibrant atmosphere.

The exhibition aims to showcase students’ FYP artworks to the general public; as such the exhibition created an opportunity for the students to expose their works to potential audiences. The exhibition theme ‘UNBOX’ intended to bridge human curiosity with creative content. Thus, students were free to explore and unleash their creative solutions by exhibiting their works within the given space.

The impressive turnout reflected the appeal and interest generated by the event. It drew in a wide range of audiences with a shared passion for art, design, and creativity. The attendees from diverse backgrounds provided valuable exposure for the exhibitors and fostered networking opportunities and connections within the industry.

Lee said, “During the exhibition, the students received encouraging verbal feedback from visitors, industrial experts and sponsors. Numerous discussions also took place between students and potential employers who were interested in our students’ projects. Over the three days, Ts Perng Jeu and I noticed many industry company staff exchanging contacts with our students and some informed us that they received numerous job offers. GMBB management also approached us to recommend students for them and their partners.”

The event sponsors, namely Pelangi Publishing Group Bhd, LWC Architect Sdn Bhd, Rtist, and Oriental Martial Art Equipment Co, played a vital role in the exhibition’s success. Their monetary sponsorship of RM3,700 demonstrated their commitment towards this event. Besides, non-monetary sponsors, such as Goblin Techkeys, 7-Eleven, Grafico Image Sdn Bhd, and Salescraft Marketing Solutions contributed in the form of products, services, and in-kind support, valued at RM5,000, and kind donors who contributed RM1,200, further enhanced the exhibition outcomes.

Visitors unboxing the student’s Final Year Project

One of the Final Year Project’s samples

Fans and students attending the special event by the influencer