Domestic Resistance is a two-part programme that forges alliances around domestic work and labour diasporas. Bringing together artists, activists, and workers from East and Southeast Asia, the programme unfolded through critical conversations, shared meals, and moments of deep listening. We cried, cooked, and laughed—renewing spirit and solidarity with the women who clean and care for the world.
Part 1: Rasa & Asa (Flavours, Feelings & Hopes) is a screening and discussion centred on the titular documentary project initiated by Indonesian domestic workers in Malaysia during the COVID-19 lockdown. Blending testimonies with everyday scenes, Rasa & Asa is a testament to collective care and creative resilience, foregrounding both the emotional textures of migrant life and the global devaluation of domestic labour. Alongside recordings of online gatherings initiated by the workers association, much of the footage was captured on smartphones by members of the Indonesian Migrant Domestic Workers Association (PERTIMIG) themselves.
Part 2: Nohdong/노동 Nongkrong is a collaborative project that brings together artists, cultural workers, and activists from Malaysia and South Korea to share interwoven stories of domestic labour and diasporic experience. Participants gathered to make jumeokbap—riceballs commonly packed by and for workers—while exchanging stories, poetry, and resistance strategies. In a space held by anger, tears, and laughter, the gathering forged unexpected solidarities beyond the usual circuits of the art world.
Moderator:
Ong Jo-Lene, SMB12 Program Advisor
Artist and speakers:
Okui Lala, Nasrikah, PERTIMIG, Aletheia Shin, NHMC, and KWWA KR-EN
Interpretation:
Jaeyong Park 영상 기록 및 제작: 글림워커스
Video:
GLIMWORKERS mediacityseoul.kr