When art works and junk mingle in a gallery
Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
What is the difference between art and garbage?. Apparently, none if you walk into a fundraising exhibition "Garbage Sale" currently held by art community Ruangrupa.
"It's very difficult to separate art and garbage. It's very subjective because to some people a work of art can be just junk ... but for others, junk is valuable artwork," Indra Ameng of Ruangrupa told The Jakarta Post.
From this simple notion, Ruangrupa, which was founded in 2000, decided to throw a garbage sale to raise funds for its activities. The exhibition was opened on Jan. 27 and continues through Feb.21.
Ruangrupa itself is currently managed by eight young artists.
The idea, Indra said, is to mix a garage sale, where mostly antiquated, second-hand items are sold at low prices, with an art sale.
"We wanted to have an art shop that used the concept of a garage sale so people would have many choices of cheap artwork," Indra added.
As a result, art and junk collectors will find the exhibition at the gallery is a cornucopia of collectible, cool and artistic items.
Old and new paintings, photographic art, pottery and traditional crafts are on sale at Ruangrupa gallery in Tebet, South Jakarta, along with personal collections of toys, basketball cards, pins, CDs, cassettes, VCDs and wardrobes.
Items in the garage sale have come from various people, including famous artists like young photographer Timur Angin, women's sculptor Dolorosa Sinaga and streetpainter group Totoart
"We have even asked our friends for their personnel collections to be sold here. It doesn't have to be artwork, it could be toys from your childhood, memorabilia or other collectible items," said Indra, who put his toy tin tanks in the garbage sale,
Indra added that Runagrupa personnel had also put their items there.
It took them about three weeks to collect all the items.
Everything here is sold at bargain prices of Rp 50,000 to Rp 1 million.
A tiny figurine from Dolorosa is valued at Rp 300,000. A set of photographs on East Timor is Rp 1 million. A signature from famous comedian Pak Bendot is valued at Rp 300,000.
Looking for good films? A set of VCDs comprising Alien, Bram Stocker's Dracula, Interview with A Vampire, and Superman III is on sale at Rp 70,000. A pair of classic roller skates from the 1980s is just Rp 100,000.
Painting collectors can add to their collections very cheaply. An old painting of late president Sukarno sold for Rp 1 million.
Are you a basketball fan? Get a small plastic bag of basketball cards for Rp 53,000.
Although they did not mention how much they earned from the sale, Indra said they had sold most of the items.
"In short, people can exchange their junk here," Indra chuckled.
He added the gallery was also open to anyone from the public who wanted to drop items for sale into the gallery.
"Even our neighbors are submitting items," he laughed.
Ruangrupa Gallery; Jl. Tebet Barat Dalam No. 26; Jakarta 12810; Tel/Fax: 021-8294238; email: ruangrupa@cbn.net.id