Keeping it ALIVE

Director Mirsham Meer on his family's art and culture endeavour, HARTA.

- TAN SIOK HOON

How did the idea of HARTA come about?

This year marks HABIB’s 65th anniversary, and when thinking about what we want to achieve with the brand, we decided that we wanted to do something that would help Malaysians build more pride in our country. We thought that by educating and exposing younger Malaysians to our traditions and arts, it could lead to greater pride and appreciation in our identity. After months of conversations with the family and experts, HARTA was born.

What does HARTA stand for, and what is its vision and mission? 

HARTA is an acronym which stands for “HABIB: Action for Revival of our Traditions and Arts.” It’s a truly unique space dedicated to celebrating creativity and culture, combining three things — a Malaysian Heritage Jewellery Museum, an Art Gallery and a little café. We envision HARTA as a creative space for the public as well as for our own people to explore the amazing creativity of our past to inspire our designs in the future. We don’t just want to curate and exhibit, but to enrich and inspire those visiting us.

Let’s start with the HARTA Heritage Jewellery Museum — its beautiful collections and synergistic connection to the family business, HABIB.