Staged in 1997, On the Warp Path presented a selection of pua kumbu, the sacred textiles of the Iban people of Borneo, within a contemporary fine art context. The exhibition sought to reframe these works, challenging the utilitarian translation of “blanket” by positioning the pua as a multi-functional object serving as a sacred relic, icon, and storybook. The textiles on display showcased the mastery of the warp ikat technique on backstrap looms, featuring a complex lexicon of motifs that translate the Iban’s relationship with their environment. These ranged from highly stylized depictions of the rainforest to rare, provocative figures of decapitated corpses. This show represented a significant effort to bridge indigenous material culture with the urban gallery scene, treating these sacred weavings as vital contemporary documents of identity and history.