27/08/2026
Koreografi Bara: "Turun Hitam Manis"
Ember Choreography: "Turun Hitam Manis"
This collection of photos were exhibited at Kuala Lumpur Photography Festival KLPF on 21st to 23rd August 2026. As the exhibition ended I would like to sell the prints to whomever interested to 'home' aka 'own ' my Koreografi Bara collection.
Medium: Gallery-Grade UV Pigment Ink on Archival Rigid Polymer Panel, Sealed with a Clear Acrylic Shield Finish.
I am selling this collection at a bargain price and I am accepting order for print in any requested size and medium.
Artist Statement:
In the quiet of the night beneath the Pedu forest canopy, the striking of the Mentawan torch (bintang) releases a sudden cascade of embers that breaks the darkness. Swarming alongside the falling embers, thousands of Apis dorsata guard bees surge toward the sparks of light, accompanied by the traditional call "Turun Hitam Manis". Standing beneath the towering Tualang tree, my camera may have captured a quiet conversation between nature and man, as if the tree itself was conveying a simple message through lines of light.
To the naked eye, the sparks may seem ordinary, fleeting in a split second. Yet through a slow shutter camera technique, those light trails are captured, forming unique patterns and shapes. Each path of embers is shaped by the height of the branches, the stroke of the harvester, and the unseen breath of the night wind. These brief sparks seem to hold a secret code, a quiet pledge from the canopy, softly calling for its survival.
Stripped of narrative text, this 6 piece installation invites us to appreciate the beauty born from hardship: the courage of traditional harvesters, the vulnerable nature of the Tualang bees that must be protected, and the resilience of the rainforest. These lines of light are not merely play on fire; they are a gentle reminder for us to learn to love, respect, and preserve the Tualang tree before it fades into time.
Dalam keheningan malam di bawah kanopi hutan Pedu, ketukan jamung Mentawan (bintang) membebaskan guguran percikan bara yang memecah kegelapan. Bersama kejatuhan bara itu, ribuan lebah tentera Apis dorsata meluru menyambut percikan cahaya, diiringi laungan adab "Turun Hitam Manis". Berdiri di bawah pokok Tualang yang tinggi menjulang, kamera saya mungkin telah merakam satu perbualan sunyi antara alam dan manusia, seolah olah pokok itu sendiri sedang menyampaikan pesanan ringkas melalui garisan cahaya.
Jika dilihat dengan mata kasar, percikan api itu mungkin kelihatan biasa dan berlalu pergi dalam sesaat. Namun melalui teknik kamera slow shutter, garisan cahaya itu terperangkap lalu menghasilkan pelbagai corak dan bentuk yang unik. Setiap laluan bara dibentuk oleh ketinggian dahan, hayunan penuai, dan tiupan angin malam. Percikan api yang singkat ini seakan menyimpan satu kod rahsia, satu ikrar sunyi dari rimba yang merayu untuk terus dipelihara.
Tanpa sebarang teks cerita, 6 keping gambar ini mengajak kita menghayati keindahan yang lahir daripada kepayahan: keberanian penuai tradisional, sifat lebah Tualang yang perlu dijaga, dan ketahanan rimba. Garisan cahaya ini bukan sekadar gambar mainan api, ia adalah peringatan halus supaya kita belajar menyayangi, menghormati, dan menjaga pokok Tualang sebelum ia hilang ditelan zaman.
— Salliza Salleh
