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Serumpun Exhibition

Serumpun Exhibition

2024 ๐’๐ž๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ง ๐…๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐’๐ž๐ซ๐ข๐ž๐ฌ

Serumpun - a bundle of grass sharing the same roots and aspirations. The term resonated with us when we heard it from the Ketua Kampung of Jagoi, on the Kalimantan side. This area, once a unified community with its Malaysian neighbor, became divided by political borders. Serumpun became the apt title for our collective efforts, uniting 12 communities across Borneo still deeply entrenched in traditional craft practices.

 

From our extensive 2022 research road trip, we amassed a wealth of material - 5 TB of video footage, images, and interviews. This treasure trove enabled us to craft four thematic short films, each delving into our conversations with these diverse communities and shedding light on the current state of craft practices across the island.

 

The thematic short films encompass:

1.      Passing Down Craft Practices

2.      Changing Landscapes in Borneo

3.      Documentation of Craft Practices

4.      Innovation in Craftsmanship

 

However, consolidating this varied footage proved challenging. With inconsistent quality and missing pieces, piecing together a coherent narrative required ingenuity. Collaborating with Asa Esa Films, a talented Sarawak-based filmmaking team driven by a passion for storytelling, was pivotal. Their willingness to go the extra mile, coupled with their expertise in weaving compelling narratives, proved invaluable.

 

Throughout the process, Asa Esa Films utilized AI-assisted techniques to bridge narrative gaps caused by missing footage. As a result, viewers will encounter seamless AI animations seamlessly integrated into the films, providing context and depth to moments we might have missed capturing.

 

๐Ÿ.           ๐๐š๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐‚๐ซ๐š๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐œ๐ž๐ฌ

Time: 4:45 min

Contributors: Pak Mahadi, Jumadi, Sandra, Jono Anjasmara |Singkawang, Kalimantan Indonesia; Wendy Teo | Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia  

Film Editor: Asa Esa Films

 

๐Ÿ.           ๐‚๐ก๐š๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐‹๐š๐ง๐๐ฌ๐œ๐š๐ฉ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ง๐ž๐จ

Time: 11:15 min

Contributors: Pak Sujianto, Ibu Roslinda, Ania |Jagoi Babang, Kalimantan Indonesia; Salomon Gau, Ngau Bilong | Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia  

Film Editor: Asa Esa Films

 

๐Ÿ‘.           ๐ƒ๐จ๐œ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐‚๐ซ๐š๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐๐ซ๐š๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐œ๐ž๐ฌ

Time: 10:46 min

Contributors: Jennifer P. Linggi|Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia; Emily Jeneble, Rasmah Rumambai |Keningau, Sabah, Malaysia; Nek Wan | Sambas, Kalimantan, Indonesia; Wendy Teo | Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia  

Film Editor: Asa Esa Films

 

๐Ÿ’.           ๐ˆ๐ง๐ง๐จ๐ฏ๐š๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐‚๐ซ๐š๐Ÿ๐ญ๐ฌ

Time: 5:28 min

Contributors: Betong Woman Weavers | Betong, Sarawak, Malaysia; Randi Julian Miranda, Angela Mayrina | Palangkaraya, Kalimantan, Indonesia; Rosemarie Wong, Ivy Jong, Johnson Tan | Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia  

Film Editor: Asa Esa Films

2022 "Serumpun: Crafts Across Bordersโ€ Exhibition

The "Serumpun: Crafts Across Bordersโ€ Exhibition, part of the "Cultural Assets and Vernacular Materials" programme, starts from Saturday 3rd December, 2022 onward at the Borneo Cultures Museum. In collaboration between the Borneo Laboratory and The Glasgow School of Art, this year-long programme and research explores sustainability challenges and craft activism in communities across Borneo, and has been supported by the British Council International Collaboration Grants.

Under Serumpun, there are 11 projects in various forms of grass-root activism corresponding to their respective contexts in relation to crafts, carried out in their own scales and manners. Some look into developing their craft with alternative material, as a response to the material scarcity in the changing ecosystem of landscape; some developed patterns and motifs that reflects their identity of the region, despite not celebrated by the market generally; some works with the local youth to enable different growth alternative, in combating the reality of illegal gold mining and human trafficking in the area. Some, conducted competition in community scale, to enable innovation. Serumpun, a bundle of grass shares the same roots, also shares the same aspiration to experience, grow and contribute, through crafting.

Exhibition Curatorial Statement

โ€œBefore the colonial governments came, we used to be Serumpun.โ€ This was stated by Sujianto, the Ketua Kampong of Sekida Village in Jagoi Babang during our pan-Borneo research trip, to visit the communities we work with.

โ€œSerumpunโ€ means a bundle of grass that shares the same root. In this project, โ€œserumpunโ€ helps us convey how knowledge, wisdom and material cultures in craft across the borders of Kalimantan, Sarawak and Sabah connect together as a wider ecosystem. Today craft communities across South East Asia are facing a range of complex challenges. From climate change to increased youth migration, there is the need to find new ways to protect craft as a โ€˜cultural assetโ€™ to pass onto future generations.

The serumpun exhibition presents 11 craft projects undertaken individually and collaboratively by artisans, practitioners and initiatives from across Sarawak, Sabah and Kalimantan. Each project in this collection has explored and responded to a contemporary challenge in craft through experimenting with new materials, ways of making and ways of sharing. Connecting these featured works are inspiring stories of innovation, creativity and education which invite us to reflect both inwards on the deep wisdom and knowledges that live in the hands of craft practitioners and artisans, and forward towards sustainable futures.

This exhibition, designed by and for Borneoโ€™s craft communities, is the first of its kind hosted at the Borneo Cultural Museum. These projects and exhibition were supported by The Borneo Laboratory and The Glasgow School of Art, and supported by The British Council and the International Collaboration Award, 2022.

The 5 Themes in Exhibition

#connectingcraftspractices

#sustainabilityincrafts

#storyofborneocrafts

#InternationalCollaborationGrant

Tides that Bind: On Senses

Tides that Bind: On Senses

Think. Theatre

Think. Theatre