Artists

Artists

Yee I-Lann

B. 1971, Koto Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Lives in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Venue

The Contemporary Arts Center, New Orleans (CAC)

900 Camp Street
New Orleans, LA 70130-3908

Tuesdays, Closed

Wednesday–Monday, 11am–5pm

Neighborhood

About the Artist

Straddling the South China Sea, which Yee I-Lann calls the Great Borneo Sea, and with a longstanding interest in the Southeast Asian region and its global connectivities, I-Lann’s practice has cut across photomedia, text, textile, site-specific installation, and video, drawing on a broad range of knowledges and material. Her work is often situated at the shifting nexus of power and linguistics and explores the impact of historic memory in contemporary affairs.

Recently she has been making collaborative works with Dusun and Murut inland weavers in Keningau, coastal Bajau Laut weavers at Omadal Island in Semporna, as well as collaborating with urban dancers and filmmakers in Kota Kinabalu city.

I-Lann is currently a board member for the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) and Forever Sabah, and is co-founding partner of Kota-K Art Gallery in Kota Kinabalu. Recent solo exhibitions have been held at Centre for Heritage, Arts and Textile, Hong Kong (2021); Silverlens, NY (2022); and Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, CA (2024). Recent group exhibitions include artwork featured at Barbican Art Gallery, London, UK (2024); National Gallery of Victoria Triennial, Melbourne, Australia (2023); New Taipei City Art Museum, Taiwan (2023); and Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2023).

Previous Works

Yee I-Lann, TIKAR/MEJA, 2018-2023.

with weaving by Kak Sanah, Kak Kinnohung, Kak Budi, Kak Leleng, Kak Horma, Makcik Billung, Kak Roziah, Adik Dela, Adik Erna, Abang Boby, Adik Alini, Adik Aisha, Adik Darwisa, Adik Marsha, Adik Dayang, Adik Tasya, Adik Shima, Adik Umairah, Abang Tularan; Bajau Sama DiLaut Pandanus weave and commercial chemical dye, 60 woven mats, sizes variable. Installation view in World Classroom: Contemporary Art through School Subjects (Apr 19 - Sept 24, 2021) at Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Photo credit: Furukawa Yuya. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverlens Gallery, Manila/New York.

Yee I-Lann, Tikar Reben, 2020.

with weaving by Roziah Binti Jalalid, Sanah Belasani, Kinnuhong Gundasali, Koddil Tamunang, Darwisa Binti Omar; Bajau Sama Dilaut pandanus weave, commercial chemical dye; 22 x 5315 cm. Photo credit: Andy Chia Chee Shiong. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverlens Gallery, Manila/New York.

Yee I-Lann, Tepo Putih Ikan Masin, 2023.

with weaving by Adik Darwisa, Kak Budi, Pak Annik, Kak Roziah, Kak Lorna, Adik Erna, Abang Boby, Adik Dayang, Adik Marsha, Adik Umairah, Adik Tasya, Adik Shima; Woven pandanus and mengkuang working mats from Omadal Island, Sabah (East Malaysia) and Kelantan, Terengganu, Perak (West Malaysia), plastic rubbish collected at Omadal Island beaches; scents of salted fish and agar-agar; 1100 x 490 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverlens Gallery, Manila/New York.

Yee I-Lann, 2019.

Bajau Sama Dilaut weavers from Omadal Island with Yee I-Lann. Photo credit: Mohd Asraffirdaus Bin Abdullah. Image courtesy of the artist and Silverlens Gallery, Manila/New York. From top left: Kak Mangokung, Kak Ebbuh, Kak Norbaya, Makcik Billung, Kak Kinnuhong, Kak Budi (standing), Kak I-Lann (middle), Kak Omau, Makcik Kanuk, Kak Sanah, Kak Roziah, Kak Endik (seated).