'Person of the Forest, Borneo' The Penan people and Orangutans in the Borneo Rainforest
LIVE from Borneo, September 2019
Why?
Deforestation for palm oil and logging is causing huge damage to the rainforests of Borneo. We plan to travel to meet the Penan tribe in Sarawak and to explore their culture, knowledge and art. The Penan children will join ‘Last Chance to Paint’ by painting and drawing their rainforest at Mulu and its beauty. They intend to share with us everything they know and love about the rainforest.
Palm oil is a super-efficient crop, meaning that we can produce a lot more palm oil per area of land compared to other oil crops like soybean oil or coconut oil. It is also less dependant on pesticides and fertilisers and is produced from African oil palms. The bad news is that these plantations are creating a huge loss of rainforest and adding many animals, including the orangutan, to the critically endangered list. We want to connect directly through art to the orangutans themselves.
Where and when?
The Penan live in Mulu, Sarawak and are one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes although the majority of the tribe now lives in settlements. Mulu is a world heritage area. We are currently talking with the Penan to identify the best time for the expedition.
Part two of the Borneo adventure will be to meet orangutans. There are several reserves for orangutans in Borneo as so many have been injured or lost their homes due to deforestation. Spotting orangutans in the wild is very difficult so we will meet the ‘forest people’ at the reserves and also visit their natural habitat to get a true sense of their beguiling nature and the sheer beauty of the tropical forests.
What time is it there?
When we travel we will be very aware of time zones and when we will be able to live stream and communicate with the schools in the UK and other countries.
The current time in the area of Borneo we are travelling to is:
What will John Dyer paint?
Painting alongside the Penan people will give John Dyer an insight into their culture and visual language. Their art and the art of the Penan children will inform the artist’s work as he paints the rainforest of Mulu and the Penan people.
Painting orangutans is the second part of this project and one the artist can’t wait to take on, especially after being with the Penan as their knowledge and art will inspire his work on orangutans.
Outcomes
By spending time painting and drawing with the Penan tribe we will all learn a great deal about the rainforest and their culture. It will be a unique insight into tribal life and a privilege to work alongside the tribe.
The project will naturally bring up the complex issues surrounding agriculture, population, commercial use of vegetable oils, deforestation for logging and how we need to urgently find a balance in the future so that ecosystems and man can co-exist.
We hope that the children who engage in the project will have a chance to ask direct questions to the scientists and conservationists working with the orangutans and to talk with John Dyer as he embarks on his series of new paintings. They will also be able to ask the Penan questions and share their drawings and paintings with the children from the tribe. This cultural and scientific exchange should build lifelong connections.
Chapter Sponsor
InnovaArt
Innova Art has kindly sponsored our ‘Person of the Forest, Borneo’ chapter of ‘Last Chance to Paint’ and we are very grateful to them. We use Innova Art paper at The John Dyer Gallery for our art poster range and Innova Art share our passion for art, education and connecting people to the environment.
“Innova Art is wholly committed to preserving the environment for future generations. As such we ensure that all of the materials for the base of our papers are ethically sourced, maintaining the future of the world’s natural resources.”
Supporter
Orangutan Foundation
The Orangutan Foundation is kindly helping with our ‘Innova Art – Person of the Forest, Borneo’ chapter of ‘Last Chance to Paint’. Ashley Leiman, OBE, the director of the foundation is helping us to plan and be able to see orangutans at the Lamandau wildlife reserve.
“The Orangutan Foundation runs its own programmes in Central Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo. We work in collaboration with The Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry We place a strong emphasis on capacity building of key stakeholders who include local communities, local NGO’s, local business and regional government. With their inclusion comes conservation success and sustainability.”
“WE BELIEVE THAT ART CAN HELP TO CHANGE THE WORLD”
Are you already inspired to paint, draw, collage or create on the subject of 'Person of the Rainforest, Borneo'?
If you are already itching to get creative and to connect to the subject of ‘Person of the Forest’ through art then don’t hold back! You can send us your very best art already and we will proudly celebrate it on our online gallery for you. We do have some terms and conditions you will need to read before submitting your art and all art must be submitted by an adult. We are looking for your absolutely best work, something you will be proud to put on your wall at home and to see online in ten years time – so make it fantastic and make it from the heart. We can’t wait to see what you do.