Projek Orang Asli is a continuation of artist Zai Kuning's interest in the subject of Austronesian and pre-Islamic arts and cultures in the Riau Archipelago region. Over 18 years, Zai has documented and created works inspired by the Orang Laut (sea people) and Mak Yong (ancient Malay opera) in the Archipelago. His observations have been documented in the form of writing, film, drawing, painting, and sculpture.

In this exhibition, Zai turns his attention to the Orang Asli, the aboriginal people of Peninsular Malaysia. They are the oldest inhabitants of this area, yet their existence is rarely mentioned in Singapore’s history. Their disappearance due to Singapore’s modern development is also largely unknown. Based on Zai’s childhood memories, the Orang Asli—who were also loosely known as the Sakai people—lived at the hill in Telok Blangah where his own relatives resided. 

In the process of documenting the daily life, rituals, song and dance, traditional dress and folklore of the Orang Asli, Zai conceptualises and presents works within a range of visual art forms: photography, video documentation, writing and making notations. Zai is interested in discovering ways to present his findings as expressions of contemporary art, in the way that he has told the stories of the Orang Laut and Mak Yong to an international audience.

Learn more: www.substation.org/septfest2021/projek-orang-asli