Tolong Menolong is a bold cross-collective project that brings together three dynamic Southeast Asian art collectives—Taring Padi (Indonesia), Pangrok Sulap (Malaysia), and Patani Artspace (Thailand)—in a powerful space for dialogue, creation, and mutual support. Following its debut at Patani Artspace in 2025, SARENG is honoured to present this significant three-collective group exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, supporting the project's commitment to regional solidarity and cross-border collaboration.

Tolong Menolong serves as a vital platform for these collectives to share innovative practices, compare effective strategies, and exchange crucial ideas for sustaining community-based art movements in the face of pressing political, social, and environmental challenges. With over two decades of experience, Taring Padi harnesses grassroots activism and cultural resistance, utilising collaborative art to amplify dissenting voices. Pangrok Sulap, established in the highlands of Sabah, employs a multidisciplinary approach, empowering local communities through socially engaged projects and compelling visual storytelling. Meanwhile, Patani Artspace, situated in the culturally rich yet politically sensitive Deep South of Thailand, passionately supports contemporary artists in expressing identity, resilience, and peace-building through thought-provoking exhibitions, residencies, and educational initiatives. Its work addresses the complexities of visibility and vulnerability in a region marked by conflict.

At its core, Tolong Menolong—meaning “mutual help”—is both a principle and a promise. It asserts that art can serve as a collective tool for empowerment, solidarity, and lasting transformation. In an era characterised by shrinking civic space, regional isolation, and cultural erasure, it is imperative for like-minded collectives to unite—not just to share techniques or aesthetics, but to forge long-term alliances rooted in care, resistance, and interdependence. By bringing together diverse voices across borders, Tolong Menolong aims to ignite new conversations, strengthen transnational networks, and envision sustainable futures for independent art practices throughout Southeast Asia.

A critical focus of this project is to nurture a vibrant new generation of artists, activists, and cultural workers by immersing them in the living histories, practices, and struggles of these established collectives. Through inclusive open forums, collaborative workshops, and hands-on learning experiences, Tolong Menolong empowers emerging voices to take root and thrive—carrying forward the spirit of collective resistance and creativity. In this way, art is not merely a means of expression; it is an essential educational tool that fosters critical thinking, empathy, and awareness of complex socio-political realities. In a world marked by censorship, violence, and misinformation, Tolong Menolong reaffirms the undeniable power of art to question, connect, and envision new possibilities.