Salam, noor
Friday, 23 April 2010
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
indonews 2010: I believe in Indonesia
This is my opinion, therefore, it has to be considered as such..
Being the 4th world population, one of the G20 countries and the biggest Muslim country in the world, I believe Indonesia has a major role in the future.
I advise everybody that has never been to a Muslim country to go to Indonesia. Actually, I advise everyone to go there for the friendly people, outstanding landscapes, varied art, and so many other things..just discover your own Indonesia!
In Indonesia, Islam is a tolerant religion, even if the rise of extremism is unavoidable.
The perceived (by the west) fundamentalism is not an Indonesian question. It is rather what Edward Said stated in the book Orientalism: what we understand as resurging and emergence of Islam derives from Islam's own divisions (yes, Islam is not all equal), its current debate and need to make a new definition of Islam itself.
After Suharto's fall in 1998, suddenly everyone in Indonesia had the right to express an opinion. Extremists included.
Like the Buddhists say, everything has a good and a bad side!
Mimis Katoppo told me something very interesting: that in Indonesia Islam is considered a NEW religion.
In Portugal, Islam is so old that we hardly feel the traces of it's past existence, that ended around the 13th century.
It arrived in the archipelago through sea trade, in the period between the 14th-16th centuries (if I am not wrong).
Due to the fragility of the Majapahit Empire (Hindu-based), Islam entered slowly, but surely this geographical area.
Everything arrived in this archipelago through sea-trade: Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, food, words (3000 are Portuguese!), ethnicities... Like everything else, Islam also stayed.
I refer to Java (and the area between Sumatra and East-Timor) as a "sponge", that absorves everything.
Agung Kurniawan told me this is what he calls "syncretism", a concept related to the theory of Homi Bhabha in his Location of Culture. For further reading, I googled some articles and essays
But as I arrive in Jakarta, Aristides Katoppo (with whom I stayed in the last days), and who happens to be himself an intellectual and very cultivated person (he introduced me me in 2 hours about all the aspects of batik, back in 2006, not being himself a specialist!), and referred in the book South East Asian Images - Towards a Civil Society? (I read it instantly, it's very nice), as a careful optimist towards Indonesia, told me Indonesia's situation goes a bit further: its not SYNCRETISM, it's not SINTHESIS, it's rather SYNERGY. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synergy
SYNERGY is what makes THIS 17000-island-archipelago, with 300-different-languages and even more ethnicities together.
Indonesia is all the religious beliefs, colours of skin, ornamentation, textiles, languages.....TOGETHER.
Together, strong and in peace.
The contrast with the neighbouring Malaysia is very big: there is no synergy in Malaysia. They forget what was there before and change for something new. The Indonesians don't do that. They know that before Islam or Christianity, there was Budhism and Hinduism. This is why we recently saw churches in Malaysia being burnt and bombed: because Christians use the word Allah to refer to God and there is no tolerance among the different beliefs.
I believe in Indonesia.
Salam, noor
Sunday, 31 January 2010
indonews 2010: Jakarta days
I am already back in Lisbon - where actually its not so cold, thank God it's only 15ºC, a luxury for Winter-Europe - but I still have to let you know about my last week in Jakarta and some other thoughts I want to share (later).
Jakarta reminds me of Hong Kong: sky-scrappers, malls, many expensive shops, beautiful people and severe contrasts: very rich and very poor people live in this city.
It needs some changes, since everybody suffers form Jakarta's huge traffic. There is no underground, justified by the fear of earthquakes (and also the possibility of homeless people making it their home).
Anyway, I had a lovely time there: stayed with the fascinating Katoppo-couple, Mimis and Tides, who provided me a very cosy stay. Mimis Katoppo is a beautiful lady related to the Kraton of Solo and Aristides Katoppo, born in Celebes, used to be a journalist. Together, they exemplify the spirit of Indonesia's tolerance, as Mimis is Muslim and Tides is Christian. Strange for a westerner, this is a very common place in Indonesia.
During these days, I went with Mimis to a concert on the National Radio of Indonesia; went around with Fx Harsono another day to visit galleries and exhibitions; passed by the Embassies of Portugal and East-Timor; went to UNESCO's office in Jakarta and actually did no shopping, because I was not in the mood for it, even if Jakarta has it all.
I had lunch in the beautiful Residency of the Portuguese Embassador, with him and his wife. It felt really good to eat Portuguese food, drink Portuguese red wine and taste Portuguese deserts! And also it was very nice to know the interest of Linda in batik!
I also met Iwan Tirta again. Iwan Tirta doesn't stop surprising me with all his wisdom about Indonesia, its culture and heritage.
