Interaction Room

By using two space mediums: inside a building and in a garden, “the spirit of interaction” was meant to trigger an interaction between the works of art, the visitors and the space itself. did it work?
Like goddesses dancing in the rain on a grassy field, the statue (Suwuk by Yani Sastra Negara) seemed to blend with the nature, as did the statue depicting a house with a person stand-ing beside it (Inside by Awan Simatupang). It was a reflection of a sentiment of realizing the meaning of a bond between someone with his residence.

Some suitcases were neglected and scattered in so many places: on the chair, on the table and even on the street. There was a crying suitcase (Frankie Menangis – Frankie Crying), a suitcase which opened and closed itself me-chanically (Long Journey), a still suitcase (Travel) which tells a particulary story, a journey, probably his owner’s life journey, through its ragged color and wrinkles on the leather. Suitcases are a loyal company to those who travel a lot. They play a very important role in travels, but they are wasted away when they are worn out. That’s not the case to Hardiman Radjab, though. The worn

suitcases full of memories were used as mediums for art.

The silent interaction was extremely obvious on artworks that are placed outdoor (in the garden). The visitors, the artwork and the space (nature) seemed to blend into each other. After the rain, where there were still tiny drops of water fall-ing from the sky, the visitors were still reluctant to explore artworks placed in the garden. Silent atmosphere graced by semiluminous lights made the “Spirit of Dance” statue by Taufan AP looked as if it was truly dancing in the garden.

Some of the artworks on display indoor maintained its in-teraction with the room, but some didn’t. The installation art “Rakyat + Biasa – Common + People” by Abdi Setiawan which featured two statues, one depicting a common per-son and another depicting a grim-looking policeman with baton on his hand, seemed to describe how common people are always suspected of being up to no good by the authority. It was a beautiful artwork, but it was bizarre when displayed in the room. Maybe, if someone was willing to go a little bit more extreme, the statue can be put in front of Erasmus Huis building or on the roadside. It may create more interaction that way.

One of the works of art that succeeded in maintaining in-teraction with indoor space is Tita Rubi’s. Cornered in the room, “Vagina Brokat – Lace Vagina” seemed to ooze an enigmatic aura of its own.

Its meaning is quite obvious. It was an installation art of a lace, shaped into a cone”, suspended from above the wall down into the floor like a mosquito net with a hole in the center as three male statues surrounded it.

Tita may have been describing the fragility of a female sex organ, as fragile as lace material, easily torn apart by men. It represents the difficulty of guarding such a fragile thing among predators.

Some interactions succeeded, some did not. However, “The Spirit of Interactions,” interactive scheme is of course worth praising for.


Name     :  The Spirit Of Interaction
Artists  :  AB Soetikno | Abdi Setiawan | Ade Art |   Amalia Radjab | Anusapati | Awan

Simatupang | Budi Santoso | Hardiman radjab | Innes Indreswari | Taufan AP | Titarubi |

Yani Maryani Sastranegara
Curator  :  Dolorosa Sinaga
Location :  Erasmus Huis Jl. HR Rasuna Said Kav 3, Kuningan Jakarta
Date     : January 14, 2009

Text and Photo by Darma Ismayanto
Source: arti 13th edition, 2009