Sara-swasti II, (2000), an installation made of dried banana tree trunks, fiber glass, by Mella Jaarsma. JP/PJ Leo
Indonesian contemporary art is about to woo art connoisseurs from around the world, this time with an exhibition bound for London that will present works from some of the archipelago’s most noted artists.
The “Indonesian Eye: Fantasies & Realities” exhibition, which brings together masterpieces of 18 Indonesian up-and-coming and famous artists, will be traveling from Jakarta to London, and maybe other parts of the world.
Currently on show in Jakarta until July 10, the works will also be on display in one of the world’s most established contemporary art gallery, the Saatchi Gallery, in London, from Aug. 27 to Oct. 9.
The event, believed to be the first major exhibition of Indonesian contemporary art in the UK, aims to promote Indonesian contemporary art overseas and introduce it to as wide an audience as possible, the organizer says.
“The main objective is to take Indonesian up-and-coming as well as prominent artists and help them have their works seen overseas,” said David Ciclitira, the founder and initiator of “Indonesian Eye”.
Three famous international curators were involved in selecting the artworks, Nigel Hurst, the CEO of the Saatchi Gallery, Tsong-zung Chang, a China Art Academy guest professor also director of Hanart TZ Gallery in Hong Kong, and Serelella Ciclitira, a curator with an international reputation, who is also married to David.
The selection process, which took one year to complete, also involved local curators Jim Supangkat, Asmudjo Jono Irianto and Farah Wardani.
“Indonesian Eye” is actually a follow-up from a similar program the Ciclitira couple organized with Korean art.
The pair initiated the “Korean Eye” series in 2009, which was deemed a success in promoting emerging Korean artists internationally. After landing in Korea and the UK, the exhibition also traveled to places such as Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.
Noting the success of “Korean Eye”, the couple embarked on a similar program involving Indonesian art.
“Indonesia is a special country, home to 240 million people and boasting an extraordinarily diverse culture spanning from Jakarta to Bali. There is an effervescent contemporary art scene, which has provided us and the team with a wealth of talent to work with,” David said.
The Post Modernist (2011), five cloaks of embroidered emblems, by Mella Jaarsma. JP/PJ Leo
He said him and his wife had spotted Indonesian art’s great potential during the “Korean Eye” exhibition in Singapore in 2010.
“We met many Indonesian artists, whose passion and ability made Indonesia a natural successor to the Korean initiative,” he elaborated.
Sharing the same opinion as Ciclitira, Hurst also highlighted the country’s cultural diversity as the key strong point of the local art scene.
“It is really diverse and hybrid in the best possible sense… There is a lot of energy there. There is a real melting and blending that is very interesting. It reflects the multicultural side you have,” he said.
Hurst was referring to the rich mix of modern and traditional cultures found in Indonesian artworks, where the digital and computer gaming world is combined with more historic elements such as shadow puppetry (wayang) or batik.
Hurst also pointed out that artworks here had the basic criteria needed to attract the attention of international audiences.
“The most and the foremost is that they [artworks] have to be visually arresting,” he said.
Looking at the 18 artworks featured in the exhibition, Hurst’s point was immediately obvious with all the bright colors and intriguing figures that seemed to dominate the collection.
Brush! (2008), scanography, print on transparency, by Angki Purbandono. JP/PJ Leo
Most of the artworks selected for the exhibition feature distinctive and gigantic shapes as well as shocking colors with a strong amalgamation of traditional and modern elements.
Artist Nindityo Adipurnomo, for example, exhibited a piece titled Tradition and Tension, featuring a gigantic konde (traditional Javanese hair bun) decorated with a bottles of shampoos neatly arranged in the center of the bun.
Artist Heri Dono’s paintings depict figures and elements from folk traditions combined with bright colors to represent Indonesia’s current political and social system.
However, the representative for Indonesian curators, Jim Supangkat, believes it isn’t just Indonesia’s rich cultural diversity that sets it apart on the global art scene.
Indonesian artists have already secured global recognition with their artworks displayed in various countries in Asia, Europe and Australia.
According to Jim, Indonesian artists’ impulsive creative process is one of their strengths.
“Most of the artists here work with their heart. Their artworks cannot be easily explained because it is spontaneous. This kind of thing is still rare in the art world,” he said.
Commenting on the exhibition, Jim lauded the project as an important step forward for Indonesian contemporary art.
“We can see a bright future for our artists because of this kind of exposure,” he said.
A book titled Indonesian Eye, Contemporary Indonesian Art, which presents over 500 works by 74 Indonesian artists, was also launched at the exhibition.
The book will be distributed worldwide by top publisher Thames & Hudson.
Indonesian Eye: Fantasies and Realities
Jakarta Exhibition
Ciputra Artpreneur Center, Jakarta
Until July 10
Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., 7 days a week
Admission: free
London Exhibition
Saatchi Gallery, London
Aug. 27 – Oct. 9
Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., 7 days a week,
Admission: free
www.indonesianeye.com
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