Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Gua Garba, an installation in the lobby of the National Gallery duly reminds visitors about the issue of feminism that is portrayed at an exhibition titled Intimate Distance.
The piece, presented in the form of a vagina camouflaged by a leaf of a flower, represents the ‘essence of feminity‘ in womanhood.
Dedicated to Indonesian women artists, the exhibition, which will run through Aug. 10, pursues the trail of feminism in Indonesian art.
Whatever motivates the artists in the creation of their works -- be it intution, personal causes or concern about social issues -- the production of art works is ‘an activity that is intimate and natural,‘ says exhibition curator Wulan Dirgantoro.
‘The exhibition revisits this intimacy,‘ Wulan said during the opening ceremony last Wednesday.
Chairwoman of the Indonesian Arts Foundation Mirando S. Goeltom, who officially opened the exhibition, said that it testified to the existence of Indonesia‘s women artists.
Minister of Trade and Industry Mari Pangestu was among the audience packing the seats arranged in the front yard of the gallery.
The exhibition, which features paintings, installation art, video digital and photography, coincided with the launch of a lavishly illustrated book, Indonesian Women Artists: The curtain opens, co-written by Carla Bianpoen, Farah Wardani and Wulan Dirgantoro.
Wulan said that the title of the exhibition also referred to the nature of the way they had accomplished their writing of the book.
She said the 280-page volume, which recounts the artwork and short biography of a select 34 Indonesian women artists, was accomplished despite their geographical separation from each other.
‘I live in Melbourne, Farah in Yogyakarta and Carla in Jakarta. There is distance but we remain intimate,‘ she said.
Around 50 artworks from 35 artists -- produced in the last two years -- are on display. Many artists find women‘s bodies a favorable medium to articulate their messages.
Inner beauty more important
Gua Garba by Iriantine Karnaya sends a message that ‘feminity is a sanctified medium for the creation of new being,‘ Wulan, an art lecturer at the university in Tasmania, says in the exhibition footnotes.
‘Women‘s bodies seen at this exhibition are not mere bodies ... they are multidimensional, incorporating spirituality, sexuality, identity, culture and sociopolitical aspects of Indonesian society,‘ she says.
The complexity of social issues is raised by Diah Yulianti in Mata Terpejam Sampai Kabar Membangunkan Akal (Eyes closed until realization awakens awareness).
The painting -- which includes a message positioned close to the upper margin -- seems to be trying to raise awareness about the importance of women rediscovering their rights to equality in society.
Emiria Soenassa, who was hailed as Indonesia‘s first female artist, has samples of her art in the exhibition more than three decades since her passing.
One of her two paintings on display is Mutiara Bermain (Pearls playing), which was produced in the 1940s. Two naked women playing on a seashell within an underwater setting illustrates a strong association between sexuality and nature.
Depictions of sexuality -- with a variety of messages -- are to be found in work by Arahmaini, I GAK Murniasih and Laksmi Shitaresmi.
Murniasih‘s Menikmati (Enjoyment) and Arahmaini‘s Yang terlupakan (The forgotten) records sexual adventure while Laksmi‘s Penantian (Waiting) carries a message about hope and despair.
Hope for a thriving community is also a topic touched on by the artists -- Erica Hestu Wahyuni portrays a religious community group in Rendezvous To The Golden Prosperity.
Astari Rasjid has two paintings on display, both including a self-portrait -- one set against the backdrop of Batak people, the other Javanese.
‘I inherited a Batak nature, which is forceful and open while Javanese are more reticent,‘ Astari told The Jakarta Post.
The recent Asian tsunami has been recalled by ceramic craftswoman Endang Lestari, although viewers will have to work out the message conveyed in Kota Yang Hilang Dalam Kata (The city that has been lost in words).
There is no image of the tsunami, nor an Acehnese setting. Instead, the artwork is presented as an installation in the form of ceramic balls. On the balls are scattered words which, according to Endang, form a message about the agony of the tsunami and post-tsunami irregularities.
‘Aceh Loen Sayang‘ (My beloved Aceh), said Endang, selecting one of the messages in Acehnese language.
Endang‘s second work -- a stoneware installation titled Percakapan Dalam Senyap (Conversation in silence) -- teaches the wisdom of being silent as well as the virtues of femininity.
‘We can learn a lot from being silent,‘ said Endang, who at 31 is hailed as a young and talented artist.
‘One can ignore physical appearance because the soul, spirit and ... inner beauty are more important.‘
Source: www.thejakartapost.com (6 Agustus 2007)