Edwin's Gallery celebrates 21 successfull years in Jakarta
Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta
As Edwin's gallery in Jakarta celebrates its 21st anniversary, its owner, Edwin Raharjo, deserves sincere admiration and congratulations.
To survive amid a number of other galleries closing down is no small achievement, but to do so with such significant accomplishment is an achievement in the superlative.
He just did what he enjoyed, he reveals in between construction activities at his gallery, which were scheduled to be ready before D-day, July 21.
Collecting all things rare was what has marked his adult life: from watches and vintage cars to historical plates and antiques, and modern paintings.
Later in life, his hobby blended with business and, as time has proven, his pioneering spirit and a fine sense of choosing what "would do" has brought him the success that many in the art business could only dream of.
Edwin Raharjo enjoyed his training to be an architect and interior designer but ended up as a professional photographer, training at the Hamilton School of Photography and the UCLA Arts Center of Design at UCLA, U.S., where he graduated in 1980.
"I had 1,000 clients," he said. Soon, photography alone was not enough -- he wanted more -- and stirred by collecting antiques while trading in colonial lithographs and prints, and making photo frames, his restless mind turned to paintings.
He set up his gallery, then in his parent's garage, and proved once more his taste for rarities.
Except for Oet's gallery, there were hardly any other galleries in town.
"Everyone wondered how I would do; they thought I'd gone crazy," said Edwin. At a time that art and artists were not taken into account at all, going into the art business was a big risk. But "one must keep in mind what one wants to do, and things will eventually fall into place."
From the garage he moved to a piece of land his father had bought in Kemang. Of the 2,000 square meters at the time, he used 500 sq m for his exhibition space.
From there, Edwin climbed the ladder of success, benefiting from the arts boom that rocked the market in the late 1980s. In 21 years, he has staged over 100 exhibitions at his gallery, several showing his pioneering spirit of innovation, as well as his ambition to do the extraordinary.
In his desire to bring quality exhibitions, he has asked curators of repute like Sanento Yuliman and Jim Supangkat, produced catalogs in both Indonesian and English, and ventured into holding an all-sculpture exhibition at a time that paintings were the preferred "commodity".
While some might think of Edwin's as a commercial gallery, Edwin Raharjo states the gallery still thrives on external support, which he has provided through other branches of his business.
With an exemplary management system that has ensured his continued success, and staff that have been with him from the beginning, the existence of Edwin's Gallery in the capital city is a landmark, signifying both the importance of personal passion and managerial skill.
The exhibition of art works to accompany this celebratory event displays work by artists who are held in high esteem in the art world.
Not only are the "established" old guard, like Srihadi, Dolorosa Sinaga, Sunaryo or Heri Dono, to be found, but also "new" names like Yani Mariani Sastranegara, Awan Simatupang, Rudi Mantofani, and more, as well as the very new like Ayu Arista Murti.
Meanwhile, the exhibition is also displaying the work of seven contemporary Chinese artists of international fame, indicating Edwin's ventures into Chinese art, which he started with an all- Chinese art exhibition before anyone else had the opportunity to do so.
To further expand on this direction, Edwin invited Johnson Chang to speak on International Art Practice on July 20.
Johnson, Edwin says, is the first curator to bring Chinese artists outside China and is the Asian Art consultant of the Guggenheim Museum.
To bring Indonesian artists to international forums may not be Edwin's exclusive privilege, but he is certainly one who does so with fervor and strategic planning.
As the gallery's extension opens and the new facilities unfold, 52-year-old Edwin is also proudly unfolding a new phase for his gallery.
His vision for the future is taking shape in the radical extension, now occupying 70 percent of the land and encompassing a larger space for exhibitions, plus function rooms for seminars and conferences.
In addition there will be an auditorium, the provision of space for artists in residence, an open space for performances and light projections, a library, a special gift shop and -- ultimately -- a museum for the wealth of paintings he has collected throughout the years.
It is now up to all parties to optimize the extraordinary facilities offered. May Edwin's turn into a place of great interaction, of vibrant art exchange and of solid art appreciation.
Happy anniversary!
21st anniversary exhibition
of Chinese and Indonesian contemporary art
at Edwin's Gallery
Jl. Kemang Raya no. 21
Jakarta Selatan
tel. 7194721
website: www.edwinsgallery.com
exhibition runs through July 31