'Art Project' aimed at enhancing cultural identity

'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.