Tahanan

Rosell migrated from the Philippines to Merrylands as a refugee child with her family. The experience of dislocation and social isolation has shaped her artistic practice. In Filipino culture, a highly religious and Christian nation, art serves a central role; of defining one's place in society and maintaining social structures, and is commonly reflected in the interplay between performance, music, dance and art. 'Tahana', 2019, is born as much from Visayan, Thai and also Malaysian word for home or refuge as the artist's own negative and positive experience as a migrant. In Indonesian, Visayan denotes a prisoner or detainee. Tahanan explores what it means to come from a nation which is one of the world's largest diaspora groups. The house skin is made of textiles, sourced from Op shops (charity shops) and donations which forms the canvas for the artist's painting. The structure itself acts as a refuge, a place for gathering, a place of welcome and acceptance. Throughout the exhibition, the interior will be transformed into a meeting or social space to share food, experiences and exchange stories.