Jakarta Biennale 2009 Program

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Jakarta Biennale 2009
ARENA

Jakarta, a city that covers an area of 661 square kilometers with 11.5 million inhabitants, continues to develop rapidly as a very crowded urban city. Like other urban cities, Jakarta also suffers from the loss of its social functions, which in this case is about the loss of the potentials of its citizens as social creatures. This happens due to various but interconnecting reasons, as well as to other factors such as the economic and political conditions.

The city’s spatial development has been focusing more on the economical and physical aspects rather than on the social or individual aspects. The individuals in the city’s structure are seen more as the object of the system. With all the flaws in the urban system, individuals in the society are currently in a battle field to fight for space, both the economic and the physical space.
Everything has been set aside to gain economic growth, without adequate attention toward the cultural aspects. This leads to the lack of public and cultural spaces where the society can identify themselves as social creatures, instead of as machines or alienated human beings. It is a difficult thing for us to secure a certain space that can serve as the place to mediate cultural discourses. All aspects of urban life have been dominated by the industrial, commercial spaces, and obviously by authority-dominated spaces.

Jakarta Biennale 2009 (JB 09) ,as an extensive celebration of art, will serve as an attempt to turn art into a reform strategy, engaging the urban subjects, enabling the creative, reflective, and critical ideas to give rise to new spaces that can be more inspiring, participative, and tolerant.

Zone of Understanding
JB 09 will begin by re-introducing what ARENA actually means; opened with a set of exhibitions and simple activities to raise the people’s awareness about what is going on in the society. This is because the society themselves often do not realize that their rights have been taken away—which can be in the form of personal views that are disturbed by the billboards on streets, or unasked-for advertisement messages on our mobile phones.

Public playgrounds, with the encircling iron fences for cleanliness reasons, turn into empty grounds, which are then considered to have no practical functions and finally demolished as the managers consider them to be a burden. Shopping centers, equipped with children’s amusement parks, were originally meant to facilitate the public to fulfill their household needs, but they have turned into consumptive areas, dominating family’s lives with financial demands.

The forms of exhibition in this phase are “one-sided”, presenting relatively classic murals, talk shows, and the likes. These series of early activities will try to raise our awareness about current issues.

Battle Zone
This program consists of a series of workshops and exhibitions that involve many cross-discipline practitioners to review the context of the contemporary spaces in Jakarta and to create new spaces for the public. This entails not only new spaces in its physical term, but also spaces for ideas that relate to many things which might affect the city’s development, such as the technology, economy, politics, history, and the public. The documentation of the project and workshop’s artifacts (outdoor billboards and on-site specific projects) will be displayed in the Fluid/Liquid Zone section.

This zone focuses on the creation of spaces that facilitate and mediate new ideas in physical and mental terms, to create encounters and public spaces, so that the art, artists, and the public can interact and appreciate one another.

Artworks existing in a certain public space with the special characteristic of the site—spatially, socially, historically, publicly, and politically—become the most important elements. Works in the public space interact directly with unselected audiences: the audience can interact with the works and appreciate them without any distance. The public turns into active participants, becoming neither
distant nor passive.

The society as the art public, which naturally should be the most important focus here, has inadequate access to enjoy and appreciate art. The lack of information and publication about art has made art activities or art discourses fail to become a far-reaching discourse in the society. Therefore, it makes sense to say that there is a need to have a structure in which the society does not only become the “target” of art, but, more importantly, they can be the subject of art. Also, there is the need of a new structure in which the public can engage with art, directly and indirectly, and become the subject of the art process.

Art activities that are based on problems in the community and urban milieu in Jakarta become an important thing to be used as a starting point to create a new art public that have never been touched by art before—for example the students, youth, workers, and the society in general. More popular avenues should also be used, for example by employing youth-segmented radio and internet. By maintaining and developing the new public, hopefully art can be better appreciated and become a far-reaching cultural discourse.

Art and technology and their relation and impact in society will be the focus of discussion in all activities. We bring out this focus of discussion because the development of technology in these years has been affecting our point of view in seeing “the reality”. Audio-visual media offers us new realities and “truth” that are increasingly more attractive and impressive. Furthermore, this leads to a new reality that can change the social condition. Other themes that we will present are: the phenomenon of community radio and television, the development of computers and games technology, and the virtual reality.

