Pangrok Sulap

Pangrok Sulap are a collective based in Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, consisting of indigenous Dusun and Murut artists, musicians and social activists who are dedicated to empowering rural communities through art. Membership is fluid and participation open, and their name expresses their make-up, locality and orientation: Pangrok means punk rock, and Sulap is a hut used as a resting place by Sabahan farmers. Their ethos is conveyed by the slogan ‘Jangan Beli, Bikin Sendiri’ (‘Don’t buy, do it yourself’). The group first came together in 2010 to conduct charity work in rural schools, orphanages and homes for the disabled. They began woodcut printing in 2012, making banners and posters to raise awareness about social and environmental issues in Borneo’s regional communities. Today they create lively and moving works that are impressive in scale and seductive in detail, depicting narratives relating to pertinent issues in Sabah — from illegal logging to official corruption.