Muma Malaysia spotlights the beauty of creative subtraction, in 'The art of undoing'

Muma Malaysia has unveiled "The art of undoing", an experimental installation that flips the script on traditional art-making by proving that erasing can be as expressive as drawing. Created in collaboration with stationery retailer CzipLee, the project positions “precision erasing” as a legitimate craft, and a reminder that creativity doesn’t always begin with addition.

The installation features two large monochromatic artworks produced through a reverse-drawing technique. Instead of sketching on a blank canvas, Muma’s creative team first filled the entire surface with graphite, then meticulously carved out details using MONO Zero high-precision erasers. Each stroke of removal revealed textures, shapes, and surrealistic forms envisioned by the agency’s design team, led by creative partner Choo Chee Wee.

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“Throughout centuries, everyone associates the pencil as a tool for master artists and look at erasers as instruments for correcting,” said Choo. “We wanted to reverse that mindset and show that creation can be as much about removal as addition." The intricate pieces, which took two months to complete, not only drew public interest but also clinched industry acclaim, and two awards. 

The artworks are currently on display at CzipLee in Bangsar Village, a natural home for the installation given the brand’s long-standing advocacy for creativity and self-expression. The retailer partnered on the project as part of its mission to encourage Malaysians to push beyond traditional artistic boundaries. “This collaboration embodies CzipLee’s commitment to unlocking a world where creativity knows no bounds,” said Jason Chen, executive director at CzipLee. “These works remind us that erasing is not just about correcting but an integral part of creating and an art form in its own right.”

The partnership highlights both brands’ shared philosophy, that imagination thrives when artists are free to explore, experiment, and defy convention, even if that means starting with a canvas of pure graphite just to erase it away.

In a similar display of creativity, creative agency BBH Singapore launched “Rinse & repeat,” a conceptual product that blends personal catharsis with a satirical tribute to the creative grind in May this year. Styled as a soap bar, the project is a metaphorical nod to the emotional toll of working in the industry and a celebration of persistence as the defining trait of creative professionals.

Born from the lived experiences of BBH Singapore’s own creative team, “Rinse & repeat” unpacks the unseen, emotional side of the creative journey. It is a campaign about the endless cycle of ideation, rejection, and rework that leads to the occasional moment of breakthrough.

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