The work of Anne Samat (*1973, Malacca, Malaysia; lives and works in Kuala Lumpur and New York) pairs traditional techniques with innovative ways of thinking, while mixing notions of craftsmanship and serial production. Deeply informed by the language of textile and specifically by the techniques used by the Iban people of Sarawak, the largest of Malaysia’s thirteen states, Samat’s work starts with weaving rattan and yarn to create a colorful base. Such meticulous and mediative work is then counterbalanced by the exuberant use of readymade objects that are familiar in societies that, although remote to each other, nevertheless share a permeation of hyper consumption. Through the appropriation of knickknacks such as plastic rakes, bejeweled masks, beads, belts, forks, spoons, keys, metal jewelry as well as objects like gardening tools, the textile base is enriched by decorative extensions that transform the flat multicolored surfaces into impressive sculptural elements.

One of the most direct ways to decode Samat’s practice is the series of works inspired by the Kalambi, namely the ceremonial jacket used by the Iban people in Malaysia and Borneo made of woven dyed cotton. Through the interpretation of the Kalambi, Samat sheds light on the formal qualities that clothing has, of being simultaneously flat and sculptural, and of being conceived as a painting (through its patterns) but ‘behaving’ as sculpture (when it is worn). Clothing also speaks to fluid notions of identity such as gender, itself a generative framework for Samat: the idea of a work changing from being two to three dimensional, from being traditional to innovative, from appearing as “Eastern” to appearing as “Western” or likewise from masculine to feminine should be understood as a philosophical position that the artist takes towards rigid divisions. The blending nature of her work symbolizes an open approach that suggests the possibility of things being here and there simultaneously.

Samat’s exhibition at CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo consists of a group of recent works selected especially to ‘inhabit’ the cavernous and pristine features of its Ground Floor Gallery. Here a key role is played by the work Never Walk in Anyone’s Shadow (2024), an anthropomorphic, armature-like work that embodies the transformative nature of Samat’s practice. At the same time Samat’s coupling of traditional techniques and ready-made objects function as a channel for coded messages about themes like love and protection, which are pivotal to the artist’s position. Perfectly summarizing such a state of being is the juxtaposition of toy swords – a phallic object symbolizing both aggression and protection – to reinterpretations of the Pua Kumbu – the Iban people’s ceremonial cover cloth traditionally woven by women to manifest their dreams.

“Anne Samat: Never Walk in Anyone’s Shadow,” is curated by Nicola Trezzi. The exhibition is supported by Galila's P.O.C (Passion-Obsession-Collection), Belgium; special thanks to Marc Straus, New York.

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“Anne Samat: Never Walk in Anyone’s Shadow,” 2025
View of the exhibition at CCA Tel Aviv-Yafo
Photo: Hadas Hay

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No Place for Beginners or Sensitive Heart #3, 2021
Rattan sticks, kitchen and garden utensils, beads, ceramic, metal and plastic ornaments, 266.7 × 127 × 15.24 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Marc Straus, New York
Photo: Hadas Hay

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Mysterious Beauty 3 (Sarawak Series), 2024
Cotton and synthetic yarn, hand painted rattan sticks, garden rakes, belts, stainless steel washers, pvc chain, denim, wooden beads, plastic and metal ornaments, 177.8 × 73.7 × 12.7 cm
Courtesy of the artist and Marc Straus, New York
Photo: Hadas Hay