Entwine - Maybank Women Eco-Weavers Meet South-East Asian Artists

Merlion Wayfarer was recently at  a travelling exhibition presented by Maybank Foundation on contemporary artworks by six established South East Asian artists who were inspired by the cultural history and art of the region’s weaving heritage. Displayed at the National Museum of Singapore concourse, the exhibition was curated by Singapore’s Chan + Hori Contemporary and will run from 21 August 21 to 08 September 2019.

The Maybank Women Eco-Weavers is an economic empowerment programme designed to support traditional weaving practices in a sustainable manner whilst creating economic independence and financial inclusion for women weavers across the ASEAN region. The programme showcases the bank's role towards a more inclusive ASEAN, by strengthening women’s empowerment and gender equality in the region to support the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.

Traditional textile weaving is an ancient art form and today, it provides a source of income for a diminishing number of women weavers regionally. Through the exhibition entitled “Entwine: Maybank Women Eco-Weavers meet Southeast Asian Artists”, the public will have a glimpse into the livelihood and artistic talents of traditional weavers living in rural parts of Indonesia, Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia, who have been supported by the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme. 

The textiles from different countries vary in their use of the patterns and the material used...

Mr. Shahril Azuar Jimin, CEO of Maybank Foundation, said, “Since 2016, the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme has partnered local social enterprises and NGOs to provide an ecosystem for the sustained development of weaving crafts and environmentally-friendly production practices within the region. Six contemporary artists visited our weavers in their natural environment and responded to their experiences after meeting artisans of different weaving communities, and hence, we put together this exhibition to showcase the art creations alongside naturally-dyed and handwoven fabrics from the eco-weavers, in celebration of ASEAN’s arts and culture.”

Artists and Curator’s Profiles

Curator: Khairuddin Hori

Khairuddin Hori (b. 1974, Singapore) is best known for his multidisciplinary and unconventional approach to curating, supported by his experience in theatre and work as an artist. Khai’s profile was placed on spotlight in 2014 after he was invited onboard Europe’s largest and internationally renowned art center, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, France as its Deputy Director of Artistic Programming. Prior to that, Khai was Senior Curator at the Singapore Art Museum, overseeing Singapore’s national collection for contemporary art, and Senior Curator at the Curatorial Development department of the National Heritage Board, Singapore. In 2018, in partnership with the National Arts Council, Singapore Khai was commissioned to curate DISINI a new visual arts festival featuring outdoor sculptures, public programmes and exhibitions, He was also the curator behind LOCK ROUTE, the first international outdoor sculpture exhibition at visual art precinct, Gillman Barracks in 2017. 

Khai explaining the functions of the loom and how it is used for weaving...

In 2016, Khai co-curated In Praise of Shadows, a sustainable light art festival in the Marina Bay precinct; was an international affiliate of “What happens now?”: Public Art Melbourne Biennial Lab (2016) and co-curator of The Light of the Light by Quistrebert brothers. Other notable projects include Tianzhuo Chen, Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2015); Sous la lune, Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore (2015); Secret Archipelago, Palais de Tokyo, Paris (2015); Open SEA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Lyon (2015); Welcome to the Jungle, Yokohama Museum of Art and Contemporary Art Museum Kumamoto, Japan (2013); If the World Changed, Singapore Biennale (2013); Lucid Dreams in the Reverie of the Real, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore (2012); and Negotiating Home, History and Nation, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore (2011). Khai is currently Curatorial Director and Partner at Chan + Hori Contemporary in Singapore.

Artist 1: Sheryo

Sheryo (b. 1984, Singapore) is a visual/mural artist who started painting in the streets in 2005. Her art seeks to investigate, analyse and document the human psyche and frustrations towards contemporary lifestyles. She works across mediums, from 2D paintings to 3D sculptures, installations and moving images. Her style, often referencing pulp illustrations and skateboard graphics, comes across as jovial and surreal imagery that speaks to those who grew up admiring 80’s and 90’s skateboarding and surfing culture. 

