Circle Between Realms is an interdisciplinary collaboration grounded in Bidayuh cosmology, exploring the interconnection between ritual, sound, and ecology.
Dr Kendy Mitot, together with collaborators Joey Lee and Studio 1914, reanimates the threshold between worlds through the ritual summoning of simonggi leng podi - the spirit of paddy - traditionally performed by the Dayung Borih (shamanic priestess) during Gawai. Using video mapping projection and sound installation, the work reinterprets the ritual's sensorial presence: the vibration of the gong and rhythmic movement evoke the Taya, a vessel that connects the living and the spirit realms. Technology here becomes an extension of the sacred, transforming animist expression into a contemporary experience. What was once an everyday communion with nature is now often seen as distant or esoteric - a reflection of how modernity has displaced traditional knowledge.
The soundscape comprises synthesised audio captured from the last traditional annual harvest festival (Gawai) in 2019, including the chanting of the Dayung Borih, the sound of the brass gong and Belalang (ancestral bell), and recordings of the river and the great argus. The animation parallels the journey of the high priestess Dayung Borih as she traverses across the realms in three acts. It begins with the invitation to the spirits, followed by the ritual dance offering for the villagers, and concludes with the Dayung Borih's ascension to the spiritual realm.
Circle Between Realms meditates on this fragility, presenting the ritual as both memory and resistance. It invites us to reflect on the harmony once essential to Indigenous cosmologies, and to consider how such ancestral wisdom might still speak within our technologically driven world.
This project was commissioned for the Ilham Art Show 2025 by Ilham Gallery, and was exhibited from 2 November 2025 - 3 May 2026.
CIRCLE BETWEEN REALMS
CIRCLE BETWEEN REALMS
CIRCLE BETWEEN REALMS
CIRCLE BETWEEN REALMS
CIRCLE BETWEEN REALMS
CIRCLE BETWEEN REALMS
CONCEPT
Studio 1914
Dr Kendy Mitot
Joey Lee
Studio 1914
Dr Kendy Mitot
Joey Lee
PROJECTION MAPPING
Studio 1914
Animation
Adzlynn
Soundscape Design
Hong Hu
Sculpture
Dr Kendy Mitot
Research
Dr Kendy Mitot
SPECIAL THANKS
Rahel Joseph, Director of ILHAM Gallery
Azzad Daih
Chitoo
Syaza Ramli
Studio 1914
Animation
Adzlynn
Soundscape Design
Hong Hu
Sculpture
Dr Kendy Mitot
Research
Dr Kendy Mitot
SPECIAL THANKS
Rahel Joseph, Director of ILHAM Gallery
Azzad Daih
Chitoo
Syaza Ramli
Press
The Star, Dec '25:
'Ilham Art Show 2025' reflects Malaysia’s contemporary art energy and diversity
The Rakyat Post, Nov '25:
ILHAM Art Show 2025 Brings Malaysia’s Contemporary Art Scene to Life
'Ilham Art Show 2025' reflects Malaysia’s contemporary art energy and diversity
The Rakyat Post, Nov '25:
ILHAM Art Show 2025 Brings Malaysia’s Contemporary Art Scene to Life
