Palm to Palm
Massage and Story Telling
2022
This performance is part of a wider project exploring the history of dryobalanops aromatica, a critically endangered species of Camphor tree once widespread in Sumatra. Caniago's research has led him to dryobalanops aromatica specimens from Indonesia at Kew Gardens archive and herbarium, where they held the leaves and seeds of this tree - which holds great significance in his community.
This particular form of massage comes from the artist's childhood with his grandmother as a way for him to listen to stories from his grandmother about the history of the family and family roots. Weaving together storytelling, personal and collective memory, Caniago revealed connections between migration, colonisation and ecology as he delivers massage activities to the audience. [Laura Purseglove]
Performance Details
Re-performances
This particular form of massage comes from the artist's childhood with his grandmother as a way for him to listen to stories from his grandmother about the history of the family and family roots. Weaving together storytelling, personal and collective memory, Caniago revealed connections between migration, colonisation and ecology as he delivers massage activities to the audience. [Laura Purseglove]
Performance Details
- Title: Palm to Palm
- Part of: Ecological Thinking, Radar Visiting Artist Programme
- Location: Institute of Advanced Studies, Loughborough University, United Kingdom
- Produced by: Laura Purseglove
- Academic Collaborator: Peter Yeandle
- Material Used: Camphor balm (Tiger Balm)
- Performance Duration: 2 hours
- Photo Credits: Koa Pham
Re-performances
- Koppel Project Hive, London: The Lost and the Remained, curated by An.Other Asian (2022)
- Palm to Palm Performance, China Exchange UK, London: curated by An.Other Asian (2022)
- **Interim Show, MA Art and Ecology, Goldsmiths University of London (2023)