16albermarle Project Space is delighted to present Gotong Royong: Community spirit in contemporary southeast Asian art. The exhibition delves into the cultural concept of 'gotong royong', a term rooted in ancient customs of the Malay Archipelago, where collaborative efforts symbolise the collective spirit of cultural identity. Derived from the Javanese words gotong (“work”) and royong (“together”), the term traces its origins to age-old customs where individuals collaborated in communal efforts, fulfilling social obligations within their community. Presenting diverse works from eight contemporary artists from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Through mediums such as painting, textile installation, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and prints, Gotong Royong explores themes including narratives of women in domestic life, nostalgia for past history and landscapes, the need for environmental preservation, connections through traditional activities, various religious and spiritual practices, mythical creatures and scenes of daily life in the kampung, or village. Curated by Ellya Gunawan