His wisdom relies on the fact that he learned directly with Hardjonegoro (the creator of Batik Indonesia for President Soekarno) and in his dedication to learn beyond his master and preserve and export the heritage of Batik. Iwan is nowadays considered the "living-legend" of Indonesian Batik.
Mimis Katoppo is also doing something very important for the Batik preservation: she is revitalizing the batik industry in rural areas where it has disappeared, due to industrialization and migration movements. New forms and patterns are emerging from this.
So, Iwan is more foreign-oriented and Mimis is more community-oriented.
Both are mastering these projects with one common-belief: that if one wants to know about Java and the culture of its Kratons, should go to Solo, Cirebon or Yogyakarta and stay inside the court palaces learning Javanese language, batik and performing arts (dances,wayang and karawitan). The true heritage-keepers are nowadays the oficials of these palaces. With them, we can learn the philosophy of Javanese culture, a culture of non-confrontation that is so present in the mentality of the nation.
I am going to take the challenge one day, as discovering the culture of this archipelago doesn't stop fascinating me.
Salam, noor
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
indonews 2010: 3 of us!
I am not alone. In fact, I am together with two other girls on the pursue to bring Indonesian art to Europe.
Nicole Baros is American-Dutch. Living in Yogya for circa 3 months, she is doing a McPhill in Arts at Leiden University. Because she researches on Indonesian Contemporary art, she participated in the exhibition Beyond the Dutch. After this, she came to Indonesia. Lucky Nicole was given a residency at Cemeti Art House while she stayed.
Blond, blue-eye and beautiful, her Dutch looks mixed with her American joy make her an adorable character. She was always very kind to me and I believe we became real friends. I told her I have a paper in the Lisbon University about Batik in the following month. And asked her to remember me, in case something comes up in Holland! I would love to do batik workshops there!
We said goodbye on the 20th, Nicole is already back in Europe. Hope to see you soon!
Ah, Nicole is researching on women artists, so cool!
Katerine Bruch is Peruan-German by birth. Supported by the Goethe Institute, she will stay in Yogya until the end of March. Oh, I envy her! We met fewer times, but Katerina and I we had already emailed each other while ago, because Curator Shaheen Merali put us in contact.
When we first met, Fx Harsono and Curator Hendro Wyianto were in Yogya. I asked them to let Katerina join and we went to see exhibitions all together. So, I actually introduced her to them J
Lucky Katerina was given a residency in IVAA (the archives here) for her research period. I made these archives my second home, I had to go there in every occasion I got, because there many books I needed to read existed.
I came from Portugal, supported by the Orient Foundation. This institution is not yet known in Yogyakarta’s contemporary art world.
Actually, my teachers from ISI know about it, because they came to Lisbon, with an invitation by the Embassy of Indonesia in Nov ’09 to participate on the Festival in the Orient Museum.
Anyway, I talk about Orient Foundation every time I can, stating that due to my passion for Batik, and the willingness of Indonesians to promote it – World Heritage by UNESCO since Oct’09 – a donation by Hudy Suharnoko, a fine collector from Jakarta, arrived in Lisbon in Nov’09.
Now we have the Memory. Please help me bring the Contemporaneity.
Salam, noor
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
indonews 2010: closing Yogya with a golden key!
Sunday was my last day in Yogya and I had 3 important meetings and to finish my batik work with Aguk (and pack, of course).
I started at 9 with a meeting with the Cemeti-art-house-couple, Mella Jaarsma and Nindityo Adipurnomo.
It was very nice to hear the stories behind the works I had selected by them for my dissertation.
Cemeti Art House is very present in the contemporary art scene in Yogyakarta.
The Cemeti artists are somehow, very present in my Dissertation.
This is also because I only had one source of information! Only 1 book, named Outlet, from 2003.
There is nothing in the libraries of Portugal about the Arts in Indonesia.
I could not find catalogues of major art exhibitions in Japan, Australia, nothing...
So, coming here was also important to be able to read all the books I could!
As Outlet was my starting point, many of the artists that I refer to are from Cemeti.
And coming here, has updated my research, that ended in 2003.
The senior artists I refer to have introduced me to the younger ones, so cool.
This is why my list has grown from 9 to 16!
And after Mella and Nindityo I still had one more meeting.
This was with Arahmaiani, the beautiful-indonesian-artist, like I like to refer to her.
In fact, Arahmaiani has given me a very big insight about a critical culture that has existed in Java throughout times.
This underground culture is so important, that Arahmaiani dedicates her artist work to its research and investigation.
So, the Golden key! The Cemeti couple and Arahmaiani with a new Java to refer to me.
After I went to Aguk to finish my batiks.
One of them I still have to finish when I arrive in Portugal, because its 1,2m x 0,9m and it takes time to make it.
