Field notes: Sarawak arts bask in new energy

Young Sarawakians have been exploring their rich heritage in fresh, contemporary ways. And their work is helping Sarawak shed its 'exotic and primitive' image.

Musicians performing at the What About Kuching festival, which features performances ranging from music and dance to fashion, photography and food. A performance during a previous edition of the What About Kuching festival, which is a grassroots arts
A performance during a previous edition of the What About Kuching festival, which is a grassroots arts event that was first launched in 2017. Running on a shoestring budget and volunteer muscle, it started small. But by last year, the festival was able to put on more than 80 performances. PHOTO: COURTESY OF DONALD TAN
Musicians performing at the What About Kuching festival, which features performances ranging from music and dance to fashion, photography and food. A performance during a previous edition of the What About Kuching festival, which is a grassroots arts
Musicians performing at the What About Kuching festival, which features performances ranging from music and dance to fashion, photography and food. PHOTO: COURTESY OF DONALD TAN
Musicians performing at the What About Kuching festival, which features performances ranging from music and dance to fashion, photography and food. A performance during a previous edition of the What About Kuching festival, which is a grassroots arts
Above: The bamboo pavilion with walls that make music at the Rainforest Fringe Festival in Kuching last June. PHOTO: COURTESY OF WENDY TEO AND JUVITA T. WAN
Above: The bamboo pavilion with walls that make music at the Rainforest Fringe Festival in Kuching last June. Left: Artist Matthew Ngau Jau painting the Tree Of Life at the Singapore Botanic Gardens last June.
Above: Artist Matthew Ngau Jau painting the Tree Of Life at the Singapore Botanic Gardens last June. PHOTO: COURTESY OF WENDY TEO AND JUVITA T. WAN
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

KUALA LUMPUR • With bamboo growing virtually everywhere in Borneo, Sarawakian architect Wendy Teo has long been intrigued by this versatile material, and wondered how it can be used in a contemporary way.

She put together a team of local bamboo artisans with artists and musicians from around the region to reimagine bamboo structures, and they came up with a bamboo pavilion with walls that made music. The pavilion was an art installation for the acclaimed Rainforest Fringe Festival in Kuching last June.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 30, 2019, with the headline Field notes: Sarawak arts bask in new energy. Subscribe