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 20^th, 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

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

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.

http://universes-in-universe.org/eng/nafas/articles/2007/perfurbance_3/photos/08

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!

http://noortrips.blogspot.com/