I am now in Jakarta, left Yogya already...
My trip is about to finish, but there is more to learn!
Salam, noor
Sunday, 24 January 2010
indonews 2010: Bali, the Island of Gods
I am here for such a short period that I had no idea if I could go to Bali, the "Island of Gods". But it happened.
Curator Shaheen Merali had told me several months ago about an exceptional artists living there, Ashley Bickerton.
He belongs to the Young British Artists movement, known as YBA's, and happens to be living in Bali for 17 years now.
Being himself a surfer, he moved to the island that has perfect waves. Apparently the waves are very perfect due to their formation in Antarctica. When they arrive in Bali, they pass on top of a coral reef and that this why they break so beautifully.
So I went on the 21st to Bali. Arrived there at 3pm, went immediately to Ashley's house. It's somehow curious, I had been in that house in 2006, with Amir Rabik and Murni, visiting Asmaro Damais, that happens to be related to Ashley. Asmaro Damais is also the Curator of the Batik Museum in Pekalongan. Small world, this one.
Ashley is preparing a 200-full-colour-page-book about his whole career of 30 years + +, to come.
Amazing. So, we went through all the process together.
Being American-English by birth, he changes from British humour to American humour with extreme ease.
Great artist, it was really worth the money of the flight. We stayed together until 9pm, then one of my best friends from Yogya' 06, Made Surya joined us.
Made is one of those talented young artists that when I arrived in ISI Yogyakarta was already established. Now, Made makes performances through South East Asia and is looking forward arriving to Europe.
When I was at the Jogja National Museum, I went to the shop and bought a postcard of Made's work, a performance that I will put in my dissertation. I came here with a senior generation of artists, now I found the younger generation. I send the link, very poetic work this one.
Pak Jim Supangkat had told me there was an artists to meet in Bali too. So then I decided to come. This is Wayan Bendi, that is famous for his Batuan style, but referring to our days and issues. IRaq War, Bali Bombs, Tsunami' 04 all are revealed in his 5-meter-long paintings. Amazing. Since he could not speak a very good english, Made was the translator of our conversation.
On the way from Semyniack to Ubud, Made and me stoped in some contemporary art galleries of Bali: Biasain Seminyack, Darga in Sanur...as I see more works, I get more young artists. Nice. Made knows everybody because he works in Gaya Fusion, in Ubud.
In Ubud, I visted Pak Amir Rabik and Murni, old friends. I showed them my research, my Batik progress since 2006. It was very good to meet them again, Amir is one of the most cultivated persons I know.
On the 23rd I came back to Yogya at 7pm.
So, short, but extremely productive!
Terima kasih Made. without you it would have been so hard!
As I arrive, Christine Cocca gets me in the airport. We had two options: going to a batik exhibition or watchingOpera Jawa, a must see. I went for the second, as I am tired. This movie, filmed inside the Kraton of Solo and Yogya shows a contemporary reading of the classic epic, the Ramayana. Amazing production, all sang in Javanese, so impossible to understand (even for them), but subtitled in english. I recommend, a must see, specially for those who already know Java.
Back in Yogya, today is my last day here, and more to follow.
Salam, noor
PS. Just a quick remark: I have a blog since 2006 (still incomplete, sorry) with my "news" from Indo, Mozambique, London, Lisbon...It is in Portuguese, just now I am writing in English but the pictures speak for themselves!
Friday, 22 January 2010
indonews 2010: Dialogues (part 2)
Still with Pak Jim Supangkat, Christine Cocca and Entang at his beautiful home close by to the amazing Prambanan Temple of Yogya (known as the most beautiful Hindu Temple of Java) and I get a phone call: Curator Charles Merewether had just arrived in the Hotel.
Charles and I met in Tbilisi, Georgia, last October, when we both went there for Artisterium'09 (I was there do assist Curator Shaheen Merali, as he had a big exhibition in Vienna on the same dates). As he left, I entered the hospital to remove my appendix (but that story has been told already). He and I talked about our experiences and when I asked him if he knew the Curator Jim Supangkat he said "yes, I do". I was excited; he was the first person I met that in fact knew him personally.
After a great lunch, I had a meeting with Jompet, an artist from Yogya that presented his work in the Lyon Biennial 2009, curated by Hou Hanru. Hou Hanru's wife, Evelyne Jouanot was in Tbilisi too. It's a small world, this one.
So, I went to meet Jompet in Kedai Kebun Forum. Charles Merewether went to IVAA, the biggest archive for contemporary art in Yogya.
After meeting Jompet, I was to meet Charles at Cemeti Art House, one of the most important galleries in Ygoya and the one that has in fact made major impact since its constitution in 1988. It is directed by Meela Jaarsma, from Holland and her Javanese husband, Nindityo Adipurnomo.
