Hosted by JCG and MCASI in the Project Research Space (map can be found here) Pangrok Sulap will print their 12-metre-long woodcut Sharing Roots, Shining Hope through an interactive performance. This work will be featured in IOTA24 Codes in Parallel, opening 1 August at JCG.
Since 2013, Pangrok Sulap have been using large scale prints to tell stories and spread social messages. Community participation lies at the heart of their artwork – narratives from Indigenous, rural and diasporic communities are considered in the work, culminating in a public event of printing, dancing and music. Pangrok Sulap performs original and folk music while participants are invited to dance in circles on the woodcut performing the traditional ‘Sumazau’ dance of Sabah. The crowd’s weight transfers ink onto the finished print, which is then revealed to the crowd.
Sharing Roots, Shining Hope delves into the deep narrative of Malaysian people embarking on a transformative journey to Australia. It captures the essence of their migration experience, illustrating the emotional and physical challenges they face along the way.
Artists Pangrok Sulap discuss process. Video credit Steve Alyian
This performance is a unique opportunity to preview Pangrok Sulap’s work and to participate in its creation.
Pangrok Sulap will also be selling merchandise including woodcut print t-shirts, CDs and books. Bring cash!
Bio: Pangrok Sulap is an art collective established in 2010 in Ranau, Sabah. The multidisciplinary collective is made up of artists, curators, writers, researchers, activists, musicians, graphic designers, entrepreneur crafts makers and more. This diversity enriches the collective and in turn makes its activities and programs more dynamic.
Along with the collective’s mission to strengthen the community through art, it has organised art exhibitions, projects and collaborated with multiple communities for social, cultural, economic and educational development. Since 2013, Pangrok Sulap has participated in several art exhibitions locally and globally. In addition, they have been actively involved with many community projects, forums, workshops and art studies. Work by the collective is included in the collections of museums and galleries such as Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Singapore Art Museum and Queensland Art Gallery.
IOTA24 is open to the public from 2 August to 29 September.
The Gallery’s public opening hours during exhibitions are Monday to Friday 11.00am to 5.00pm and Sunday 12.00pm to 4.00pm. Closed Saturdays and Public Holidays.
Free Event: Registration is essential.
For more information about the exhibition, please visit our website: curtin.edu.au/jcg/
For more information about IOTA24, please visit: indianoceancrafttriennial.com
For more information about Pangrok Sulap, please visit: https://pangroksulap.com/
This project is supported by the Australia ASEAN Council, My Creative Ventures Group, Malaysia, John Curtin Gallery, and Artsource
Image: Pangrok Sulap, Falls of the Evolution (detail), 2023, woodcut print on blackout cotton, 151 x 1006cm (detail).