She has exhibited and painted murals around the world with fellow artist, Yok. Select exhibitions include Art from the Streets at the ArtScience Museum in Singapore (2018), Forest for the Trees at Sodo Track Mural Festival in Seattle, U.S.A. (2018) and Double Tigers at Baandam Museum in Chiang Rai, Thailand (2017).

Naga Wheel : This is a re-interpretation of a silk-spinning wheel from the Lao Sericulture weaving centre where Mdm Kommaly shared stories of her legacy with Sheryo...

Artist 2: Sharon Chin

Sharon Chin (b. 1980, Malaysia) works across a variety of media, developing narratives on environmental and political issues on her home country. One of her well-known series, Local Flora, Patterns (2017) is an installation piece based on 25 floral patterns she developed as illustrations for Creatures of Near Kingdoms, a book of short stories by Malaysian writer Zedeck Siew. This work was collected by the Singapore Art Museum. 

Sharon is featured in the 2019 Singapore Biennale and participated in the 2013 Singapore Biennale with Mandi Bunga/Flower Bath, where over 100 people gathered to bathe together on the lawn of the National Museum of Singapore, making front page news of The Straits Times. Her works have also been shown at institutions such as the National Art Gallery of Malaysia, Galeri Petronas, Singapore Art Museum and Incheon Culture and Arts Centre, Korea. She has also been on residencies and festivals in Vietnam, Myanmar, Australia, Germany, the United Kingdom and Japan. 

Yang Tersirat Dan Tersurat : Following her visit to the Lenek Lauk Village in Lombok, Sharon invited 40 individual women weavers to create 240 woven strips...

The motifs, colours and materials decided by each woman, accompanied by their names and titles which hinted at stories behind their weaving...

Gaps in the hanging arrangement create negative space, which also represents the invisible labour of women...

Artist 3: Lyle Buencamino

Lyle Buencamino (b. 1978, The Philippines) graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts majoring in Painting. He is known for his large-scale paintings based on movie stills produced by the now-defunct LVN Productions in the 1950's - what is often referred to as the 'Golden Age' in Filipino cinema. His series, No Fighting in the Museum, began as a reflection on propriety and behaviour in institutions and other similar public spaces. 

Lyle has held three solo exhibitions thus far, namely Death of the Last Romantic at Finale Art File (2013); All The Symptoms But Not The Disease at Ateneo Art Gallery (2008) and A Bowtie for John Lyle at Mag:net Gallery (2006). Selected exhibitions include Mutable Truths: Perspectives in Philippine Contemporary Art Practices at the Ateneo Art Gallery in Manila (2017); What does it all matter, as long as the wounds fit the arrows? at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (2014) and No talking points 2 at TAKSU Gallery in Singapore (2013). His latest solo exhibition was presented at Chan + Hori Contemporary in Singapore in 2019.

Escape From/To Kuching : During his visit to the Tanoti Crafts showroom in Kuching, Lyle encountered an ornate songket Sarawak pattern. Through this inspiration, by knotting fabrics together, Lyle imagine an "escape rope" from the scaffolding structure to the ground...

Artist 4: Ubatsat Sutta

Ubatsat Sutta (b. 1980, Thailand) obtained a Master’s Degree in Philosophy and Religion at Chiang Mai University in Thailand in 2007 and is currently reading his PhD in Buddhism at Mahachulalongkorn University in Thailand. He was previously the artist assistant to Thai artist, Rirkrit Tiravanija. In 2017, he participated in an artist residency programme in Rikuzentakata and Paradise Air in Tokyo. His group exhibitions include Food Matters at Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong (2018); Articulation Existence at the Baan Tuek Art Center, Chiang Mai, Thailand (2017) and In the Remembrance of the Great King at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre in Bangkok, Thailand (2017). His solo exhibition, Sox Stars, took place in 2019 at the CMU Art Centre in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Harry The Train Song : Ubatsat reflects different evolutions of the Royal Railway in this artwork, with colour palettes representing paint jobs of carriages and key stations along the track...

