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A day of art and artists, in the 14-acre tropical greenery of Rimbun Dahan, 45 minutes from Kuala Lumpur -- this edition with a special focus on memory and history.On Sunday 30 June 2024, Rimbun Dahan will be open to the public with a special program of events investigating fiction, documentary film and the archive, curated by current Malaysian resident writer William Tham, as well as an installation art project by resident artist Faye Abantao from the Philippines.
Free entry. Registration required for garden tour only (see below).
SCHEDULE
9:00am-11:00am: Guided garden tour of our 14-acre native Southeast Asian arboretum and garden at Rimbun Dahan by Angela Hijjas. Meet at the front gate. Slots are limited, and registrations are required for the garden tour. Register here: https://forms.gle/C1e1d9jrzyPi57jX6
11:00am-1:30pm: Faye Abantao’s studio, with her work What Becomes of Memories if There’s No One Around to Remember Them?, will be open to the public. Please visit and have a chat with the artist!
1:30-2:30pm: Lunch break; studios closed. You are welcome to bring your own picnic to enjoy in the garden; please take your rubbish with you.
2:30-6:00pm: Faye Abantao’s studio open to the public. Please visit and have a chat with the artist!
2:30-6:00pm: Imagining historically: Conversations about fiction, film and (informal) archives, curated by William Tham — more info below.
***Imagining historically: Conversations about fiction, film and (informal) archives***
Why are we continuously compelled to visit and inhabit a historical time and space. What are the ways in which we do so? History plays an outsized role in how we situate ourselves today, whether in Malaysia or abroad, and our programme negotiates these questions through three media: fiction, documentary film, and the archive.
In this Open Day event on 30 June 2024, William Tham, the outgoing writer-in-residence at Rimbun Dahan, will read an excerpt of his new short story, “The Boundaries in Men’s Hearts”, which is set during the visit of Rabindranath Tagore to Southeast Asia in 1927. Rather than attempting to reproduce the past exactly as it was, his story focuses on questions of translation and interpretation through its epistolary format. He then moderates a discussion with Caleb Goh, discusses the appeal of thinking archivally – whether by reconstructing the personal libraries of readers past, drawing insights from the audial contents of gramophone records, or restoring heritage mechanical devices. Finally, he
discusses the making of documentary films with Chan Seong Foong, who reflects upon her involvement in work such as Five Tigers (dir. Victor Chin and Por Heong Hong, featuring the stories of female Parti Rakyat Malaysia activists during the 1960s), as well as the ethics and process of documentary making.
Our casual programme invites you to have a conversation with us and to (re)consider what it means to think historically.To set the mood for these sessions, we will be holding this session in the Rumah Penang, a restored 1920s’ Anglo-Malay house relocated to Rimbun Dahan from George Town, Penang. You are welcome to stay for the full programme or to drop by for specific sessions, as per your preference. The full itinerary is as follows.
2.30pm: First screening of Five Tigers. The film will be played on a loop throughout the day.
3pm: Event 1 – “Book reading: The Boundaries in Men’s Hearts” by William Tham
3.30pm: Event 2 – “Thinking archivally” with Caleb Goh
4.00pm: Event 3 – “Reflections on documentary-making” with Chan Seong Foong
4.30pm: Teatime and further conversations
Some simple refreshments will be provided – participants are encouraged to bring their own bottles and containers too. Expect plenty of interactions!
TRAVELLING DIRECTIONS
Use Waze to drive to Rimbun Dahan: https://waze.com/ul/hw284q6meb
Use Google Maps to drive to Rimbun Dahan: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ft5fV9YpGsvciCtU8
Landmarks: Our front gate is opposite Warung Selera Ria and also next to the start of Lorong Belimbing. Do not enter Lorong Belimbing, please enter the front gate from the main road.
TIPS FOR VISITORS
-- We have parking inside the compound, along the driveway. Just drive in the front gate and park as indicated along the drive.
-- Bring your own mosquito repellent!
-- We are sorry, Rimbun Dahan is not a wheelchair accessible venue.
-- Wear practical shoes if you are planning to walk around the garden.
-- Bring an umbrella in case of rain.
-- No refreshments or water provided. Feel free to bring your own picnic, and enjoy it in the gardens; please clean up all your trash.
-- No pets, no swimming — thank you for your cooperation.
-- If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or WhatsApp Bilqis at +6017-3103769.
ABOUT THE RESIDENT ARTISTS
Faye Abantao (b. 1994) is a visual artist from Bacolod City, Philippines. She captures an essence of culmination in her multifaceted art practice. She makes homogenous the panache of creative impulses such as origami, print, digital art, photography, collage and painting. During her two-month residnecy at Rimbun Dahan, Faye explored various printmaking techniques and advanced her project Withering Memories. This ongoing series, which she began in 2020, evolves into its third installation titled What Becomes of Memories if There’s No One Around to Remember Them? This collage-based, wall-bound mural talks about the ephemeral nature of memory and the existential query surrounding its legacy in the absence of witness.
William Tham is currently a writer-in-residence at Rimbun Dahan, the author and editor of several books, as well as an editor-at-large for Wasafiri. His writings have appeared in PR&TA, NANG and The Best of World SF: Volume 2, among others. He also co-edited The Second Link: A Malaysia-Singapore Literary Anthology and has an interest in literary and cultural studies.
ABOUT THE INVITED GUESTS
Chan Seong Foong is a cultural activist involved in social/ documentary film-making. Aside from that, her interests lie in the sociology of religion and educational development. She has worked with international agencies on youth and women’s advocacy, as well as in funding and project management. She has had many years of experience in community organising, particularly with young women workers.
Caleb Goh Hern-Ee was born and raised in Muar, Johore. He is a collector of media in all forms, especially those related to the way of life in old Malaya. His interests range from architecture, fashion history, the development of the local music industry, to the Separation of Singapore and the modern political history of Malaysia. He currently practices law in Kuala Lumpur, where he now lives.
ABOUT RIMBUN DAHAN
Rimbun Dahan is the home of Malaysian architect Hijjas Kasturi and his wife Angela. Set on fourteen acres outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the compound of Rimbun Dahan is a centre for developing traditional and contemporary art forms. It features buildings designed by Hijjas Kasturi, as well as two early 20th century traditional Malay houses from Perak and Penang, in an indigenous Southeast Asian garden environment which has recently been awarded arboretum status. Rimbun Dahan is private property, and is only open to the public on Open Days.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Rimbun Dahan, Km 27 Jalan Kuang, 48050 Kuang, Malaysia, Rimbun Dahan, Kampung Cempedak, 48050 Kuang, Selangor, Malaysia,Shah Alam, Malaysia