Call my name! A Portrait as Dialogue in the context of the Kelabit’s name system

Abstract

‘Portrait as Dialogue’ is a practice-based study of forms of individual representation. It is both, a series of art works and a collection of forms of human representation. The experiments draw attention to the fact that besides the Western tradition of ‘portrayal’ a rich potential of representational means exists – a potential which remains largely unperceived as such, and therefore unexplored. The art works propose a different view of ‘portrayal’ – in a very wide, as well as a very specific sense of the term – strategically by ‘looking’ at myself through the ‘eyes of the other.’ The role of the artist as the sole performer and the status of the researcher as an outside observer are overturned in this dialogue of representation. ‘Name Me,’ the detail described here, focuses on the designation and change of name among the Kelabit, an indigenous population in central Borneo. Their name system as well as the (formerly practiced) system of their neighbors, the Penan, is presented in this context.

Keyword:

• visual art
• portrayal
• dialogue
• naming
• Kelabit
• Borneo

Acknowledgments

I cordially thank all who helped Name Me to come into existence: Paad Ayu, Balaan Ayu, Belaan Tauh (interview and naming); Dayang [email protected] Aren, Dayang [email protected] Balan, Dayang [email protected] Aran, Dayang Matu@S. Paran Matu@Doo Illah, Dayang Bala Linuh, Dayang Menu@S. Nawar Ulun@Pun Maryane, Dayang Artur Judin, Dayang [email protected] Tungan, Dayang Robert, Dayang [email protected] Mattu, Dayang Elisabeth Labang, Dayang Materih@S. Raih@Pun Pared@Raih Aren, Dayang Marianne Kipeh Zu, Dayang Raja@Paran Lapuon, Dayang [email protected] Tuan@Doo Inan (respondents); Mujan [email protected] Paran, Jaman Riboh@Paran Riboh; Wilson Bala@Bayeh Maren@Uih Ayu (mediation and translation), Sandra Raja Bruce, Florance Apu@Lapu (translation); David Ngui, Rose [email protected] Aran (mediation); Heitland Foundation (support).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

Angelika Böck http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7725-8523

Notes on contributor

Angelika Böck graduated in 1992 in interior design, and in 1998 in sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Human perception and representation are the focal points of her work. Her practice is based, strategically, on dialogue and participation. Since 1999 she has carried out ‘Dialogical Portraits’ in the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, arctic Norway (Finnmark), Central Australia, Yemen, Malaysia and Mongolia. Angelika Böck lives and works in Munich, Germany and Bario, Sarawak/Malaysia.