“The phrase “Torun Tana” that translates to jungle/forest (torun) and land (tanaʔ) in my Bidayuh-Jagoi dialect encapsulates the notion of home, belonging, and a deep connection to the land, which are my central themes in the representation of visions of memories. Memory is an active process of constructing and claiming meaning from our present experiences. These memories are seen as continually in flux, as we move through time, and are shaped by our desires and lived experiences. The series delves into the intricate interplay between memory and desire, revealing how our longings for the future can weave into the tapestry of our culture and recollection of the past.
The structures in my work serve as recurring motifs, with the ladder holding a particularly significant place - signifying an uphill journey and a gradual ascent towards the spiritual. Something that holds profound personal meanings. Memories of watching my family harvest crops and fruits from trees, along with the struggles of caring for our home remain an ever-present part of my work; hoping to evoke critical conversations about the relationship between identity, personal histories, and our sense of place in the world.
Torun Tanaʔ serves as a repository of memory, with its visuals and figures acting as vessels for the narratives of homeland, family, and identity, hoping to shed light on the relationship between memory and desire and how our longings for the future shape our understanding of the past.”
Paul Nickson Atia (b.1992, Sarawak; lives and works in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is a young artist from Malaysia. His main interest lies in exploring narratives and conceptual frameworks of architecture, art, culture, and subjects of identity along with social and historical contexts. The themes of spirituality, time, modularity, memory, and desire are central to his practice in constructing and claiming meanings. The grid paintings from his series Obsession (Form(s) of Prayer(s), 2019) characterized by myriads of painted squares and mark-making set the fundamental representation of his visions and visuals throughout his works such as paintings, installations, photography and collages. He has participated in exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, and as artist-in-residence at Rimbun Dahan in 2022. His solo exhibitions include Jari Berlari, Galeri RumahLukis, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2018), Form(s) of Prayer(s), Rissim Contemporary, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2019), and Counting Silence, Filling Space, Weaning Conversation, Rissim Contemporary, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2022).