Artist 5: Shahrul Jamili Miskon

Shahrul Jamili Miskon (b. 1978, Malaysia) trained as a ceramicist in Central Academy of Arts, Kuala Lumpur and graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Surrey Institute of Arts, UK in 2003. He later went on to study at the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), International Islamic University, Malaysia, graduating in 2013. Typically found working with materials and approaches such as aluminium, paper, print, sculpture and installation art, Shahrul favours geometric principles as fundamental junctures and philosophical footing in both art and religiosity. His solo exhibition, METALANGUAGE took place at Chan + Hori Contemporary in Singapore in 2017. Other exhibitions include Cannot be Bo(a)rdered at the Urban Art Fair, Paris, France (2017); Pangea at the International Art Biennial, Shah Alam, Malaysia (2016) and New Object(ion) III at Galerie Petronas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

Artist 6: Lugas Syllabus

Lugas Syllabus (b. 1987, Indonesia) is a contemporary artist who lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He is widely known for his paintings and sculptures that address the ironies and contradictions in modern and contemporary society. Woven into his pieces are narratives and iconography from pop culture, media and technology; coupled with memories and folklore. The artist completed his undergraduate degree in painting at the Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) in Yogyakarta. His solo exhibitions include We Dance Together at Chan + Hori Contemporary in Singapore (2018), Tomorrow Must Be Better at Element Art Space, Shanghai, China (2017); Natural Born Worker at Finale Art File in the Philippines (2017) and The Garden of Triumph at Art Stage Singapore (2016). He has participated in artist residencies in Passau, Germany; Brisbane, Australia and Singapore. Awards he has garnered include the Artmajeur Art Award (Silver) in 2009 and the Second Heritage Winner for Portraits of Indonesia at the National Museum of Indonesia. He was featured in the DISINI public art festival at Gillman Barracks, Singapore, by Chan + Hori Contemporary which ran from January to September 2018, and is a participating artist in ArtJog MMXIX, Arts in Common (2019) with a work titled Berbatas tapi Tak Terbatas (Painting set).

(Photo Credit : Maybank)

Curator tours, storytelling for children and weaving demonstrations are available over the next three weekends. All activities are free of charge, and are listed here at www.facebook.com/events/2218040074975525/.

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ACM - A Trip Back To Ancient Civilizations

It's been the longest time since Merlion Wayfarer stepped into a museum. Recently, on one of her days off, she decided to venture along the banks of the Singapore River, and right into the museum at Empress Place.

The Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) showcases Singapore's diverse heritage by charting the exploration and history behind the people from around the region that have settled on Singapore's shores over the past two centuries. 

Being the only museum in the region devoted to exploring the artistic heritage of Asia, especially the ancestral cultures of Singaporeans, it was founded in 1993, and in its present building by the Singapore River since 2003. On the ground floor, the Trade and the Exchange of Ideas gallery houses artefacts and artworks that tell stories of Singapore’s history as an emporium for global trade. 

In the riverfront Khoo Teck Puat gallery, the famous Tang Shipwreck collection is located - A virtual time capsule of treasures from 9th-century China hidden from the world till its discovery in 1998. The adjoining Kwek Hong Png Wing houses the museum’s first contemporary art space. The third floor houses over 300 magnificent Chinese ceramics from the museum's collection. Other galleries in the ACM include the Ancient Religions Gallery and the Scholar in Chinese Culture gallery.   

Merlion Wayfarer spent the most time on Level 2, which houses Faith & Belief galleries. These galleries present their origins in Asia, their spread across the continent by land and by sea, and their localisation each step of the way. Here are some snapshots of the photo-worthy artefacts:

Model Stupa

Gandhara, 3rd or 4th Century, Schist

This beautifully carved stupa is decorated on the bottom tier with images of the Buddha seated in meditation and flanked by two attendants. The Corinthian columns show how classical Mediterranean art influenced Gandhara. The lotus petals that decorate the dome are symbols of Buddha. The finial on top marks the vertical axis of the stupa and the position of the relic chamber inside.

Head of Bodhisattva

Gandhara, Around 4th Century, Terracotta

The face and curly hair show the powerful influence of the West on the development of Buddhist art. Ancient Greece and Rome played a significant role in the development of Gandhara (in present day Pakistan and Afghanistan).