Fluid/Liquid Zone
At a glance one will realize that the title ‘ARENA’ contains many possibilities of clashes, even conflicts, which can lead to a deadly battle field if we don’t handle it well. Of course nobody expects such things to happen.

In this phase, our curator Agung Hujatnikajennong tells us again that actually the overlapping processes in various cultures and interests have taken place since a long time ago in the city, country, and geopolitical area where we live, especially after the concepts of “nation-state” and modern cities were applied by post-colonial society.

In the current time frame, the curator presents two approaches in the theme of the Fluid/Liquid Zone. This exhibition consists of two sections, i.e. Traffic and On the Map. “On the Map” section will present Southeast Asian young artists whose reputations have been nationally and internationally acknowledged. This section will exhibit art works that represent contemporary problems that the Southeast Asia communities face nowadays, particularly the problems of cities, identities, geopolitical area, and room to maneuver.

The “Traffic” section will present international artists who had been resident artists or visiting artists to the Southeast Asian countries, whose works represent specific viewpoints on the Southeast Asian cultures and societies. This exhibition, basically, wants to invite us to think critically and creatively, and furthermore serves as a warning and perhaps provides answers to existing problems.

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UNDERSTANDING ZONE:
1. To make use of other organizations’ events

1. Jiffest – Southeast Asian Short Film Section Screening films on tensions between religiosity/spiritual beliefs and urban society life in Southeast Asia.
Programmer: Varadila and Agung Hujatnikajennong Participants: 15 young film-makers from Southeast Asia (under 35 years old) Venue: Kineforum. Date: 5 – 9 December 2008

2. Pesta Sastra Jakarta (Jakarta Literary Festival)
‘Sastra di Ruang Kota’ (Literature in City’s space) Placing literary works that relate to city’s space or memories in the form of public-art media (stickers, graffiti, posters, etc.)
The placing/distribution of these public art works will depend on the contents or messages of related works.
Hopefully this activity can help introduce literary works and ideas/memory about the city space to a wider public so that these works and ideas can he better appreciated in other forms.
Participants: Literary persons and public space artists
Venue: Taman Menteng.
Date: 10 January 2009.

3. Festival Teater Jakarta (Jakarta Theatre Festival)

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‘Teater Multimedia’ (‘Multimedia Theatre’)
Discussion A discussion about the collaboration between multimedia and theatres, which one often encounters in many performances.
Venue: Taman Ismail Marzuki.
Date: 19 – 30 December 2008.
Performance by Studio Teater Indonesia & Teater Syahid
Venue: Teater Kecil, Taman Ismail Marzuki.
Date: 19 – 30 December 2008.

4. Gelar Koreografi Kota/GKK (City’s Choreography Festival)
GKK will be an annual program. Beginning in 2008, this event consists of performances by 4 choreographers (the creation process of each artist will be supported by a team that gives input on the musical, fine arts, and choreography aspects, containing urban themes) and Street Dance Competition for public. The venue is to be decided later (indoor/outdoor), but will use the lanes used in Jakarta Biennale ‘09. WHEN?

2. Events
Photo Exhibition A photo exhibition on problems in modern city space of Southeast Asia and its connection with the community’s daily lives.
a. Mapping Invisible Cities II Curator: Farah Wardani Artists : 29 photographers from Southeast Asia Venue: Goethe Institute Jakarta Date: 9 – 27 February 2009.
b. Ruang Perempuan (Women’s Room) Curator: Oscar Motuloh Artists: 8 young Indonesian women photographers Venue: TIM Date: 1 – 7 December 2008
Venue: Galeri Oktagon.
Date: 9 December 2008 – 3 January 2009 (Exhibition)
19 December 2008 (Discussion)

1. Children interaction in mall
a. Comics and Picture Exhibition from Juvenile Offenders from the Tangerang Detention Centre
Exhibition of comics and pictures from children about their dreams, imaginations, and views on the ideal city space.
Venue: Promenade Senayan City. Date: 1 – 7 February 2009.
Venue: Erasmus Huis.
Date: 13 – 20 February 2009.

b. Comics Workshop for Juvenile Offenders
Venue: Tangerang Detention Centre, TIM, Ruangrupa.
Date: 20 – 27 November 2008.

