Fine arts, a medium to tie RI and Germany<\/p>\n
Christina Schott, Contributor, Berlin<\/p>\n
What does \"multicultural\" mean? What is a subculture? The
\ndefinitions cover a wide range of things.<\/p>\n
Multikulti in Germany, for example, certainly means the
\ngathering of different nationalities, while in other parts of the
\nworld the gathering of two neighboring villages could be seen as
\na multicultural event.<\/p>\n
Not only underground movements like punk or ska can be
\nregarded as subculture; it can also define a subordinated culture
\nwithin a larger regional or national context.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia -- with all its numerous different peoples and
\ncultures, various communities and movements -- probably every
\ndefinition, from a global level to a local phenomenon, will find
\nits justification.<\/p>\n
\"Reading Multi-Sub-Culture\" is therefore the title of a
\ncontemporary Indonesian paintings exhibition that opened on Jan.
\n8 at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Berlin in
\ncooperation with the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin.<\/p>\n
Its planners wanted exactly to express these different
\ndimensions and the wide range: Of 9,000 young Indonesian artists
\nfrom throughout the country curator Mamannoor had to pick 24 to
\nrepresent the contemporary arts scene in the archipelago.<\/p>\n
\"The works to be seen are, of course, only a small part of
\nwhat I would have liked to show\", Mamannoor said. \"But the
\ncuratorial process is limited by time and space.\"<\/p>\n
The exhibited paintings are indeed a mixture of styles and
\nideas, representing a cross-section of contemporary Indonesian
\npainters. There are the introverted, sloping figures in S Teddy
\nD's Archeolog and The Last Message for example -- beside the
\nbonbon-colored, round-headed protagonists of Bunga Jeruk's. Her
\npainting, Aku ingin anak lagi (I would like another child)
\npresents a full-breasted mother, with four children already,
\ntalking into a microphone, becoming the mirror for \"normal\"
\npeople in a transition from a traditional to a modern-media
\nsociety.<\/p>\n
There are the abstract mixed media works Wajah-Wajah yang
\ndisalibkan I+II (Crucified Faces) of Antonius Kho as well as the
\npale women's faces in Anna Zuchriana's works Jujum and MeiMei and
\nAbdi, the Urang Sunda (I am a Sundanese), which relates the
\nforced transformation of a Chinese identity.<\/p>\n
The exhibition also include pictures from Agung Suryanto,
\nBilaningsih HS, Ojite, Rosid and many more -- unfortunately there
\nis not enough space to mention all their works.<\/p>\n
It was the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs that offered the
\nLichthof (light courtyard) of its building as space for this
\nexhibition at the Indonesian Embassy at Berlin. This program is
\npart of a series of exhibitions, where different countries can
\npresent their contemporary artists in the huge entrance area. The
\nIndonesian Embassy, of course, was pleased to accept the
\ninvitation and gave the curatorship to Yayasan Seni Rupa
\nIndonesia (Indonesian Arts Foundation) in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The foundation is responsible for the organization of the
\nPhilip Morris Awards Competitions in Indonesia and has launched
\nalready several international exhibitions of Indonesian
\ncontemporary arts in Madrid, Moscow, Switzerland and China.<\/p>\n
\"Every exhibition involves an act of diplomacy between
\ncultures. Artistic works always talk about the nature, the
\nsociety, the wishes and experiences of their creators: They show
\na new cosmos, create a certain cultural climate -- so that the
\naudience can read, and hopefully better understand, this
\nculture,\" said Mamannoor, who is also curator of the National
\nGallery Jakarta and teaches at the Higher School of Fine Arts and
\nDesign at Bandung.<\/p>\n
It is an idea that was fully confirmed by speakers at the
\nopening ceremony. \"Art has a prominent place in building
\nintercultural relations -- it reflects the spirit of the people
\nand gives substantial space to their culture\", marked Rahardjo
\nJamtomo, the Indonesian Ambassador to Germany, in his oration.<\/p>\n
Among all the official events, speeches and explanations, the
\nartists themselves were somewhat ignored. The only painter
\npresent at the opening was Fauzi As'ad, who has lived for eight
\nyears in the small principality, Liechtenstein, close to
\nSwitzerland. His works usually carry a liberal dash of social
\ncriticism within an intercultural, global context.<\/p>\n
The painting Mundschutz - wie lange noch? (Breath protection
\n-- how long again?) shows a distressed figure with a white mouth
\nmask in front of an abstract, red and blue background. The
\nletters SARS dance above unreadable lines of text. Such A Rubbish
\nStory is Fauzi's interpretation of this worrying medical
\ncondition and portrays an analogy between the suppression of a
\ndeadly epidemic and limitations on freedom of expression.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, although he would have wished to have a little
\nbit more time and space for the artists in this exhibition, Fauzi
\nappreciates the efforts made to realize an event of this
\ninternational and multicultural significance. \"Contemporary
\nIndonesian artists are represented well, in a satisfying way,\"
\nthe painter and sculptor said. \"I really hope now that as a
\nresult of this we shall arrive at a better understanding between
\npeople here and can build up a new intercultural exchange.\"<\/p>\n
Reading Multi-Sub-Culture, Two-Dimensional Indonesian Fine Arts
\nat the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Lichthof Werderscher Markt 1,
\n10117 Berlin, Germany, from Jan. 8 through Jan. 25, 2004<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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