Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Kebaya, the traditional blouse found in virtually every country
\nin Southeast Asia, has evolved with the changing tides of
\nhistory. Marked by the culture of the country in which it is
\nworn, it varies from a relatively loose blouse to a high-corseted
\njacket in lace or other luxury material.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, the kebaya is probably found in as many
\nvarieties as there are ethnic groups, but what is predominantly
\nunderstood as the \"kebaya\" derives from the kebaya as it is known
\nin the Javanese tradition of the elite. It is fairly tight and
\nworn with a special woman's brassiere -- the long torso -- to
\ncover up eventual unsightly bulges of the flesh.<\/p>\n
While kebaya may be viewed as femininity personified in
\nterms of women's clothing, and designers have indeed raised it to
\nthe level of high fashion, artists have often linked it with the
\nJavanese tradition of make-believe.<\/p>\n
Astari Rasjid, a noted artist who has extensively explored the
\nculture in which she was born and raised, has visualized the
\nfallacy of make-believe in a number of sculptures, with the
\nkebaya looking as if made of supple, silky material, but in fact
\nmade of stainless steel to reflect the discomfort underneath the
\nfacade of beauty as well as the harsh impositions in real life.<\/p>\n
Quite different is the impression presented by Victoria
\nCattoni's installation and video presentations on the kebaya.<\/p>\n
In Reading the kebaya, as the exhibition at Galeri Lontar is
\ntitled, it is the videos documenting the reactions on the kebaya
\nthat matters. That such reactions are evoked \"by design\" is
\nanother matter.<\/p>\n
What is seen in the gallery is two clothing racks hung with
\nabout 40 kebayas and three TV sets simultaneously running videos
\nshowing Indonesian and expatriate women, and men trying on
\nkebaya's in various styles and materials while commenting on
\ntheir appearances.<\/p>\n
\"It makes me feel sexy,\" or \"I must now walk like a princess\",
\nor \"it's a bit too tight, but lovely\", are a few of the reactions
\nof the participants. Sometimes giggling, sometimes shy; most of
\nthe time they look happy, with the expressions of wonder, usually
\nseen on the face of someone pleasantly surprised. Men too liked
\nthe garment, although one Indonesian man revealed to me he could
\nnot possibly wear one in real life since it was meant to be for
\nwomen.<\/p>\n
So, while reactions of the participants included comments on
\nthe restrictions posed by the kebaya on one's movements, and some
\nsaid it made them look sexy, there were also those whose memories
\nof long past times were revived at the feel of the lace kebaya.<\/p>\n
\"Oh my grandmother used to have one of this style,\" said one.
\nOthers who had never worn one before would enter into a kind of
\nflirtation with the garment and come to like it anyway.<\/p>\n
Gathered in a mix of backgrounds and religious beliefs,
\narguments over whether the style was too showy or too tight would
\neventually evaporate along with other preconceptions.<\/p>\n
According to Cattoni, who has lived and worked in Indonesia
\nsince 1998, and currently divides her time between Denpasar and
\nDarwin, the experience of dressing in a kebaya in the presence of
\nother people, works as an act of self exploration, a
\ntransformation of stature, and generates memories.<\/p>\n
She said that the strong sentiments and reaction of audiences
\nto the work, confirmed for her, that the kebaya could act as a
\nvehicle for comprehension of the changing roles and status of
\nwomen in Indonesia; and an indication of how women see themselves
\ntoday.<\/p>\n
Cattoni's workshops in Bali and Darwin were reportedly met
\nwith great interest and enthusiasm. After Jakarta, she will
\nconduct workshops in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Semarang.<\/p>\n
Cattoni's works in the installation at Galeri Lontar are
\ntitled Tamasya kebaya, Kebaya Pressed Body, Kebaya Mix, Whose
\nKebaya Anyway.<\/p>\n
The videos are the result of workshops run by Cattoni in an
\nongoing project that started in interactive workshops and video
\nscreening in Bali three years ago and has since then expanded to
\nother places. It is part of a research project that Victoria
\nCattoni is undertaking as part of a Masters degree for the Art
\nand Design Department of the Northern Territory University in
\nDarwin, Australia.<\/p>\n
While the objective is to explore constructions of cultural
\nidentity within a number of different contexts - particularly in
\nrelation to constructions of feminine identity - in Indonesia and
\nAustralia, Victoria Cattoni says she will not analyze any of the
\ndata. For her the most important objective is to provide a space
\nwhere women can express themselves freely. Perhaps this is one
\nway of encouraging cultural interaction and bridging negative
\npre-conceptions.<\/p>\n
Victoria Cattoni's way of doing research could well be taken
\nas an effective alternative to the usual practice, and, while the
\nrange of participants must be widened beyond the few places in
\nBali and Java, it may become a source of valid information for
\ngender studies.<\/p>\n
Whether the works are also interesting in terms of artistic
\nendeavor, remains in the eyes of the beholder.<\/p>\n
i-box:<\/p>\n
Membaca kebaya\/Reading the kebaya
\nVideo installation performance
\nVictoria Cattoni
\nat Galeri Lontar, Jl. Utan Kayu 68H, East Jakarta
\nuntil Aug. 22, 2003 (daily except Mondays and public holidays)<\/p>",
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