BATTLE ZONE:
Outdoor Urban Billboard Workshop
A workshop on creating art works in the public space, in the form of billboards and presented in ten advertisement boards on the main streets of Jakarta. Ten artists and designers would be involved in this workshop, under the guidance of Irwan Ahmett, a graphic artist and designer who has produced many works in public spaces.
Conducted by: Irwan Ahmett
Theme (optional, working theme): “Jakarta urban society” or “What is art, today?”
Workshop
Venue: Ruangrupa
Date: 10 – 28 November 2008 (4 classes)
Execution: 5 – 14 December 2008
Project
Date: 15 December 2008 – 8 March 2009.
Venue: Blok M bus terminal, Pancoran Fly Over, Jatinegara, Kelapa Gading Boulevard, Mangga Dua,Gunung Sahari, Kota, Fly Over Kuningan, Fly Over Sudirman – Thamerin, Dukuh Atas, Manggarai Terminal, Gatot Subroto, Plaza Senayan.

On-Site-Specific Projects (Redefining Space and Memories)
A workshop on art work creation in public spaces in the form of on-site specific works, interactive, photography, works with public media which will be presented on public spaces in Jakarta.
Conducted by: Ardi Yunanto
Participants: 14 persons (artists, historian, architects, street artists)
Theme: Redefining space and memories
Workshop Venue: TIM
Date: 10 – 28 November 2008 (8 classes)
Execution: 5 – 14 December 2008
Exhibition: 15 December 2008 – 8 March 2009
Project Venue: abandoned buildings, train stations, museums, parks, traffic lights, and houses of worship.

Jakarta 32°Showcase Program
Exhibition of students’ and young artists’ works of art who have been presented in the Jakarta 32° biennales (2004, 2006, 2008), organized by ruangrupa, in the form of presentation in public spaces.
Project Venue: Atrium Senayan City
Date: 1 – 7 February 2009

FLUID/LIQUID ZONE (Jakarta Biennale 2009)
Venue: National Gallery
Date: 6 - 27 February 2009

Artists:
ON THE MAP:
Young artists in their thirties who represent the latest development of contemporary art in post-90s Southeast Asia. They are the new generation of artists who have just started their reputation in many international fine arts forums. In general, their works of art represent new viewpoints which are distinctly different than those of the earlier generation of artists in Southeast Asia. The affirmation of their existence hopefully will be regarded as a significant indicator of the future of the contemporary art in the region.
Indonesia

Eko Nugroho (born Yogyakarta, 1977)
http://www.ekonugroho.or.id
After graduated from Paintings Department, Art Institute of Indonesia (ISI), Yogyakarta, in 2006, Eko has been creating his works using various media and materials: murals and paintings on canvas, installations, video works, embroidery, and comics. Eko is an activist and president of independent comics movement ‘Daging Tumbuh’. He often makes use of comics icons with fine art languages and jargons that give absurd and paradoxical impressions. Actually his works are statements of the crisis situation and social chaos that happen in his surrounding. Instead of giving critical and heroic responses, Eko answers the situations by reflecting his generation’s viewpoint which, nota bene, has already been immune to those kinds of chaos and disorder. Various gestures of “hybrid” figures that he creates in his works of art are the human personification as the subject of violence on one side; and of joy that consumes the violence on the other side. Eko’s works of art have always been responsive to social situations, peppered with witty humor and parody.

Eko has been following various exhibitions and becoming an artist-in-resident in Indonesia and abroad since 1995, including: Countrybution - Yogyakarta Biennale VII (2003); Move on Asia (Seoul, Osaka, 2004); Have We Met (Tokyo, 2004); OK Video, SUB/VERSION (Jakarta, 2005); Taipei Biennale: Dirty Yoga (2006); 5th Asia-Pacific Triennial (Brisbane, 2006), Something for Nothing (New Orleans, 2008), and Busan Biennale (2008). His latest solo exhibition, The Pleasure of Chaos, was held in Jakarta in 2008.

