'Art Project' aimed at enhancing cultural identity

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): An exhibition of the works of five Indonesian artists and five of their Dutch counterparts reveals that even though the artists seem to be using an artistic language that may be considered universal, the works of art remain as expressions which are culturally determined.

The exhibition, the Art Project 5 + 5, which was held at Erasmus Huis last month, will be shown between June 8 and 17 at Wisma Seni Taman Budaya/Purna Budaya and at Gajah Mada University Lembah, valley in Yogyakarta. It is intended to provide a point of reference preceding a collaborative effort between the 10 artists in a workshop currently being conducted in Yogyakarta.

In the workshop, which will last until June 17, the notion of universalism is inevitable considering that artists from different regions of the world are expected to come up with collaborative works.

Although we can expect interesting cross-cultural works of art, universalism should not, and will not, be an end in itself.

Universal?

With advancements in technology, a "Global Village" has been created. At first glance, the works can be seen as having a common universal language. Indeed, it is often difficult to distinguish the works of the Indonesian artists from those of the Dutch.

Hedi Hariyanto's sculptures are created in an idiom that is definitely derived from Constructivism, although he uses such local materials as bamboo and wood. Instead of using a softer and thinner material, he nonchalantly uses a block of wood for the sail of his Perahu.

Meanwhile, Carla Janssen's most interesting work is reminiscent of Indonesian umbul-umbul (banners). The artist presents the witty Veren projekt that she photographed in a lake in Veessen, showing a set of fishing rods standing erect in the lake, with their lines hooked onto a single ring. The photograph, which appears to show a life-size installation, is actually of the small model itself. The striped colors of the rods suggest a multi-cultural atmosphere. Their forms, bowing in elegant tension, are reminiscent of the curves of bamboo trees.

It is also evident, however, that global communication is by no means uniform. The current trend of mass communication from the West to Indonesia is much greater than vice-versa. The content of what is available also differs greatly. While Indonesia receives a myriad of shows of all kinds, the programs about Indonesia broadcast over European and particularly Dutch networks usually contain cultural themes which often border on exoticism.

As a result, Indonesian artists are more familiar with Western visual language and use it without hesitation. On the other hand, this surprises Western artists such as Carla, whose familiarity with Indonesian arts is limited to traditional works.

Agus Suwage's Dongeng dari Bumi yang Resah, a set of 18 square panels each containing icons of "social restlessness," bewildered Carla, because to her they appeared so convincingly Western, or at least non-traditional.

Through their works, the Dutch artists who have visited Indonesia hint at their attraction to traditional Indonesian crafts and materials. Pieter-Jan Kuiken's dark pastels on paper, entitled Batu and Wolk, are presented in a scroll-like format stretched between two stems of bamboo. Marcel Duran's Composition with Parang Rusak shows the artist's cautious fascination with the batik motif.

As artist Rahmayani suggests, however, the Dutch artists are clearly much more adept at using Western visual vocabulary in their works of modern art than their Indonesian counterparts. The intriguing communicative power of Harry van der Would's untitled simple notebook collages is clear evidence of the fluency of the Dutch artists in using their modern artistic idiom.

Differences

That the Indonesian and the Dutch artists converse in language that is universal is indeed a superficial observation.

"There are differences, albeit subtle," Rahmayani noted.

Carla Janssen pointed out that the work of her colleague, Margot Klein Tiessink, would not be easily understood by Indonesians, as it is based on Dutch jokes. For that matter, it would be difficult to comprehend for even a non-Dutch Westerner.

Even a discussion with the artist does not guarantee comprehension.

"How do you explain jokes?" Carla asked.

One of Margot's untitled paintings depicts a visual pun which includes a finger, a cabaret dancer's thigh and a cigar. Another shows a mermaid's tail on a set of scales. Images of Dutch row- houses spew out from a water-boiling kettle, hinting at a domestic theme. One is more comprehensible: an ear and sunflowers in a confetti box; clearly a reference to Van Gogh. Her pieces are indeed culture-specific; they are Dutch works of modern art.

So, can Hedi Hariyanto's sculptures be seen as works of art that are specifically Indonesian? What is so Indonesian about Dodi Goib's mixed-media piece entitled Soblog, which uses clippings from Dutch magazines? Or Regina Bimadona's explorations through a new mythology of the constellation?

The cultural paradigms of the artists definitely are Indonesian, and therefore, their works should be considered as, and are indeed, Indonesian.

Participation

At the opening, the artists were clearly looking forward to participating in the workshop. Carla Janssen hopes to learn more about the spirit of myth and folklore that she thought was clearly evident in the works of her partner, Regina Bimadona. Rahmayani, who will team up with Pieter-Jan Kuiken, hopes to obtain a new perspective, by observing how her partner views things.

While many believe that the workshop will foster universalism, we can also expect that it will become a laboratory in which the artists will be able to learn not only about each other both personally and culturally, but also to better understand their own cultural and individual identities.

The workshop will provide them with an opportunity to nurture their own perspectives.

The Art Project 5+5 at the Erasmus Huis shows a "before" picture of a process of a collaboration between 10 artists. The results of the workshop, the "after" picture, to be shown in Yogyakarta, 1994, should be noteworthy.

However, what is most important are the post-workshop works that we can expect from these artists, when they once again work as individuals.