4 - 5 August 2022
Nanyang academy of fine arts
Nanyang academy of fine arts
Day 2 (Video-On-Demand)Friday 5 August 2022, 16:35 onwards
Bundusan (lepironia articulata) is a type of cyperaceae that grows in water-logged areas and harvested by the Kadazan and Dusuns of Sabah. They are woven into mats to dry paddy and also used in social settings and rituals. Unfortunately nowadays, not many know about the bundusan mat and what the plant looks like. To rub more salt to the wound, there are not many left who have the knowledge of this plant and the skills to weave them. Climate change and land reclamation are also the contributing factors towards the scarcity of this plant in Sabah. Finding Bundusan is a documentary film that is not just about looking for the plant itself but also discovering a cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge through family and the community.
Jesse Joy is a Kadazan/Indian self-taught embroidery artist currently based in Kuala Lumpur. His involvement in the art scene in Sabah paved his way to pursue his own artistic path.His embroidery works are responses towards events happening around him, reflections of the inner self and aspects of Sabahan life. His contemporary embroidery style often includes the use of used, pre-owned and found objects to reduce the environmental impact of art-marking. Throughout the years of being an artist, Jesse has had exhibitions, and conducted embroidery workshops. He is a member of The Society of Embroidered Work. Jesse is also exploring filmmaking for his work. His first documentary film Finding Bundusan, is the first film he made ten years after graduating from film school.