A year ago, I had a conversation with Malaysian-American artist Lucy Liew, who was on a visit home to Sarawak. During that brief catch up, she expressed a desire for her aging father’s photographic work to be exhibited. “He will be 80 years old in 2018 and has so much to show of Borneo and its people,” she shared with me then. On July 6 this year, Lucy’s wish for her father was realised through the endeavours of Joe Sidek, the director of the Rainforest Fringe Festival (RFF2018).
He granted her father a solo exhibition of his unique photographs as part of the event which served to highlight local talents. Sarawak’s premier photo journalist, Dennis Lau, has exhibited alongside other photographers both here and abroad. However, with his first and last solo black and white exhibition having been in the year 1970 at the British Council in Kuching, the second had been long overdue.
Held at the Kuching Old Courthouse, it presented a rare opportunity for locals and tourists alike to view images of Bornean people over a 50-year period of change. A Sarawakian of mixed Chinese- Melanau descent, Lau is probably one of the most established photojournalists around. Combining ethnography and photojournalism, his works channel the deep respect and high regard that he holds dearly for the indigenous people.
Lau resides in Kuching but actually grew up in Bintulu, in a time when it was but a mere sleepy hollow. His first step into the world of photography began as a lab assistant in a neighbour’s photo processing lab, back when the old methods of chemicals and negatives were employed to develop images in trays. From there, he mastered the skill of film development in the dark room and began shooting his first pictures with a borrowed camera. When Lau won the second prize in a local photographic competition, he met the renowned K.F. Wong, who was already acclaimed for his mastery in capturing stunning images of Sarawak’s ethnic people.
It was Wong’s encouragement to a then 19-year old Lau that propelled his interest in photography further. Instead of merely capturing scenery, he shifted his focus to people as advised by K.F. Wong. Lau’s fulltime career was as a teacher and it lasted till his retirement in 1993. However, his passion for photography had always persisted. While teaching in a rural school and with plenty of leisure time to spend in the countryside of Bintulu, his journey in photography took off. He followed his pupils to their villages and took pictures of residents in their natural surroundings.
Following a subsequent transfer to Miri, he embarked on regular field trips into the interior all at his own personal expense. For the new few decades, Lau virtually covered all the ethnic tribes including the nomadic Penans, whom he chanced upon one day when they came to town. His keenness to have them as subjects of photography resulted in him following the Penans into the jungle and participating in their way of life.
He would in fact, continue to do so again and again for years to come, even for weeks at a time. Unassuming, warm and friendly, Lau blended well with the various communities he visited in the far-flung corners of Borneo. His black-and-white photography demonstrates clearly a respect for the people and should one study their facial expressions, they are likely to sense that these individuals had indeed accepted him openly into their communities.
It is no easy feat to capture the feelings of people and their surroundings, but Lau has certainly succeeded in doing so.
Bearing this background in mind, it is no surprise that the recent solo exhibition placed substantial emphasis on his homeland of Sarawak, and visitors were able to see through his lens the customs, traditions and vanishing lifestyles of the indigenous communities.
Kelabit elders of Bario, men covered in traditional tattoos, Orang Ulu ladies with elongated earlobes, an elderly Punan lady smoking, a Kelabit mother with her child, Penan children playing in the joy of their makeshift huts – there are but some of the spectacular images that emerged through Lau’s labour of love. Visitors took time to admire the works on display at the exhibition as well as to read and digest the captions and descriptions. Lau’s book entitled ‘Borneo People: A Photographic Journey’, was also on sale and a significant number of copies were snapped up.
Many also took home selfies with Lau himself. Overwhelmed by the tremendous response to his exhibition he stressed that he felt very proud as a Sarawakian and very honoured to have an exhibition to showcase his photo legacy.
His black-and-white photography exhibition will resume on another equally renowned island to the west. The Georgetown Festival is currently in its ninth year, having been managed by Joe Sidek Productions Sdn Bhd since 2010 and successfully drawing thousands of visitors to Penang. Dennis Lau is ever delighted to showcase images of Sarawak and its people to the world at large and will be in Penang starting August 4 for his exhibition there. As expressed by Lucy, “I’m so thankful that my Dad has the opportunity to share the stories behind each of his photographic works with viewers. It is wonderful for him to have gained so many fans from all over the world at the Rainforest Fringe Festival 2018.”
