CP Open Biennale's breakthrough visions<\/p>\n
Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
On Sept. 3, CP Open Biennale 2003 will be officially opened,
\nbeginning a new tradition of valuing art in a more democratic
\nmanner. In a format that is unique in international exhibition
\npractice, artists were not invited but selected from application.
\nIt is organized by the CP Foundation, which Djie Tjianan and Jim
\nSupangkat founded in the wake of the new millennium in Washington
\nD.C.<\/p>\n
Supported by Bank Indonesia and UBS Swiss Financial
\nInstitution, the exhibition showcases 167 works from 128 artists,
\nselected from over 600 "applications." The 167 works use visual
\narts media such as painting, drawing, sculpture, installation
\nworks, objects, photography, video, as well as ceramics, wood,
\nmetal, fiber and human hair.<\/p>\n
Lead curator Jim Supangkat is of the opinion that
\nInternationalism, which considers international art as existing
\nin a homogeneous situation around the world, is no longer valid,
\nfor art developments outside Europe and America have a parallel
\nsignificance.<\/p>\n
This does not mean that art outside these two countries has
\nnot been affected by art development there, or may show
\nsimilarities. Drawing a parallel with English that is spoken with
\nan accent in countries outside England, Jim terms non-Western art
\nas art with an accent. Just as English with an accent is English,
\nart with an accent is real art and should be given due
\nconsideration.<\/p>\n
Supangkat says: "International exhibitions must be set free
\nfrom art institutions that always refer back to the Western
\ninstitution of art as seen in Europe and America. There is no
\nother possible valid way to look at international exhibitions
\nthan to view them as autonomous art institutions in themselves."<\/p>\n
According to CP Foundation chairman Djie Tjianan, for almost a
\ncentury the term "international world" in the arts has been the
\ncause of too many misunderstandings.<\/p>\n
"Now it is time to turn the scales and work together toward
\nunderstanding the realities in a sense that is truly
\ninternational.<\/p>\n
"The CP Open Biennale is one attempt, which has received
\ntremendous support from artists, curators, writers, collectors,
\nbusiness partners and international institutions."<\/p>\n
That CP Foundation and the management of Galeri Nasional
\nconsider this biennale of great importance is evident in the
\ncomprehensive "renovation" that Galeri Nasional has consented to
\nand which CP Foundation has been willing to undertake.<\/p>\n
For CP Open Biennale, the participation of world-renowned
\nChinese artist Gu Wenda is confirmation of the significance of
\ntheir undertaking. Gu Wenda, who consistently uses human hair as
\nhis artistic medium to symbolize our common humanity, and reworks
\ntraditional Chinese media, such as calligraphy, ink painting and
\ncarving to express ideas of universal concern, personally comes
\nto Indonesia to install at Galeri Nasional the 21st artwork of
\nhis renowned United Nations series.<\/p>\n
The importance of CP's undertaking is also marked by the
\nInternational Symposium, titled Interpellation: Simultaneous
\nTranslation in Understanding Contemporary Art, on Sept. 4, with
\nnoted speakers like Kuroda Raiji from Fukuoka Asian Art Museum of
\nJapan, and Akira Tatehatta, art historian\/curator;
\nOscar Ho, art critic from Hong Kong; Els van der Plas, art
\nhistorian from Holland; Christine Clark from the National
\nUniversity of Australia; and Ritzky A. Zaelani, Indonesia. The
\nkeynote speaker is Jim Supangkat, on Art with an Accent, while
\nguest panelists will be Gu Wenda, an avant-garde artist from
\nChina and Li Xianting, art critic from China, with Goenawan
\nMohamad and Toshio Simizu as moderators.<\/p>\n
The Indonesia focus is on Sept. 27, when a seminar titled
\nIdentification of Arts, and the International Art Forums discuss
\nthe Indonesian arts by way of identifying the existing
\ndevelopments and their relations with international art forums.
\nSpeakers will include Soewarno Wisetromo, Asikin Hasan,
\nAnusapati, Tatang B. Sp, Agung Koechink and Tiarma Dame Ruth
\nSirait.<\/p>\n
To facilitate understanding, selected artists and curators
\nwill guide a tour with explanations throughout the exhibition at
\nthe National Gallery on Sept. 7, 13, 20 and 28, at 11 am.<\/p>\n
For children, a special children's workshop is held on Sept.
\n14 and 21. Participation is subject to registration.<\/p>\n
The Open Biennale comes with an interesting catalog, which
\nincludes essays from respected art historians, as well as
\narticles on every participating artist, written by various art
\ncritics.<\/p>\n
CP Foundation was founded by Djie Tjianan, an Indonesia-
\nWashington based entrepreneur, and Jim Supangkat, who founded the
\nSeni Indonesia Baru movement in the 1970s, and is widely known as
\nan art critic and curator.<\/p>\n
Striving to break through the barriers of dominating
\nhegemonies in the world of art, the foundation's activities are
\nchanneled through its CP Open Biennale Jakarta and CP Artspace in
\nWashington DC.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, CP Foundation is expanding with an artspace in
\nJakarta, now under construction. An artists' residency in Bandung
\nis under way and will be part of the Cultural Center under
\nParahyangan Satya Foundation.<\/p>\n
The startup of this Open Biennale is certainly a solid base
\nfor great expectations. What is important, though, is that CP
\nwill be able to fulfill its aspirations in the longer term. Djie
\nTjianan and Jim Supangkat are convinced it will. As early as
\ntoday, they are already thinking of the next in 2005.<\/p>\n
CP Open Biennale 2003: Sept. 4 through Oct. 3, 2003
\nGaleri Nasional, Jl. Merdeka Timur 14, Jakarta, every day except
\nMondays
\nOpening: Sept. 3, at 7:30 p.m. (by invitation)
\nInternational Symposium: Sept. 4 from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. (free
\nentry)
\nArt Seminar: Sept. 27, from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. (free entry)
\nMore at: www.cp-foundation.org, or contact Naning Sugeng, General
\nManager of
\nCP Foundation at 0815-1821329.<\/p>",
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