Guess What? Astari Rasjid

Guess What? Astari Rasjid

The day-long fast passes by rapidly for artist Astari Rasjid
as she hops around town checking on various preparations for the
non-aligned nations exhibit in April.

The day starts with hovering around the Fine Arts Gallery in
Gambir, Central Jakarta, accompanying officials in charge of
palace protocol. One step wrong in the arrangements and Mrs.
Rasjid, the head of the organizing committee, will naturally take
all the blame.

"No studio time yet," she says briefly between rounds. "Studio
time" does not only include painting and welding, but also
picking around in the garbage for odd pieces of wood. One piece
was wiped, fashioned into a crude arrow and glued in between two
completed canvasses.

The meaning? "I don't know," says the mother of four, "It just
belongs there." (anr)