As I arrive there with Jompet, we understand that we are both meeting Charles! In his research for the "Archive", Jompet is included. So I let them talk, have a mandi and return to go with Charles to meet Alia Swastika, for a dinner. Jompet is brilliant artist, and we all think the same way.
At this dinner, Alia and Charles that have met in Cemeti Art House reconnect again, after several years. It was indeed a nice dinner. And I ask both to meet me the following day to show them my research topic. So we did.
Charles had invited me to go to his hotel in Yogya, the Phoenix, with this beautiful swimming pool the following day. When I arrived, Pak Jim Supangkat and Charles are finishing their meeting and we go for a swim that felt heavenly. After swimming, I sneaked into the sauna! Oh how nice :)
Later in the afternoon, I met Linda Kaun, an artist whose work I admire, because she makes hiper-realistic batik. Linda represents the reality of life in Java, making compositions of school-girls, mobile warungs, rice-fields, but with an extreme realism. It was somehow interesting that back in 2006 I started doing realistic batik, but as portraits. I can't achieve Linda's result yet, but she is 30 years ahead of me, so I didn't loose the hope!
After meeting with Linda, I go to meet Charles and Alia again and we have a sincere talk about my research. They both are very informed in my subject matter, and it was of great help to have their feed-back.
The following day, Sunday 17th January, is the only day I am 100% free. I was thinking of going to Aguk to make batik, but I felt the need to go around, engage more with the people I have been so lucky to meet, like Alia. So we spent the whole day together. We had a motorcycle adventure (we were fined because I didn't have helmet and she didn't have the license), so we decided to behave and I borrowed a helmet for the rest of the day. She had a meeting in Via-via with 4 curators that are here to choose works for a commercial show to be held in Seoul, Beijing and Singapore. After this, we went to her mother's house, her house and, while Alia had a nap, I went for a massage. Reflexology. Very nice: we had a good talk, had dinner together and I went back home. Alia droped me in a taxi and I got home faster.
Monday I had a meeting with another artist, Eko Nugroho. I had seen his work various times, but live only at the Tropenmuseum, in Amsterdam, in August 2009. I adored the fact that a Tropical Museum, or Ethnographic museum is actually updating its collection buying contemporary art. Very good vision. I hope Portugal starts soon updating its collections, as we need to follow the changes in the world that surrounds us. I believe all these artists would be honoured to have their work shown or in the collections of the museums of Portugal. There is a very strong connection between the Portuguese and the Indonesian. They, like us, they remember our presence in the past and actually they are interested in renovating this dialogue. This is why I call this post "dialogues". It’s a dynamic talk, between two parts.
I like Eko's work more now, after being with him than I did before. Now I see where he wants to go. And how funny, how aware of the world around him he is. Actually I am loving all the work of these artists, it's indeed very good. As Karim Raslan said in his talk in Jogja Biennial: Yogyakarta is the leading city in terms of art practice of South East Asia. In terms of institutions he believes is Manila.
As suggested by Alia, I had a meeting with Agung Kurniawan. His wife Neni gave me the name "noor" back in 2006. They run Kedai Kebun Forum.
Our talk was very good. I am really lucky to have actually met so much people willing to help, criticize and comment on my topic, Memory and Contemporaneity.
The fact that I started my relation with Indonesia through Batik led me to this topic that mixes tradition, collective memory, high and low art, fine art, with contemporaneity. It was a difficult process at first, as I was so engaged with the technique, but through reading the Curators Jim Supangkat, Shaheen Merali, Dwi Marianto (among others), and after meeting in Lisbon with my supervisor, Fernando António Baptista Pereira, Isabel Carlos and Jessica Hallet (thank you Jessica, you were brilliant), I luckily found my way.
It has been very productive, and with an open heart, all comes to us.
Salam, noor
Charles and I met in Tbilisi, Georgia, last October, when we both went there for Artisterium'09 (I was there do assist Curator Shaheen Merali, as he had a big exhibition in Vienna on the same dates). As he left, I entered the hospital to remove my appendix (but that story has been told already). He and I talked about our experiences and when I asked him if he knew the Curator Jim Supangkat he said "yes, I do". I was excited; he was the first person I met that in fact knew him personally.
After a great lunch, I had a meeting with Jompet, an artist from Yogya that presented his work in the Lyon Biennial 2009, curated by Hou Hanru. Hou Hanru's wife, Evelyne Jouanot was in Tbilisi too. It's a small world, this one.
So, I went to meet Jompet in Kedai Kebun Forum. Charles Merewether went to IVAA, the biggest archive for contemporary art in Yogya.
