By ARGUS FIRMANSYAH
The global economical crisis does not make several artists and galleries in the large cities such as Jakarta restrain to hold art exhibitions to fulfill the existing needs of certain Indonesian artworks.
Some months ago, the outlook on the contemporary art that penetrates the art market had brought in a phenomenon of an art boom. This phenomenon has influenced the new way on understanding art for Indonesian artists, art collectors and investors. Although in general this new perspective may not sustain, the basic remain: artists who have strong characters, own in-depth ideas while equipped with talented visualization techniques will not be easily pushed away by market issues that often misleading.
In Bandung, the art activist Andonowati through ARTSociates has been persistently digging creative ideas from Bandung Artists. These ideas are partly presented in the second fragment of Bandung Initiative Project. Thirteen Bandung Artists present their artworks entitled BANDUNG INITIATIVE#2:“A Cabinet of Signs” at Galeri Roemah Roepa, Jl. Kemang Selatan VIII/55 E, Jakarta Selatan, Thursday, 30 October 2008. The exhibition was officiated by Mr. Amir Sidharta. The artworks (paintings, sculptures, installation) occupy the Galeri space consisting three floors. Participating artists are Erna Garnasih Pirous, Chairin Hayati, Amrizal Salayan, Diyanto, Ully Altje Panjaitan, Rosid, Hilman Hendarsyah, Willy Himawan, Guntur Timur, Yogi Ahmad Ginanjar, Tisa Granicia, Tommy Adi Putra, and Tomi Makel.
BANDUNG INITIATIVE Project is a series of exhibitions designed by Rizki A. Zaelanni and Rikrik Kuswara. The events are a jointly organized by ARTSociates and Roemah Roepa. The series consists of 4 exhibitions of different themes. The first was conducted in July 2008 on the theme of Conversation Pieces. The artworks in this first exhibition can be considered as contextual representation of several matters as well as manifestation of esthetic values.
The theme, A Cabinet of Signs in BANDUNG INITIATIVE #2 is supposedly a cluster of a certain character of Bandung Artists participating in this exhibition. The use of symbolic languages is visualized in the form of paintings, sculptures and installation. The curatorial text mentions that A Cabinet of Signs is a theme regarding personal identity and questions on the self journey. The theme is also an issue on self romanticism and self portraits.
Although the exhibition is dominated by works on canvas, the sculpture of Ully Altje Panjaitan, and works Tisa Granicia and Amrizal Salayan are strong representation of symbolic language and cultural identity.
The work of Guntur Timur ”Artist as Traveler: through Leonid Tiskov”, 120x180cm, is not only showing someone sitting on top of high rise building with light in the form of a sliced moon in front of him. Guntur shows the night ambiance in the high rise buildings through the second person, that is a photographer. Mystical atmosphere and mystery are captured by Guntur Timur, where the photographer appears in the shadow.
Symbolic language is also artistically represented through the acrylic on canvas entitled “Icarus Dream #2” of Diyanto. The expressive symbolic brush strokes of Diyanto are very characteristic of the Artist. The color choices are strong expression of Diyanto self journey in attempt to show some humanity.
Besides Diyanto, Yogi Ahmad Ginanjar also borrows Icarus personage for his work entitled
Leisure on the grass with the fall of icarus.
In the Greek Mitology, Icarus is the son of Daedalus who runs away using the wings made by his father. When he flies close to the sun the wings melt and Icarus falls into the sea and dies.
Detailed lines that are made with ballpoints in the work of Hilman Hendrasyah entitled Pretender show huge intencity and drive from the artist. The painting is not a reality; but it is more a symbolic gesture in the form of hand burried with nails on the ground. The grey colour seems to show a terriflying natural selection process that in the same time a warning sign.
Each artist participating in Bandung Initiative #2 shows her/his own symbols. Icarus is only one of these symbols presenting the up to date subjective realities of the Bandung Artists.
Rizki A. Zaelani and A. Rikrik Kusmara in the curatorial texts say that ”the cabinet of signs” wish to show appreciation to the artists’ attitudes who thrive to understand, reinterpret and to represent the symbolic language in the current situation.
* English Translation by Andonowati.
* This article have been published at arti magazine
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