Handiwirman Saputra (born in Bukittinggi, 1975)
Handiwirman Saputra studied in Handicraft Department Art Institute of Indonesia (ISI), Yogyakarta. He is a member of Jendela art group. His works are related to his very personal understanding about “things/objects” in their wider meanings, from natural things to the industrial objects. Handiwirman’s works use not only found objects—plastic bags, hair, cotton, rubber bands, cigarette butts, remnant of fabrics, and the likes—but also objects that he made up from different raw materials: clay, fiberglass, gypsum, etc. The objects he creates tend to be erratic, seem unimportant, hard to identify with common logic, but are always able to provoke particular mental sensations. In general, Handiwirman’s artistic practices can be seen as a mixture of craftsmanship and complex material processing, resulting in smart and provocative visual languages.

Handiwirman’s works have been displayed in many big exhibitions in Indonesia and abroad, including: Ecstaticus Mundi (Bandung, 2002); Dream Project: Under Construction (Tokyo, 2003); CP Biennale Urban/Culture (Jakarta, 2005); Singapore Biennale, Belief (2006); Inanimate Performance (Taipei, 2008). His latest solo exhibition, In Lingo, was held in Beijing (2008).

Tintin Wulia (born Denpasar, 1972)
http://www.wulia.com
Tintin Wulia obtained her degree in architecture in Parahyangan University, Bandung, and studied music formally in Berkeley College of Arts, Boston. She is now in Sydney finishing her postgraduate degree in fine arts. Her works of art, especially video and her installation, often utilize investigation methods and juxtaposition in bringing up questions about something. As simple as it might seem in the realization, any themes in her works is typically elaborated. Her works require the audience not to stop at one conclusion drawn from one point of view. Tintin often questions the tension of two binary oppositions, like: between “reality” and “representation”, between “metaphors” and “literal statements”. Audio and visual elements in her works are constructed to point out the contradiction in stereotypical views—such as about her identity as a Chinese descendant, like the one she worked out on her last solo exhibition “Invasion” (Amsterdam, 2008).
Tintin’s works have received numerous awards and screened, displayed, and collected internationally, among others in the International Film Festival Rotterdam, New York Underground Film Festival, Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, SBS TV Australia, Istanbul Biennial, Yokohama Triennial, Van Abbemuseum, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, and Institute of Contemporary Arts London.

Kuswidananto a.k.a Jompet (born Yogyakarta, 1976)
Jompet is one of the prominent Indonesian young artists whose productivity and innovation still exceed those of his fellow artists in his generation, especially in terms of making the most of recycled electronic devices to make videos, objects, and installations. Jompet is the founder and one of the active exponents of the performing group ‘Garden of the Blind’ which combines musical elements and multi-media installations in their performances. Even though he has never studied fine arts formally, Jompet has a profound capability in turning both interactive and kinetic objects as installations that are rife with symbols and often convey social criticism. Jompet often brings about his works by doing investigation on uncovered historical narratives, for example about farmers that have been marginalized by the authority, or about the samin movement against colonization in the past. He is also active as a part of the artistic team in Garasi Theatre, Yogyakarta.

He has done many performances, joined exhibitions, and become an artist-in-resident internationally since 2001, including: Glorified (Singapore, 2001); Ok Video – Jakarta Video Festival (2003 and SUB/VERSION, 2005); Transit – 8 Views on Indonesia (Adelaide, 2003); Identities vs. Globalization (Chiang Mai, 2004); Insomnia48 (Singapore, 2004), and Equatorial Rhythm (Oslo, 2007). In 2007 he did the residency at Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYfqYejCJ18

Other artists in this section are:
Wimo Ambala Bayang, Dikdik Sayahdikumullah, Rudi Mantofani, The Secret Agents, Sekar Jatiningrum, Reza Afisina, Wiyoga Muhardanto, RE Hartanto, Videobabes (Indonesia); Ming Wong, Brian Gothong Tan, Khairuddin Hori, Donna Ong, (Singapore); Roslisham Ismail, Vincent Leong (Malaysia); Thaweesak Srithongdee, Porntaweesak Rimsakul, Tawatchai Puntusawasdi, Yuri Kensaku (Thailand); Lyra Garcellano, Yason Banal, Poklong Anading, Lyra Garcelano (Filipina); Duong Cam Hoang, (Vietnam).