After meeting Jompet, I was to meet Charles at Cemeti Art House, one of the most important galleries in Ygoya and the one that has in fact made major impact since its constitution in 1988. It is directed by Meela Jaarsma, from Holland and her Javanese husband, Nindityo Adipurnomo.
As I arrive there with Jompet, we understand that we are both meeting Charles! In his research for the "Archive", Jompet is included. So I let them talk, have a mandi and return to go with Charles to meet Alia Swastika, for a dinner. Jompet is brilliant artist, and we all think the same way.
At this dinner, Alia and Charles that have met in Cemeti Art House reconnect again, after several years. It was indeed a nice dinner. And I ask both to meet me the following day to show them my research topic. So we did.
Charles had invited me to go to his hotel in Yogya, the Phoenix, with this beautiful swimming pool the following day. When I arrived, Pak Jim Supangkat and Charles are finishing their meeting and we go for a swim that felt heavenly. After swimming, I sneaked into the sauna! Oh how nice :)
Later in the afternoon, I met Linda Kaun, an artist whose work I admire, because she makes hiper-realistic batik. Linda represents the reality of life in Java, making compositions of school-girls, mobile warungs, rice-fields, but with an extreme realism. It was somehow interesting that back in 2006 I started doing realistic batik, but as portraits. I can't achieve Linda's result yet, but she is 30 years ahead of me, so I didn't loose the hope!
After meeting with Linda, I go to meet Charles and Alia again and we have a sincere talk about my research. They both are very informed in my subject matter, and it was of great help to have their feed-back.
The following day, Sunday 17th January, is the only day I am 100% free. I was thinking of going to Aguk to make batik, but I felt the need to go around, engage more with the people I have been so lucky to meet, like Alia. So we spent the whole day together. We had a motorcycle adventure (we were fined because I didn't have helmet and she didn't have the license), so we decided to behave and I borrowed a helmet for the rest of the day. She had a meeting in Via-via with 4 curators that are here to choose works for a commercial show to be held in Seoul, Beijing and Singapore. After this, we went to her mother's house, her house and, while Alia had a nap, I went for a massage. Reflexology. Very nice: we had a good talk, had dinner together and I went back home. Alia droped me in a taxi and I got home faster.
Monday I had a meeting with another artist, Eko Nugroho. I had seen his work various times, but live only at the Tropenmuseum, in Amsterdam, in August 2009. I adored the fact that a Tropical Museum, or Ethnographic museum is actually updating its collection buying contemporary art. Very good vision. I hope Portugal starts soon updating its collections, as we need to follow the changes in the world that surrounds us. I believe all these artists would be honoured to have their work shown or in the collections of the museums of Portugal. There is a very strong connection between the Portuguese and the Indonesian. They, like us, they remember our presence in the past and actually they are interested in renovating this dialogue. This is why I call this post "dialogues". It’s a dynamic talk, between two parts.
I like Eko's work more now, after being with him than I did before. Now I see where he wants to go. And how funny, how aware of the world around him he is. Actually I am loving all the work of these artists, it's indeed very good. As Karim Raslan said in his talk in Jogja Biennial: Yogyakarta is the leading city in terms of art practice of South East Asia. In terms of institutions he believes is Manila.
As suggested by Alia, I had a meeting with Agung Kurniawan. His wife Neni gave me the name "noor" back in 2006. They run Kedai Kebun Forum.
Our talk was very good. I am really lucky to have actually met so much people willing to help, criticize and comment on my topic, Memory and Contemporaneity.
The fact that I started my relation with Indonesia through Batik led me to this topic that mixes tradition, collective memory, high and low art, fine art, with contemporaneity. It was a difficult process at first, as I was so engaged with the technique, but through reading the Curators Jim Supangkat, Shaheen Merali, Dwi Marianto (among others), and after meeting in Lisbon with my supervisor, Fernando António Baptista Pereira, Isabel Carlos and Jessica Hallet (thank you Jessica, you were brilliant), I luckily found my way.
It has been very productive, and with an open heart, all comes to us.
Salam, noor
Monday, 18 January 2010
Dialogues: part 1
This have been hectic days: without programming or planning, things emerge and happen. So nice!
Actually, now I understand that the artistic community I came to talk, they actually know each other very well, so it works as a chain reaction.
I will report from Tuesday last week. I have had various productive days: I started by going to the school I studied in 20016, ISI Yogyakarta to meet a great artist, Ninus Anusapati, who is also a Professor there in the Fine Art Department. Anusapati is considered one of the most successful modern artist in Indonesia and he combines with extreme grace traditions and modernity. Maybe this combination is easy for an Indonesian, or perhaps an Asian. I have been in the past days confronted with the possibility of a South East Asian art that combines the two with grace and ease.
