SINGAPORE – NEW WEAVE is the first contemporary art project realised after the signing of a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Maybank Foundation and National Museum of Singapore in 2019. The MOU was inked as part of an effort by both parties to collaboratively promote the art, culture and heritage of Southeast Asia.
Hosted by the National Museum of Singapore, Maybank Foundation is proud to present NEW WEAVE, a digital exhibition. NEW WEAVE builds from two previous editions featuring contemporary art and artists as an accompaniment to the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme.
Invited by, and in collaboration with, Chan + Hori Contemporary, NEW WEAVE is artistically-led by guest curator Steve Lawler, founder and artistic director of GIF Fest, Singapore and EYEYAH! – a creative, educational platform for children.
The Grand Tapestry | Sublingua, Submachines (Philippines)
NEW WEAVE presents specially-commissioned works of nine cutting-edge animators from seven countries. The artists are BÜRO UFHO (Singapore), Tsao En Wei (Singapore), Chong Yan Chuah (Malaysia), Machineast (Malaysia), Sublingua, Submachines (The Philippines), Vince Fraser (UK), Reynard Adrianto (Indonesia), Humanoise (Japan) and loudsqueak (USA). Each digital work re-interprets the ancient yet surviving Southeast Asian traditional weaving cultures from Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Displayed on the free-access, large LED wall located near The Salon of the National Museum of Singapore, the artworks have also been made accessible on a specially created website: www.newweave.co.
Heritage Meets Digital Art
Launched in March 2016, and currently entering its sixth year, NEW WEAVE marks another milestone for the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers Programme. At its core, the weaving programme represents an initiative to empower Southeast Asian women, often from remote locations, to achieve economic independence and financial literacy as well as to preserve the region’s weaving heritage. While easing access between the public and what is essentially a living culture in danger of extinction, art and contemporary artists are engaged to support and highlight the historical and social currencies of traditional weaving, its complex processes and position as a bona fide art form.
“It is possible to see from this project just how inspiring the work done by the women weavers has been and will continue to be. The beauty and spirit of their craft can transcend the physical materials they work with, into all forms of new mediums.” – Steve Lawler, Guest Curator.
“At the regional level, the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme continues to change the lives of women weavers and families in Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia and Malaysia. To date, the programme has positively impacted over 3,000 individuals across the value chain, covering areas such as training of new weavers, supporting the development of mulberry farms and providing micro-financing assistance for the community. With this
exhibition, we are broadening the programme’s horizon to include animators and digital artists and we hope to impact even more lives thus staying true to our mission of humanising financial services.” – Shahril Azuar Jimin, CEO, Maybank Foundation.
About the Programme
The Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme is one of Maybank Foundation’s flagship programmes designed to promote commonalities in ASEAN countries by enriching and promoting traditional woven textiles in a sustainable manner for various communities, as well as to help underprivileged women become economically independent whilst advocating for financial inclusion. It is targeted at women weavers from poor and marginalised communities.
The programme is endorsed and supported by the ASEAN Secretariat as it is an evolving common mission to preserve the region’s cultural heritage, create economic empowerment for women, and contribute towards building the ASEAN identity. It is currently being implemented in four countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos and Malaysia.
NEW WEAVE: Traditional Weaving Inspires Digital Artists
NEW WEAVE is a collection of cutting-edge animators re-interpreting an ancient Southeast Asian tradition.
Guest curated by Steve Lawler
An initiative of the Maybank Foundation
Directed and project managed by Chan + Hori Contemporary
Supported by the National Museum of Singapore
WHEN: 22 January – 22 February 2021
VENUE: National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road (go to Google maps)
OPENING HOURS: Daily, 10am – 7pm
ADMISSION: Free Admission
WEBSITE: www.newweave.co
