Author Description

"Darwin Sydney Dili, Timor-Leste's twenty-five year struggle was given spirit and form by silent resilience of traditional culture. Despite achieving full independence in May 2002, the country was a smoking ruin with 80% of its infrastructure destroyed and communities obliterated. The Elastic exhibitions and public programs in Darwin and Sydney powerfully reignited the spirit and struggles of pre-Independence activism while drawing attention to the independent nation's current crisis, including access to Timor Sea oil and gas. A decade later, four artists - Maria Madeira and Victor De Sousa from Timor, and Narelle Jubelin and Fiona MacDonald from Australia travelled to eleven of the thirteen districts of Timor-Leste to witness its reconstruction from scorched earth. They also considered the connections between women's woven textiles (tais), a longstanding cultural communication, and the contemporary art world. In Darwin, they were joined by curator Jo Holder to form a contemporary art community and build an archive and appreciation for Timor-Leste contemporary arts. The Elastic project gathers evidence of major Southeast Asian political and social transformation from the quieter collaborations that sit alongside the bigger historical narrative: activism, documentary, printmaking and the contemporary movement to reinstate its renowned tais weaving and remarkable Timorese architectural traditions."--Gate fold.