Suspected bomb turns out to be Canadian art
Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta
A blinking object hung on a tree in front of a building in Gondokusuman area here has stirred panic among residents, who thought it was a bomb. Police even dispatched the local bomb squad to the scene, but the object turned out to be nothing more than an artwork being exhibited for Biennale Jogja 2005.
Chief of Gondokusuman Police precinct AKBP Beja and members of the organizing committee made a joint revelation regarding the issue on Saturday at the Taman Budaya Yogyakarta cultural center. "The object was one of the contemporary artworks being exhibited for Biennale Jogja 2005 to be opened tomorrow evening (Sunday)," Anggi Minarni, chairwoman of the organizers said.
Anggi said that the object -- a dark blue box with a blinking lamp inside -- was the one of the works of Canadian artist Deborah J. Nolan who was participating in the biennale. "There are a total of 40 boxes in this particular work of art, but hopefully this will be the only one to cause panic in the community," said Anggi, who apologized to both the police and the public. "We apologize for forgetting to inform the community and the police about the installation of the artwork in their area," she added.
The items, she said, were installed at 40 different spots that represented different heritage sites in the historical city of Yogyakarta. Among these heritage spots was a tree, locally known as Tanjung, where the suspected time bomb was found.
"It never crossed our minds that it would cause suspicion and panic," Anggi said.
Residents reportedly panicked on Friday after a pedicab driver reported he had noticed a suspicious object, with a blinking lamp inside, hanging on a tree in front of the Gedung Bimo building.
A bomb squad was deployed and found a small blue box. When disassembled, the bomb squad found four 1.5 volt batteries, cables, and a lamp.
"I appreciate that people responded to it that way. I see it as a sign of people's awareness for the importance of caution," said the police chief.
The Biennale Jogja 2005 is Yogyakarta's biggest visual art event. The sites being used as exhibition venues range from the sacred to the profane, and from study rooms to tourist resorts. A total of 118 pieces of art, including paintings, sculptures, installation works, and performance art will be exhibited at the biennale that takes the theme of "Consciousness of the Here and Now". The event will run until Dec. 22, and will exhibit works from both local and international artists.
Biennale Jogja was first held in 1988.