Based in Kota Kinabalu in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah, Yee I-Lann has engaged with the complex geopolitical histories of Southeast Asia for over two decades. In a practice spanning photocollage, collaborative weaving, film, and the use of everyday objects, she draws on the region’s turbulent colonial past and the resulting socio-political legacies. ‘A lot of the work I do is about unpacking histories, notions of what power is and who has power in our storytelling,’ she reflects.

In recent years, she’s initiated collaborations with weavers from the sea-based communities Bajau and Sama DiLaut, on the Sulu-Celebes Sea of Semporna, as well as Dusun and Murut weavers from the inland district of Keningau. The results are mats and objects rich with historical meaning while simultaneously traditional and domestic. ‘I see the woven mat as architectural, calling people to commune together, to share a platform.’

In this episode of ‘Meet the artists’, Yee I-Lann introduces her practice and the communities she works with, revealing the cultural bridges they build through the art they create.

Yee I-Lann is represented by Silverlens (Manila, Philippines) and Tyler Rollins Fine Art (New York City).