Yogya artist has big plans for old socks

Yogya artist has big plans for old socks

Stevie Emilia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Wanting to get rid of your smelly socks? Don't. Yogyakartan
artist Nindityo Adipurnomo might need them, badly.

For his upcoming art project, the artist, known for his
artistic exploration of traditional konde (hair buns), requested
people to donate their used socks -- after signing their names on
them -- to him.

The idea to collect signed, used socks came to him after he
got an invitation from the fine art curator of the Humanities
Research Center, Canberra, Australia, to take part in an
exhibition that will involve several reputable artists. The
exhibition is being organized as part of the main event, which
include workshops and a conference involving humanities experts
worldwide.

As part of the program, Nindityo will give a talk for artists,
a workshop and display collaborative works with the university's
fine art students.

"Then I came up with this idea, a collaborative-interactive
model for the artwork. Actually, I could have asked them (the
organizers) to prepare all the used socks there, and once I'd
arrived, could have finished the installation. But then I thought
that the strength of the idea lay in my effort to involve sock
donors from both countries, Indonesia and Australia," he told The
Jakarta Post.

Under the plan, the socks will be turned into two missile-
shape constructions. The one created here will be named Rudal
Indonesia (Indonesian Missile) and the other, in Canberra, Rudal
Australia (Australian Missile).

"With regard to the political geography, I shall install the
Indonesian missile with socks toward the center of the Australian
defense; the Australian missile will be directed toward the
Indonesian center of defense. In between these two installed
objects I shall place an object that will then represent the very
super-egotistic idea of being an artist!" he said, without
elaborating what the "object" would be.

So far, Nindityo has received a positive response to his
project, for by the end of last week, six people had expressed a
willingness to donate their used socks, each promising to give
him more than 10 pairs. "There will be around 60 socks at least,"
he said.

By early July, the socks are hoped to total about 200 pairs to
300 pairs from either country.

In Australia, the sock collection is being handled by Drill
Hall Gallery curator Christine Clark, who is also from the
Humanities Research Center.

According to Nindityo, one problem was that many of his donors
did not really understand that he only needed signed, used socks,
even ones with holes in them.

"Within the artwork context, these signed, used socks become
significant artifacts," he said.

He added that signed, used socks would also prevent the
incorporation of used socks from flea markets, which, within an
artistic context, would be perceived as mere material. "In my
artistic context, these signed, used socks represent people's
voices."

The work will be displayed at Drill Hall Gallery and School of
Art, Australian National University, from late July to August
this year.

I-BOX:

For further information call Cemeti Art House, tel. (0274)
371015, e-mail: cemetiah@indosat.net.id; website:
cemetiarthouse.com.