International artist Marcos Kueh made his mark at the recent “Textile Biennial” art event held in Rijswijk Museum, the Netherlands. As he searches for who he is as a Sarawakian, Kueh discovers and rediscovers his roots through his passion for textile art.
Beyond the motifs
As humans, we warrant a life that is fused with an identity, something on which we can rely and to which we can attach our names.
“I believe that trying to identify yourself is a practise. With art, you’re always confronted with questions about what it means to be human,” said international artist Marcos Kueh.
Kueh, who was born and raised in Kuching and now is based in the Netherlands, grew up questioning his Sarawakian identity.
“Growing up, we were constantly taught about Malaysia as a whole, but not much was mentioned about Sarawak or written about what it’s like to be a Sarawakian,” added the 28-year-old.
Now that he is an adult, Kueh believes it is his responsibility to actively figure out his roots.
According to him, if one does not hold on to their roots, they may be passively influenced by what they read or stumble upon.
These influences, he said, may cause one to succumb to an identity that is not originally theirs.
“After all, everyone has to have an identity.”
As for his identity and what it means to be a Sarawakian, he often creates art projects based on his research in the art of local textiles.
His endeavour developed from his university days when he would explore more about local visual culture.
“I studied graphic design at The One Academy and afterwards at the Dasein Academy of Art in Kuala Lumpur. Later on, I pursued my studies in graphic design in the Netherlands. And in my last two years here, I chose textile design. I find it interesting because when you analyse a cloth, you will realise that it has visual information on it.
“They may appear to be motifs but they are beyond. The beginning of this art is the creativity of the indigenous eye,” said Kueh.
Contemporary artist in the Netherlands
Following his time in Kuala Lumpur, Kueh flew to the Netherlands to pursue his art studies.
During his time there, he had completed his internship in a weaving factory. Throughout his four-month programme, he had an eye-opening experience there.
“I was assigned to be an industrial weaving programmer. Clients would send me their images, which I would then translate into machine files so the machine could weave. With that experience, I am currently conducting weaving research, with a focus on industrial weaving.
“Because it is different than hand weaving, there is a lot of technical development that goes into this industry,” he said.
Kueh’s art today leans towards Malaysian culture narratives with elements from the post-colonisation era.
“Through my art, I want to strike a conversation with foreigners about the Bornean identity.”
Most recently, Kueh showcased his artwork “Monyet Merah” at the Textile Biennale in Rijswijk Museum, the Netherlands.
Based on a story he heard, his artwork depicts a monkey entering a plantation to steal fruits. Instead of getting trapped and shot, the owners would paint the monkey’s face red so that it would be seen as a mutant within its monkey community.
“When you look into the perspectives of each character in the play — the plantation worker, the red monkey, and the monkey’s community — you eventually learn that truths are almost always so personal and insecure.
“It is said that the idea of disgust is a biological trait that protects us from dangers such as rotten meat, sickness, homelessness, inferiority, and the poor. As the world grows less safe, an increasing number of mutant red monkeys arise in the jungle. Maybe one day you too will forget that you loved durians.”
His endeavour on foreign land was significant as it enabled him to have a louder voice on an international platform.
Kueh was also nominated for the Young Designer Award 2023 for his artwork “Wayang Kulit” by the Dutch Design Award 2023 for all of his efforts there.