Anyway, Anusapati gave me a very good interview. We talked for an hour. Then I left Yogyakarta to go to Magelang, another city.
Magelang is a city not to far from Yogya where the tobacco industry is settled. There, the major collectors and buyers of art live. If it was not for the tobacco industry, the sponsorship of arts in Indonesia would be scarce. Recently there was a recent attempt to consider the tobacco an enemy of Islam. So many people would loose their jobs in the country that they re-evaluated the decision.
Luckily Pak Oei Hong Djien was a man with a vision. His Museum, known as OHD Museum, possesses works that range form the masters such as Affandi (there is one that was exhibited in the Venice Biennial of 1954!!! Affandi was the only Indonesian artist to exhibit there until Heri Dono arrived in 2002, making space for the current projection of the artists in the international art scene). Also, there are plenty Sudjojono, considered the "father" of modernist art in Indonesia. There are also Chinese painters in the collection and two very special paintings, made by Indonesian artists, referring to the massacres of East-Timor. For me, a Portuguese, being able to verify the disapproval of acts of war by the Indonesians themselves was something.
These "in-door" museums, meaning that they exist at a private home, is something I could testify for the second time. While talking to Pak Oei, I told him that in 2006, while living here, I visited the "home-museum" of Pak Ardyianto, one of the finest Batik makers in Yogya. Instead of looking at Modern and Contemporary art, there I could see an incredible collection of gold, tribal art from various islands of the archipelago, textiles, any many many books. Unfortunately Pak Ardyianto suffered a stroke in 2007 and he is now very ill and cannot recognize anyone. I was sad to know that...
After Pak Oei, I visited the gallery of Pak Deddy Irianto. He is a fine collector of the latest art produced in Indonesia but also has, next to his house, a commercial gallery. I was very pleased to see the works by Fx Harsono, Heri Dono, S. Teddy D, etc etc. I was enjoying the gallery so much, that he took me to his house to see his personal collection. I was very impressed with S. Teddy D, an artist I knew but can't include in my research, like Agus Suwage, an artist that I admire but can't refer to.
Wednesday was the day I visited Brahma Tirta Sari, a project that mixes batik with new media, such as installation. Nia Ismoyo talked to me about the oral traditions of Batik and the Javanese culture I am looking at. There is several ethereal knowledge in this culture. Fantastic.
Later in the afternoon, I visited Entang Wiharso, an artist that I liked the work at the Biennial of Yogya. I also met Pak Dwi Marianto, a Professor of ISI that runs the Post-Graduate Program and is actually responsible for my choosing to do the MA within the contemporary art of Indonesia: I saw in 2006 an exhibition that was curated by him in Yogya Gallery called ICON. There I met many good works by an extensive list of artists. How nice! We had a beautiful dinner all together and it has been very nice to meet all them. Entang gave me several of his published catalogues and work for further reading :)
On Thursday, I went to ISI again. Pak Edhi Sunarso was distinguished by the University of Yogyakarta as a Master of the Arts, in his case, sculpture. The ceremony was to die for! Gamelan, beautiful dances, all the Board of ISI dressed as academics and a large audience. It was memorable and it shows the relevance of Edhi Sunarso in the context of Indonesian art. Here goes the link of today's report on Jakarta Post.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/
I had lunch there (so kind of them) and then, as I was returning home to get changed for the opening of the exhibition of Jogja Gallery at 4 in the afternoon, I get a phone call. From Pak Jim Supangkat!!! He had arrived from Jakarta and was able to meet me in the Hotel. So I went immediately. After all, Jim Supangkat is the pioneer of Curatorship in Indonesia!
We had a good talk, a memorable talk, I should say. After this talk we went together to the opening of the Jogja Gallery. Imagine: I arrive there with Pak Jim Supangkat and I find all the Professors of ISI, Pak Oei, from the Museum in Magelang, and also some friends. So nice: chain reaction!
A beautiful story about Edhi Sunarso was told by himself: Soekarno, the first President of Indonesia after the post-colonial period asked him to make many works. We can see big dimension work by Edhi Sunarso in Jakarta. Soekarno wanted so much the work to be financed that he sold one of his personal cars to help pay the bronze! What a patron of the arts! I always saw Soekarno as a hero, and he is.
As they all had to be interviewed and the rain was very very strong, I stayed waiting for Pak Jim to finish. In the meantime, dinner was served and once more I was invited to join. Very kind of them. Finally, Pak Oei took me home in his car, as the rain was looking like it would not stop ever.
Friday was another intense day: I went with Entang, Pak Jim Supangkat to his studio again. There, Christine Cocca, Entang's wife, also showed me some of his work. They were so kind, we had lunch is a great restaurant and I had the opportunity of looking at the work again.
