A protest against tourism
A protest against tourism
Boudewijn Brands, Contributor, Yogyakarta
At Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, an exhibition by a well-known Thai artist is currently running. What is there to protest against?
Globalization, the negative impact of tourism, consumerism, random killing and bombing could all be targeted.
Manit Sriwanichpoom is presenting a series of 13 photographs taken in Bali during 2003, entitled Pink Man in Paradise.
Imagine a slightly overweight, middle-aged man in a pink, fluorescent suit pushing an empty, pink shopping cart. In the catalog it is explained that the starting point for these photographs is the explosions that killed 202 people at a night club on Oct. 12, 2002.
It is just one part of terrorism, the destruction part. The reaction, however, is not one of taking care of these sick minds. Trying to teach them that there are possibilities of having different lifestyles that can still coexist peacefully together.
But what about the impact of tourism?
According to the explanation in the catalog, the artist wishes to criticize consumerism, tourism and -- maybe -- globalization.
In the Netherlands we have an expression: "Unknown makes unloved".
So, is tourism not an excellent opportunity to get to know how others societies live, what kind of spiritual life they have, what their surroundings look like?
Of course there are those who just come for shopping, the weather, the sea or the food, but is that bad or an opportunity within the service industry to employ people?
What Manit has done in this exhibition is to put the highly contrasting figures in beautiful, sometimes majestic landscapes. His Pink Man does not look at all destructive or materialistic.
The shopping cart looks more like a walking frame for the elderly. It could also serve as an object to distract attention from the man.
When viewing the pictures, the pink man does not look more or less out of place than any other ordinary tourist, or local for that matter. What is obvious, though, is that there are no tourists in the photographs.
The effect of having a figure in such unnatural colors is that the picture, which could otherwise be a calendar illustration, contains a certain tension.
Through the contrast, the views and landscapes seem more beautiful. If there is any relationship with the bombing -- as the explanation in the catalog suggests -- it cannot be seen. On the contrary, in spite of the bombing, Bali is otherwise perfectly unaffected.
The only result subsequently was that, maybe, fewer tourists came to these urbanized, "touristy" areas. Tourists with a real interest in Bali can still see its splendor and appreciate the people, the religion, the landscapes and what has been built there.
I agree with Claire Armstrong who finishes her comment in the catalog, stating: " ... but it is also a powerful reminder, to all who live on the periphery, of the importance of maintaining unique cultural traditions in this age of globalization". Bali is successful in doing so -- that is what the pictures say.
"Pink Man in Paradise" photography exhibition by Manit Sriwanichpoom in Cemeti Art House, Jl. Panjaitan 41, Yogyakarta 55143, tel. and fax (0274) 371015, until Sept. 30, 2004. Catalog available, website: www.cemetiarthouse.com