Bhatt (left) and Foo continue their collaboration, which began last year, with 'The Guardians Of The Rainforest' exhibition, currently showing in KL. — Photo: Lobach
Many Indigenous cultures around the world share the common belief that spirits or guardians can be found all throughout nature, from the whispers of the wind through the trees to the soft burble of water flowing in a stream.
In Japan, there are the kodama (tree spirits), which are said to be found in ancient forests, while in the Amazon rainforest, there are tales of the “Mapinguari”, a mysterious jungle protector.
Similarly, among the Kadazan people of Sabah, it’s believed that everything – the rivers, the trees, the rocks – are home to spirits that are often unseen by the naked eye.
In an homage to her Kadazan heritage, Sabahan ceramicist Hannah Bhatt – together with multidisciplinary artist Venice Foo, who also goes by ChauXhien – has created a series of ceramic and textile sculptures, which are featured in The Guardians Of The Rainforest exhibition.
For 'Wishes Carrier', Bhatt says she was inspired by childhood memories of running barefoot through muddy fields, clutching dandelions in her hands, and blowing their petals into the wind like tiny prayers. —LOBACH
On display at House Of Oma in Kuala Lumpur until March 23, the collaborative exhibition showcases 14 intricate, fantastical sculptures inspired by the childhood memories and local folklore that Bhatt grew up with.
“In my culture, Kadazan people believe that there are two worlds: a physical world and an unseen world. These two worlds are connected to one another, so there always has to be a balance,” says Bhatt in a recent interview at the gallery space in KL.
Through their clay, thread, and bead-based works, Bhatt and Foo pull viewers into an otherworldly realm where the rainforest breathes and spirits whisper, sharing stories of beings beyond our wildest imagination.
Going with the flow
For Bhatt, 32, and Foo, 29, this exhibition isn’t their first collaboration – they previously worked together on Gift Of Light, a charity art auction Bhatt organised last year to raise funds for Lightup Borneo, a civil society initiative aimed at helping off-grid rural villages get access to electricity.
“For the show, I asked Venice to collaborate with me, and I thought the final piece (titled Energy Tango) looked really beautiful. The clay and beading naturally complemented each other. So afterwards, I asked her if she wanted to do a collaborative show with me,” shares Bhatt.
It took the duo about three months to put The Guardians Of The Rainforest together, and the results are artworks that are equal parts playful and mysterious, representing the reimagining of what the spirits would look like if we could truly see them.
An artwork titled 'Twin Guardians' (2025) showcasing the duo's use of stoneware, glaze, underglaze, yarn, beads, brass Bells and floral wire. —CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
“The myths and folklore that I listened to growing up left a lasting impression on me, influencing my imagination and creativity to this day,” says Bhatt, who founded Uncanny Valley Studio in 2023, and is currently based in Kota Kemuning, Selangor.
“As a Kadazan, I really wanted to do this exhibition to share this part of our culture and our heritage with the people in KL and other artists,” she adds.
As for the process of creating each piece, Foo, who is based in Kota Kinabalu, says that Bhatt would create the ceramic base, which was then passed to her to embellish with paint, crochet, embroidery, and beading.
“We didn’t really have a detailed plan for the pieces. When she passed me a piece, Hannah would tell me the story behind the sculpture and then I would let my imagination take the reins.
“It was an experimental, yet very organic process, and somehow, everything worked out,” says Foo with a wide smile.
A glimpse into the unseen
Placed high on a wall in the gallery in a place of honour is Eyes Of The Bobolian, a piece that pays tribute to the “bobolian” (in the Dusun language) or “bobohizan” (Kadazan), a highly-respected woman in the Kadazan and Dusun culture, as they hold the position of high priestess, ritual specialist, and spirit medium.
“The bobolian is someone who can communicate with the spirit world. In each of her eyes, there’s a little ‘face’ to show that she sees both the physical and unseen worlds. She also has a crown, because we see her as a queen and she has responsibilities towards her village people.
“We placed her up there (in the exhibition) so that she can ‘oversee’ all the other spirits,” says Bhatt.
A wall piece titled 'Eyes Of The Bobolian' (2025) by Bhatt and Foo honours the bobohizan, a revered Kadazan high priestess. —LOBACH
A mother of two young children aged five and seven, Bhatt shows us a piece that took inspiration from her kids, titled The Red Blossom Caterpillar.
“My kids’ favourite movie to watch is Studio Ghibli’s famous My Neighbour Totoro, so this one is inspired by the Catbus spirit, and is all about trusting in the path that life brings you on, even if you don’t know where it’s going,” explains Bhatt.
Both Bhatt and Foo say that their favourite piece in the show is The Tidewalker – adorned with shimmering pearls and crystalline flowers made with twisted wire, the tentacled spirit is said to move between the tides in the rivers that carve through the rainforest.
“The Tidewalker is a creature that teaches us to embrace change and move with the rhythm of the unknown, rather than resisting it,” says Bhatt.
“I worked on this one after we did the photoshoot for the show, where we both had our hair done in two braids, so I incorporated that into this piece with the pearls – I guess you could say this piece kind of resembles the two of us,” says Foo.
Bhatt says that 'The Red Blossom Caterpillar' is inspired by the Catbus spirit in the movie 'My Neighbour Totoro'. —CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
She used different techniques for almost all the pieces – some have crochet, others have beading, and for The Tidewalker, she twisted wire and beads to form flowers.
“It all comes from just playing around with different materials, so I’m pleased with how the colours and flowers came together, complementing the flowy shape of the sculpture,” she adds.
During the exhibition’s run, Bhatt and Foo will also be conducting a series of sculpting and beading workshops, where participants can create their own little forest guardian.
“We wanted to include a more hands-on, interactive element to the show, as a way to build community and help people better understand the process behind making handmade ceramic and textile works,” says Bhatt.
For Bhatt and Foo, the exhibition is a chance to share Sabahan art, craft and stories with KL audiences. —CHAN TAK KONG/The Star
While the show’s title mainly refers to the forest spirits that populate the exhibition space, the other side of the message is to remind visitors to the show about their intrinsic and inescapable connection to nature.
“We hope to spark a sense of wonder in nature among those who come to the show, even the parts we don’t often see, and hopefully this prompts them to realise that our choices have an impact on the environment, and to make better decisions,” concludes Bhatt.
The Guardians Of The Rainforest is showing at House Of Oma in Bukit Persekutuan, Kuala Lumpur until March 23. Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 1pm-midnight. Free admission. Instagram: @uncannyvalleystudios.