Terima kasih all of you, I have been blessed in meeting all of you in Yogya!
Salam, noor
Monday, 11 January 2010
indonews 2010: Jogja Jammin
Yesterday I had a very very productive day: woke up at 5 am because of the chicken singing as the sun rises - now is 5.33 am, so here we go again :).
It's difficult to sleep in Java. More or less same size as my country, here they have 200 million people (we have 10...). So there is no free room for anybody! the mosques, the motorcicles, the people, the chicken...oh busy busy!
I went to send an Indonews very fast, and then I walked to my Batik teacher, Aguk Santoro, in Desa Cemeti, Pasar Burung.
I am making another portrait for a friend in Lisbon, and it will be good to refresh my skill in batik.
Aguk 3 years ago didn't have so much work, and I brought him many students from my friends from outside: Josef and Alexandra from Slovaquia, Piero and Mimma from Italy, Karl from Germany. Like me, everybody was here meeting him, because Aguk and IBu Asri are such nice people. For my surprise he told me he does not teach anymore. To busy making batik to take to Jakarta, circa 100 pieces a month. But he accepeted to teach me again and I brought Anna from Poland and Paulo from Brazil. Special for them because of me :)
After eating a mie goreng by Ibu Asri, I went to JNM (Jogja National Museum). There was an exhibtion from the Biennial I still didn't see and also a public discussion.
I once again, enjoyed very much the exhibtion. Fantastic art. The discussion was held in Bahasa Indonesia, I could not understand anything but few words, but I recorded for future reference. I am sure I will need and enjoy it one day.
While I was there, Pak Fx Harsono called me. Was already in Yogya, coming from Jakarta (JKT).
We have been in contact for a month now. I was very interested in talking with him. It's a happy coincidence that we can meet here, as Fx is based in JKT.
Fx Harsono gave me a very good interview and also I also had a great time with him after.
Founding member of GSRB (New Art Movement) in 1975, a reaction at Soeharto's time of oppresive regime, he nowadays works as an artist and is Professor in University Pelita Harapan in JKT. He will launch an exhibtion in Milan this month along with 9 more artists from Indonesia.
On the way to JNM, in a becak (traditional transport in Yogya) we talked about other things. I could not stop recording, he is too interesting and everything he talks about is relevant.
After arriving there, networking became much easier: Fx knows everybody and I was sucessfull in meeting Pak Hendro Wiyanto, a Curator based in JKT that Alia Swastika (also a curator, but my age) told me to meet. Hendro kindly talked to me after hours in Via-via cafe, while having his dinner. What he said again was very relevant, and somehow good because he contradicted me various times. Also, he confirmed my fascination for Soekarno Era, explaining to me that the prefix "soe" means good, fine or other things. So, now I understand so many names... :)
I asked - why Yogyakarta? There is so much money in Bali, why is Yogyakarta so important in the arts?
Apparently between 1946 and 1949 Yogya became the political capital. And everything moved here, but apparently the arts stayed... easier atmosphere maybe!
I never read about this political incident and have to deepen my knowledge in other libraries, maybe in UGM or so..
I met an artist that I love, Dadang Christanto that I decided not to put in my dissertation because he lives in Australia. I taught it would be impossible to meet him! But this is so nice, he was here, and I really was pleased to meet him, because he is so good. Yogya is the place! I also met the Rector of ISI, Pak Soeprapto Soedjono and his wife. Very nice to meet them again, after Lisbon in past November.
With Fx introducing me to everybody I felt at home and had a great time.
We came later to Kedai Kebun Forum (KKF), 1 block from where I am staying and they were having a post-biennial discussion, in Bahasa Indonesia of course. I already knew Nina, from KKF, she gave me my Javanese name in 2006! Many people don't believe I am noor and I say I am not, but I love the name I got in Indonesia. But I am noor on facebook, it's much more effective internationaly then Leonor.
Here, people make the art scene happen. There is no support form the state, nothing. Well, maybe some for the biennials ;)
That is why meetings like this one are normal here, people struggle to work, do things, etc.
And look how effective they are: Indonesian artists are everywhere in the world, specially since the early 1990's in Venice and São Paulo biennals, last year in Lyon Biennial as well, have been in Haus der Kultur der Welt in Berlin, and now they are entering the galleries of Europe. I want these people in Portugal one day!
Isabel Carlos, our most international curator - did the 2004 Sydney Biennial and the 2009 Sarjah Biennial - asked me before I came to look for artists from East Timor. I have news: mostly all of them study in Yogyakarta. Apparently there is no place there and to study the east-timorese have to come to Indonesia. So, Yogyakarta is many times the preferable option. So maybe I run into someone!
