Yee I-Lann. Mansau-Ansau

Walking and walking, without a clear destination in mind – this is roughly how MANSAU-ANSAU can be translated from the language of the indigenous Kadazan and Dusun tribes in Yee I-Lann’s homeland of Sabah, Malaysia. In one of her most recent works, ‘A map of Mansau-Ansau’ (2024), the multidisciplinary artist (*1971) visualises this euphonious expression for a journey into the unknown, which can be frightening but can also open up new possibilities. In all her works – which also include photographs, video works and sculptures – Yee I-Lann scrutinises the complex geopolitical history of Southeast Asia. Using traditional crafts and archival images mediated through a contemporary lens, she delves deeper into the narratives of her homeland, addressing the influences of colonialism and the persistence of indigenous heritage and communities in our time. Yee I-Lann works closely with local weavers in her home country. For her, working in a collective of women is a means of making oppression visible in art and craft. Accordingly, all of her collaborators are mentioned by name in all of the picture credits.

The Kunstmuseum Thun is showing Yee I-Lann’s first major exhibition in Europe in cooperation with the Singapore ART Museum (SAM).