Re-Union at Joglo Seni

The artists here were once united by the same destiny: losing their art studios because of the earth quake.

Text by Heru Prasetya

The village house in Dusun Jurug RT 02, Desa Bangunharjo, Kecamatan Sewon, Bantul – approximately 15 km south of Yogyakarta is the witness that togetherness can heal the wounded hearts of some of those who struck by a tragedy. Some two years ago, the place was the center of displaced artists after the earthquake shook Jogjakarta in the late May 2006. 
    
Now, those artists are re-united again by an exhibition hosted in the same place as their past refuge. The theme of the exhibition is Nostalgia. There are 8 participating artists in this event. Thus, the once village house now becomes Joglo Seni Art Sociates (JSAS) managed by Andonowati.

“Almost everyone participating in this exhibition ever slept here. Our friendship started from this house. Through this exhibition as if we are coming back to our home”, comment AT Sitompul, one of the participating artists. 

The exhibition in the same time marked the opening of JSAS as an alternative art space. It is not a competitor of the current existing art spaces, particularly in Jogjakarta, but a complementary to them.

Three graphic works from AT Sitompul are titled”Tegaslah Dalam Memilih” – Be consistent in choosing. Actually, one of them is really the mole (the wood cut), while the others are the black white print (2/3) and the color mono-print (1/1). 

The artist born in Pemantang Sinatar in 1977 was saying that his works are expression of his feeling and mind on what he see, hear, and feel. The works in this exhibition are a response to an actual phenomenon, the election that will soon happen.  

“To avoid chaos in the election, it is better to be consistent in choosing. If one what to participate and choose, it should come from her/him self, not because of provocation from others.

Different from AT Sitompul, Rendra CO presents a theme on the necessity of strong character – even sometime rough – to defend a belief or to straighten a problem. His art works, acrylic on canvas as well as installation are using the old model of ironing tool that take coal to heat it up.

His canvas works are titled “Something” and “Heap of thought” while his installations are titled “Strong hearts” and “basC.O.iat”. For the strong heart, Rendra put the ironing tool with some teeth attached underneath it while in “basC.O.iat” he presents a pillow boxer hanged above an old well. 

Six other artists - Afdhal, I Gusti Ngurah Arya Udianata, I Made Adinata Mahendra, I Made Widya Diputra (Lampung), Mirza Al Rasyid, and Sulistya Hadi Joko Atmaja – all tell about the environment as the theme of their art works.

Among the works of Afdal are ”Story about Our House” and ”Longing for My Green”. The work of Arya Udianata titles "The Plan for City Forest”. I Made Adinata Mahendra presents the artworks entitled "In Side Out Side" dan "Fishtarian#3: To Set the Main Menu” while WidyaDiputra  presents an installation work entitled "White Lotus". The works of Mirza are "Life in Silence” and ”Freedom Gate”.  SH Joko Atmaja titles his works in a cynical tone ”Welcome to the Misfortune Country” and ”Unfortunate Kingdom”. 

”My works are indeed a response to the environment close to us. Why there are so many natural disasters. Let us contemplate on what we did and are doing. Why can’t we contribute to creating a balance habitat?”, said Mirza regarding his artworks.

For Andonowati, the exhibition is the initial step of JSAS. The house is not only meant to host art exhibitions and to link artists and collectors but it can also be used as a meeting place to discus art and culture among artists, art writers, art critics, collectors, appreciators. It is then hoped that one day artworks with new themes or new media can arise from such an ambiance.

”Infact the place can act as an incubator for creating small medium start-up companies related to art. An event organizer focusing on art exhibitions can practice their skill in the house by creating and managing an exhibition, for example. In brief, I want to contribute on how to put ideas into sustainable ventures”, Andonowati explained. 

Before the earth quake in 2006, the Joglo House was the residence of Ms. Michele Chin, an art writer, translator, and art consultant. The earth quake that destroyed many houses in the villages had spared the Joglo House without significant damages. Early 2008, Andonowati started to use the house that later becomes JSAS.
 
”It would be nice if Yogyakarta as an art and cultural city has several art hubs. I hope that JSAS can serve as complement to the existing art galleries and other art and cultural establishments”, Andonowati hopes. 

The size of JSAS is 16.56 meters x 27 meters with the front part in the form of”Joglo”: in the Javanese Philosophy it should function as a Public Area. 

TEKS by Heru Prasetya