PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE duction Intro (three arts in Bahasa Malaysia) is an on-going project created in 2019 as a platform for multidisciplinary collaborative perfor- mance. The three art forms are movement, visual and sound. In 2021, instead of developing live performances, the platform continues in the form of a laboratory - a collaboration that is process-driven rather than product-oriented - to stimulate, nourish and elevate creative practice of participants through mutual artistic exchange with a mentor. The platform hopes to be a part of the artistic journey of art makers during this uncertain period and wishes to participate in the search for new ways to create, present and consume arts. Coming together as Unit B under Seni Tiga Lab, the multidisciplinary participants were brought together online to create, collaborate and express through weekly discussions and activities from June 2021 to October 2021. Having never met each other physically during the process due to the Movement Control Order 3.0 in Klang Valley, Unit B had the rare opportunity to react towards a local and global situation, resulting in the collaborative art project, pause // play, that was created and presented on Zoom that concluded their virtual experiences of the past 1.5 pandemic years. Ti ga Se n i Foreword by Mentor Mah Jun Yi: Hey Kian, so now we are almost at the end of the road! What was it like being a mentor? Lian Kian Lek: This is my first experience as a mentor in an art project. On top of that, this is also the first time that I am involved in an art project where I am unable to meet any of the group members physically. Jun Yi: COVID-19 has definitely changed our ways of doing things. Did you see it as a limitation or as an opportunity? Kian: This is definitely a rare opportunity! The pandemic limitation has become our framework and because of that, we are able to include creatives from India and the UK. Since the commencement on 6 June, all the weekly meet-ups and discussions were made entirely via Zoom and it was a truly fascinating and unique experience for me. Jun Yi Kian Jun Yi: Yeah? What was it like? Kian: Within this creative process/framework, I see a natural democratic atmosphere and utter respect for each other. Each member’s strength and ideas were embraced and absorbed into the process and finally evident in the end result. This is perhaps made possible unknowingly, by the graphic layout and functions in the program – Zoom. Every participant has an equal window size and each person takes turns to speak. It dissolves hierarchy and/or any physical advantages within a group, this is very different compared to my personal experi- ence in a conventional theatre production. Apart from that, the team was given a lot of freedom in the entire process. In the final zoom experience, the background animation, music and writings are original works contributed by the team members, and a big part of it was presented live. This was crucial as we wanted to keep a certain level of authenticity and make each experience unique. Jun Yi: Haha, did you just describe an ideal atmosphere for a collaboration? Do you think this is a method that will persist? Kian: Hmmm.... I think... This new method is perhaps a short term replacement during the pandemic lockdown. We will likely resume back to normal as soon as all the art venues re-open. However, it definitely provided us an opportunity to experiment new ways of creating art, that is relevant and reacting to a global crisis. It made us realise how much we, as humans, desire to have physical contact and I believe this is what people will see in Unit B’s virtual event. Finally, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the front stage and backbone members in Unit B, for their great efforts and creative involvement, especially to the KongsiKL team for their excellent management and relentless support! How we got stuck together Gathered by the interest of defining space, a multidisciplinary group was formed in response to an open call in April 2021. The four components that made up the unit are: Front Stage members, Backbone members, a mentor and the production team. Open C al l Prompt Jun Yi: Hey Kian, thank you for being part of the Seni Tiga team as a mentor. Can you tell us about your interests? Kian: I am interested, on a personal level, in how a person occupies space. Confined in my own room during the lockdown, I had plenty of time to connect with my inner self and I saw my desire to reach out and connect with others. The inward regression (self) is echoed in the outward projection (room). Therefore, even though this has been a global crisis that has affected many lives, I can only relate on a very personal and emotional level. Jun Yi: That is totally fine. So you want to talk about space, but with a focus on the human scale? Kian: Yes. I think a lot about the concept of a room, the concept of a place as well as the emotional and behavioural relationship between the self and the occupied space. Jun Yi: What does that mean? Kian: The perception of a space is always directly influenced by our emotional interpretation of senses - the senses we receive and how we mobilise or utilise within. I am interested in the concept of isotropic space whereby all material and quality of a surrounding is homogenous, as that is when our senses are heightened. Just imagine navigating through a mist - we are more aware of where we are when we are lost. Jun Yi: Kian: Let me read this excerpt on heterotopia space by Foucault - ‘The heterotopia of the mirror is at once absolutely real, relating with the real space surrounding it, and absolutely unreal, creating a virtual image.’ I thought that was quite appropriate to my lockdown experience and these are the few aspects I wish to touch upon in this unit. Who’s Who Front Stage Members Actor, director, composer. Co-founder of Panas Panas Theatre. Hana Nadira Fine artist, illustrator, painter, carpenter. Ryan Tang Interior designer, painter, pianist. Simone Foo bone Back Members Architectural designer, graphic designer, writer. Amalia Ab Aziz Architectural designer, dance artist, member of Marrow Collective. Lee Sook Khuan (Lilo) Theatre director, actor. Based in India. Petrishia Melodi Dorcas Interdisciplinary artist, choreographer, educator, researcher. Founder & director of Marrow Collective. Chan Kar Kah Architectural designer. Leow Shyir Mei (Agnes) Fine artist. Nurin Yusof Multimedia artist. Co-founder of Filamen. Abdul Shakir (Grasshopper) Architectural designer, graphic artist. Ho Kae Jing Writer, performance maker, cat rescuer. Lim Sheng Hui Visual artist. Tan Sher Lynn Collage artist, dance artist. Shafiqah Rafi Mentor Production Architect, artist, scenographer, curator of putticoop. Lian Kian Lek Team Performing Arts graduate, music promoter, editor. Jeremy Tang Producer, dance artist, lighting designer. Loke Soh Kim Intern, UiTM Arts Management graduate Hani Amira Zaini Assistant producer, designer, visual artist. Low Pey Sien Assistant producer, architectural designer, lecturer, writer. Mah Jun Yi