Yes things take time, but I want to dedicate myself to Asia. I know this categorization is very dangerous, categorizing is always bad, but I need this to explain. East Africa also interests me, but for its "Asianess". I sometimes say that the first time I was in India (or I felt close to India) was in Ilha de Mozambique! So India has been contaminating that geographical area through sea trading for ages.
I would like to point out that I write these emails also to let go my memories: as a child I wrote diary. But I think sharing is nice. I don't mean to be an art critic, or historian or intelectual. Just entertainer.
So please understand if I point out the names and places but am not explaining further - you can google!
I have an MA to write...this is communicating with my friends, family and thanking people for their support.
Next time I write about other people. I will not forget anybody, I promise.
Thank u Fx, it was amazing being with you.
Salam, noor
Sunday, 10 January 2010
Indo news 2010: Yogya
Apa kabar?
I am now in Yogyakarta, the city in Central Jawa where I lived in 2006, when I was here to study Batik and Craft.
At that time, the city was somehow "sleepy" due to the earthquake that destroyed enormously it's area.
Dust, broken houses, demolitions were the normal issue.
Also, damaged walls made it difficult to find a house to live.
But now, after 3 years, the city is looking much better.
Restorations took place and the city is full of new restaurants, hotels, etc.
I am staying in a house called Rumah Teman that was built exactly to fill the gap of accommodation for tourists and artists that come regularly here.
It's a dream house: I have a lovely room, am exactly in the same area where I lived, that happened to be the galleries and art cafes area.
Oh it's god to be back!
I am very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to come here for Research and even see the 10th Jogja Biennial : Jogja Jammin' going on. It's closing today, so I better rush and see the last bit of it, at the Jogja National Museum.
So far, the Biennial is very good :) but that is normal, given the role of this city in the International Art Scene.
Yogyakarta is considered the city of art i the context of Indonesia and, according to Karim Raslan, that has given a speech on the conferences related to the Biennial about South East Asian Art, it's the leading city in this region.
I am here thanks to a scholarship of Orient Foundation in Portugal.
It's very pleasing to say that in Portugal I teach Batik. After all, I learned the art here. And this has been a surprise to every Javanese I speak to. I have been promoting this art with the help of the Orient Museum in Lisbon. Recently a fine collector of Batik from Indonesia, Hudy Suharnoko, kindly donated some samples of his collection to the museum, filling the gap of the collection that already possessed Wayang figures and a Gamelan Orchestra.
And now the idea is to write about the contemporary art scene that relates to the traditional art forms of Indonesia - karawitan, wayang and batik -, namely Java, my subject of study. It's extremely positive to assist to the amount of artists relating to this issue.
I have to go! Sampai jumpa!
Salam, noor
I am now in Yogyakarta, the city in Central Jawa where I lived in 2006, when I was here to study Batik and Craft.
At that time, the city was somehow "sleepy" due to the earthquake that destroyed enormously it's area.
Dust, broken houses, demolitions were the normal issue.
Also, damaged walls made it difficult to find a house to live.
But now, after 3 years, the city is looking much better.
Restorations took place and the city is full of new restaurants, hotels, etc.
I am staying in a house called Rumah Teman that was built exactly to fill the gap of accommodation for tourists and artists that come regularly here.
It's a dream house: I have a lovely room, am exactly in the same area where I lived, that happened to be the galleries and art cafes area.
Oh it's god to be back!
I am very fortunate to have been given the opportunity to come here for Research and even see the 10th Jogja Biennial : Jogja Jammin' going on. It's closing today, so I better rush and see the last bit of it, at the Jogja National Museum.
So far, the Biennial is very good :) but that is normal, given the role of this city in the International Art Scene.
Yogyakarta is considered the city of art i the context of Indonesia and, according to Karim Raslan, that has given a speech on the conferences related to the Biennial about South East Asian Art, it's the leading city in this region.
I am here thanks to a scholarship of Orient Foundation in Portugal.
It's very pleasing to say that in Portugal I teach Batik. After all, I learned the art here. And this has been a surprise to every Javanese I speak to. I have been promoting this art with the help of the Orient Museum in Lisbon. Recently a fine collector of Batik from Indonesia, Hudy Suharnoko, kindly donated some samples of his collection to the museum, filling the gap of the collection that already possessed Wayang figures and a Gamelan Orchestra.
And now the idea is to write about the contemporary art scene that relates to the traditional art forms of Indonesia - karawitan, wayang and batik -, namely Java, my subject of study. It's extremely positive to assist to the amount of artists relating to this issue.
I have to go! Sampai jumpa!
Salam, noor
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