Bodhisattvas wear jewellery, and have beards and moustaches, which distinguishes them from figures of the Buddha. The jewellery seen here is typical of the Gandhara period. A circular indent on his forehead, called an urna, is a mark of nobility and illumination; it would originally have been inlaid with a precious stone.

The sculpture was modelled with wet clay that was then fired. This technique allowed deep indentations and free forms, as evident in the beard and hair. Terracotta (literally, baked clay) allowed large statues to be assembled from several places.

Atlas

Gandhara, 3rd Century, Schist

In ancient Greek mythology, Atlas is a Titan who holds up the sky. Such figures were often placed with scenes from the Buddha's life. This shows how Western classical art was adopted to adorn Buddhist art in Gandhara.

Head of a Buddha

Thailand, Lan Na, 16th Century, Bronze

This Buddha, when it was complete, would have looked own serenely upon those who worshipped it. It was produced in Lan Na (Northern Thailand), a major bronze-casting centre, its prominent cranial bump (ushnisha) was originally lopped by a flame finial (now missing) similar to those on the two Sukothai Buddha images on display in this gallery.

As with Sukhothai, Lan Na was influenced by Sri Lankan Buddhism. Styles flowed between the various kingdoms, and Buddha images from Lan Na and Sukhothai share many similarities.

Influence also moved by less peaceful means : In the 15th century, Sawankhalok was captured by Tiloka, the Lan Na king, who then repulsed a number of attempts of Sukhothai to regain the city.

The Great Goddess

India, Madhya Pradesh, 11th Century (Paramara Dynasty), Sandstone

The Great Goddess has countless names and forms, though she is mostly depicted as Durga, the main focus of shakti worship (devotion to female power and energy). This ten-armed figure sits in the position of royal ease and is decorated with exquisite jewellery. The flying garland bearers indicate her divine status.

A remarkable example of art from the Paramara Dynasty (9th/10th to 14th century), the sculpture hails from Bijamandal Temple (now in ruins), originally dedicated to Charchika-Devi, a form of the goddess Durga.

 

Shield, Dayak of Kayan Tribe

Borneo, Early 20th Century, Wood, Pigments

The shield has an applied design showing the Tree of Life. Facing pairs of hornbills and crocodiles indicate the upper and middle spheres of the universe. The pairs of snakes top and bottom indicate the lower world. The handle on the reverse is surrounded by floral motifs.

Model of a Temple

Myanmar, Yangon, 1914, Silver

This model takes the form of a Burmese temple, showing how the British appropriated traditional forms to suit their own purposes. The base is decorated with scenes of logging and trading company buildings. The front plaque is inscribed:

"Presented to Berkeley John Byng Stephens Esquire by employees of the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited Rangoon on his retirement, December 1914"

At the time, the company was one of the largest in the region, with the concessions in colonial Burma, Java, Siam and southern India.

 

Mudras

The Meanings of the Buddha's Hand Gestures

Bhumisparsha Mudra

This is the most common mudra for seated images of the Buddha in Thailand. When the Buddha is touching his right hand to the ground - bhumisparsha mudra - he is "calling the earth to witness".

Near the end of his long meditation, the Buddha calls the earth goddess to witness his right to enlightenment, and for her to help defeat the armies of Mara, the demon trying to tempt and distract him.

Seated Buddha, Sukhothai Kingdom (Thailand), 15th or 16th Century

Dharmachakra Mudra

The Buddha's hands here are in dharmachakra mudra. This gesture signifies the "turning of the wheel of Buddhist Law". All the teachings of the Buddha make up Buddhist Law, and thus this gesture shows him teaching.

Buddha Teaching, Gandhara, 3rd or 4th Century

Abhaya Mudra

This hand gesture - abhaya mudra - signifies fearlessness. Sometimes you see Buddhas with both hands in abhaya mudra.

Walking Buddha, Sukhothai Kingdom (Thailand), 15th or 16th Century

Dhyana Mudra

This Buddha sits serenely with hands in dhyana mudra, the gesture of meditation.

Seated Buddha, Thailand, 19th or early 20th Century

The ACM is located at 1 Empress Place. For more information, read its website here.

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