LEYLA STEVENS

Uncovering Hidden Histories

For the Pasar Malam exhibition, Leyla Stevens presents an image from her film Witness, which depicts a banyan/fig tree in a Balinese marketplace—beneath which lies an unacknowledged mass grave from Indonesia’s 1965–66 genocide. Her work draws attention to how landscapes can carry silent histories and how violence can leave invisible but lasting marks on communities. Leyla’s contribution offers a compelling example of how art can confront historical erasure and provoke reflection on justice, memory, and place. Leyla introduces ideas on postcolonial and conceptual art, using the tree as both witness and guardian to the hidden history of the site.

Think About & Discuss

Leyla has worked across disciplines to participate in Pasar Malam, taking a moving image an selecting a single frame to produce a screen print. As a class talk about the decisions and steps that would be undertaken in this process.

Discuss or write short answer responses:

• Leyla avoids graphic depiction of atrocity; instead, what choices does she make to communicate the ‘dark’ or hidden meaning of the site?

• Evaluate the ethics and impact of this approach within postcolonial art discourse. Where does the line sit between visibility and retraumatisation?

• Leyla works between Bali and Australia, using research, archives, and collaboration. How does working “in-between” shape her images and politics?

Artmaking Task:

Create a 60–90 sec video study of a local site that you suspect holds “silent histories” (e.g., a memorial, river, market). Use one constraint from Stevens’ method—monochrome edit, long takes, subtle sound—to explore the ethics of making the invisible visible. Write a 150-word artist statement noting your choices and responsibilities.

In class plan your site, ideas, angles for your film. Afterschool or on the weekend capture and edit your film study. Present in class the following week.