Credit: Yee I-Lann with weaving by Lili Naming, Siat Yanau, Shahrizan Bin Juin, Juraen Bin Sapirin and S. Narty Raitom “hello from the outside” represents recent directions within the artist’s practice since 2018, in working with the material and method of weaving as a fresh way of reframing the subject of power in relation to statehood and its opposite statelessness, as much as to identity, history, colonial trace and the individual’s condition and agency within these. In addition, the artist’s engagement of the communities of weavers from Keningau (the centre of craft in Sabah) and the Bajau Sama DiLaut of Pulau Omadal activates a key aspect of her ongoing interests, which is with the communities and livelihoods of people in her homeland of Sabah, both as aesthetic and social practice, and where the politics of the everyday is not merely acknowledged, but put to action. “hello from the outside” extends the invitation to commune through sonic and popular recollection that connect individuals via shared memories, emotions and conditions. Its vertically-hung presentation is intended as a ‘call’ or message for all, that nevertheless retains the egalitarianism of sitting together on a mat, albeit this communal act of sitting is now abstracted in a silent (or sung) tune that weaves together the minds and memories of those standing before it. Like Tepo Putih, the karaoke mat is about bringing a community together, visually and sonically, through popular recollection of familiar songs. As memory is triggered, an emotional connection also arises amongst its viewers who experience not just the individual memory of lyrics and tune, but also the collective and heartfelt moment together. List of Songs: 1. Sweet Child O’ Mine - Guns N’ Roses 2. Something’s Gotten Hold of my Heart - Gene Pitney 3. Alan Walker, K-391 & Emelie Hollow - Lily 4. Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra 5. You To Me Are Everything - The Real Thing 6. Livin’ On a Prayer - Bon Jovi 7. Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen 8. Hello - Adele 9. My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion 10. I Love You 3000 - Stephanie Poetri
