Research, Script & Narration: Kamini Ramachandran
Sound Design & Field Recordings: Syafiq Halid
Image courtesy of Joe Nair
In response to Kancil Mengadap Beringin by Shooshie Sulaiman
In Malay folklore, the banyan tree is a gateway into other realms and an important source of Indigenous knowledge in contemporary urban life. Inspired by Shooshie Sulaiman’s Kancil Mengadap Beringin and informed by a visit to the Southern Islands where the artwork is sited, listen to oral tradition practitioner Kamini Ramachandran’s lecture-performance that weaves stories and extracts from the artist’s storybook, which accompanies the artwork. Joined by sound artist Syafiq Halid, Under the Banyan uncovers our metaphorical and spiritual connections to the banyan tree as a mediator of worlds, mother of the forest and the tree of life. Have your personal listening devices on hand to immerse yourself in this audio experience.
This experience was first held as a live lecture performance presented by The Everyday Museum, a public art initiative of Singapore Art Museum.
Additional Note: Original field recordings captured on Lazarus Island, including ambient nature, birds, movement, and close-up banyan tree were done through contact microphones. These sounds document the untouched natural soundscape of the artwork location.
Listen to Under The Banyan Now
Tracklist
1. Welcome to ‘Under the Banyan’
An introduction to this audio journey exploring Malaysian artist Shooshie Sulaiman’s public artwork on Lazarus Island.
2. About Shooshie Sulaiman and the Artwork
Discover Shooshie Sulaiman’s artistic vision and her creation ‘Kancil Mengadap Beringin’, where the banyan tree serves as a gateway between worlds in Southeast Asian cosmology.
3. The Banyan Tree’s Journey
Follow the remarkable voyage of a single banyan cutting from The Substation to Lazarus Island, weaving connections between people, places and spiritual realms.
4. The Banyan Tree in Malay Culture
Explore the cultural significance of the banyan tree across Southeast Asia, where it embodies cyclical existence and forms bridges between life, death and renewal.
5. The Tale of But-But and Kancil
Delve into Shooshie’s storybook where the clever mousedeer Kancil helps the But-But birds save their babies, with help from animal companions and the banyan’s spiritual power.
6. One Deer Island
Discover the fascinating connections between Lazarus Island (known in Malay as “Deer Island”) and Shooshie’s artwork, along with her philosophy of indigenous knowledge and natural communication.
7. Kancil Meets Pohon Beringin
Listen to a reading of Shooshie’s storybook as the mousedeer finally confronts the ancient banyan tree, a pivotal scene that captures the essence of the artwork’s title and meaning.
8. The Clever Mousedeer
Learn about Sang Kancil, the intelligent mousedeer of Malay folklore who outsmarts larger animals, becoming so culturally significant that “clever as a mousedeer” remains a common expression today.
9. Nature’s Smallest Hoofed Animal
Meet the real mousedeer, the world’s smallest hoofed mammal with unique adaptations, whose shy nature contrasts with its bold folkloric personality.
10. Art As Living Connection
Experience how Shooshie’s diverse artistic approach connects humans, nature and the unseen, inviting us to explore our place within Southeast Asia’s cultural tapestry.