Malaysian artist's first major European exhibition in Thun

Helen Hirsch, Director of the Kunstmuseum Thun and curator of the exhibition, became aware of the Malaysian artist in the "Unlimited" sector of the Art Basel art fair in 2022. "I was impressed by her independent, multidisciplinary and multi-layered way of expression and her respectful attitude towards the local communities she works with," says a statement from the Kunstmuseum.

The artist herself has a small connection to Switzerland through a great-uncle: he was a mountaineer in Zermatt at the turn of the century and is buried in the cemetery there. Lee I-Yann emphasizes that she finds similar forms and similar strength in Thun as in her home country.

"Mansau Ansau", the title of the exhibition, means as much as going on and on, without a clear goal in mind. The expression comes from the language of the indigenous tribes in the artist's homeland. According to the artist, the thought of walking into the unknown can be frightening, but it is also an opportunity to discover something new.

Questioning history

She is interested in looking at topics such as art and colonialism from new angles. The centerpiece of the exhibition is the mat woven from bamboo as a basis for gathering and sitting together. It symbolizes a space for intimacy and, in the artist's view, offers a platform for the local, democratic, feminist and social equality.

In a larger context, the artist's work questions the complex geopolitical history of Southeast Asia. Her close collaboration with a collective of weavers from her home country is a means for the artist to make oppression visible in art and craft.

In addition to textiles, the exhibition also includes photographs, video works and sculptures that also deal with themes such as collective reorganization, realignment and imagination as strategies for the personal and collective future.

The exhibition at the Thun Art Museum opens on August 23 and runs until the end of November.