This post is brought to you by OPPO.
By its nature, technology advances rapidly. However, in this rush towards the future, we sometimes neglect our past, in which our cultures, traditions, and heritage reside. For its 10th anniversary, OPPO Malaysia wants to show its appreciation to its supporters for believing in the brand and bringing success by paying tribute to Malaysia with its #OPPOMalaysiaThroughTheLens campaign.
OPPO Malaysia’s Chief Marketing Officer, Monica Chin, reiterated the importance of culture as it connects our future to our past and how the younger generation of today can interpret and explore their heritage through technology, AI in particular.
The #OPPOMalaysiaThroughTheLens campaign is a series of photography showcases and brand films that highlight the five different Malaysian cultural art forms through the lens of its latest OPPO Reno11 Series.
Seeing the potential size of the cultural impact, OPPO’s initiative has also garnered support from the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO (MNCU) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture (MOTAC).
5 incredible short films on Malaysia’s Art and Culture
The first film focuses on the art of Wayang Kulit, whereby a master puppeteer, Pak Dain and acclaimed fusion Wayang Kulit artist, Tin Toy, join forces in preserving the fading cultural traditions through shadow puppetry. It aims to spotlight the duo’s efforts and creative endeavours to ensure the nation’s greatest art forms are preserved.
The short film and photography series also heads east to explore the art of the Ngajat dance, which is a symbol of heritage for Sarawakians. The story follows through the eyes of an eight-year-old Dion Das Louis, who takes it upon himself to learn the art form to extend the culture of Ngajat dance to the next generation.
The film series also covers the art form of Magagung in Sabah with the help of young Kadazan men who strive in their journey to uphold traditional rituals and practices, connecting with their heritage in the art of nature’s grandeur.
The fourth instalment of the film series looks at the vibrant and historical city of Malacca, where the age-old tradition of Dondang Sayang thrives among the four district communities – Malay, Baba Nonya, Chitty, and Portuguese. This series explores the enchanting fusion of music, songs and poetry that embodies the spirit of unity and cultural richness within these communities.
To wrap things up, the final instalment explores Penang’s rich heritage of Chinese Opera which continues to thrive today thanks to the dedicated efforts of performer Ling Goh. The film takes a closer look into the captivating world of Chinese Opera, exploring its cultural significance and cross-cultural understanding.
Pushing the boundaries of mobile photography technology with AI
Besides sharing compelling stories about Malaysia’s art and culture, the documentary also showcases OPPO’s advancements in mobile photography. Through the cumulative years of development, OPPO is harnessing the power of AI to reshape the mobile photography experience, enabling every user to capture the best moment with simplicity and ease.
While OPPO may not be the first to introduce AI for photography, the brand claims to offer the simplest and most effective AIGC image enhancement for everyday users. While imaging hardware on mobile devices has its limits, the new AI capabilities can unlock new creative possibilities to take photography to the next level.
This is an area in which OPPO has been strategically investing including the establishment of its AI Centre at OPPO AndesBrain (Binhaiwan Bay) IDC in Guangdong, China.
Here’s your chance to showcase Malaysia’s culture to the world
OPPO is also inviting you to celebrate and preserve Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage with its imagine IF Photography Awards 2024. This is a professional mobile photography contest judged by renowned photographers including Alec Soth, Michael Yamashita and Steve McCurry. Submit your stunning Malaysian cultural photography for a chance to win up to USD 24,000 and exhibit at Paris Photo.
The OPPO imagine IF Photography Awards 2024 features nine different categories covering Landscape, Portrait, Colours, Unfading Moment, Fashion, Snapshot, Light, Travel and Collection. Each of these categories aims to inspire users to share their most compelling stories and emotions captured through the lens of OPPO smartphones.
The imagine IF Photography Awards 2024 is open for submission until 28 July 2024. You can learn more on the campaign’s official website.