TRAFFIC
This is the section for artists who have been involved in residency programs in Southeast Asia. The works of art in this section are the representation of diverse local treasures in Southeast Asia, which have been derived from a visit and first hand experience in interacting with local communities. This section will focus on the mobility problems of cross-country artists in Southeast Asia in the last five years.
Stani Michiels (Belgium, born Geel, Belgia, 1973)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stani_Michiels
Artist and architect Stani Michiels finished his formal study in architecture and fine arts in the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium, 1991-1996), Gerrit Rietvield Akademie (Netherlands, 1998 – 2001), and Rijksakademie (Netherlands, 2002 – 2003).
In his works, architecture is seen as the eyewitness to hidden historical narratives. Almost all of his works have been created using computer software that he created. The final results are mostly in the forms of drawing, photos, or videos, where the digital source is almost invisible. In 2003 he was invited by ruangrupa to be an artist in resident in Jakarta. The results are a series of thousands of photos he made out of video records throughout his exploration and journey in Jakarta. Stani has been involved in many exhibitions in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Germany, Indonesia, and China.

Sara Nuytemans (Netherlands, born Niewport, Belgium, 1970)
http://www.saranuytemans.net
Sara Nuytemans is an artist who took her formal education at Audiovisual Institute Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain (Master of Arts, 1999-2001) and Faculty of Industrial Design, Delft University of Technology, Delft, Netherlands (Master of Science, 1992 – 1997). Almost all of her works are in the form of kinetic video installations and performances which often question the tension between reality and representation. In 2006, she followed a residency program in Yogyakarta for three months. In that residency, she often collaborated with artist from Yogyakarta Arya Pandjalu, which resulted in many video works and installation. The themes were mostly about the social life in Java, especially Yogyakarta.

Other artists in this section are:
Sherman Ong (Malaysia, residency in Vietnam, 2006); Nadiah Bamadhaj (Malaysia); Phil Collins (Britain, residency in Indonesia, 2007); Adria Julia (USA, residency in Vietnam, 2005); David Griggs (Australia, residency in Philippines, 2005), etc.

Details of Public Programs:
Opening Ceremony
Venue: Nasional Museum
Date: Friday, 6 February 2009
Host: Governor of DKI

Artist Gathering
Venue: National Gallery
Date: Friday, 6 February 2009
Guest stars: Yason Banal (The Philippines), Goodnight Electric (Jakarta)
Seminar Venue: National Gallery
Date: Friday, 13 February 2009
Speakers: Dr. Thomas Berghuis (Australia), Prof. Patrick D. Flores (Philippine), Nuraini Juliastuti (Indonesia)
Moderator: Enin Supriyanto (Jakarta)

Artist Talk I
Venue: National Gallery
Date: Sunday, 8 February 2009
Artists: Phil Collins (UK), Video Babes, Khairuddin Hori, Donna Ong (Singapore),

Artist Talk II
Venue: Institut Kesenian Jakarta (Jompet & David Griggs), Universitas Tarumanegara (Irwan Ahmett & Sherman Ong), Universitas Indonesia-Fakultas Ilmu Bahasa (Yason Banal & Eko Nugroho)
Date: Monday, 9 February 2009

Press Conference
Venue: National Gallery
Date: Thursday, 29 January 2009

Kids & Youth Workshop I
This workshop involves junior and high school students, inviting them to make kinetic art objects from recycled electronic devices/components.
Target of participants: SMP & SMU students
Artist: Jompet (Yogyakarta)
Venue: National Gallery
Date: Wednesday, 18 February 2009
Duration: 1 day (2 groups/2 sessions)

Kids & Youth Workshop II: Comics
This workshop will involve SMP & SMU students to make comics.
Target of participants: SMP & SMU students
Artist: Eko Nugroho (Yogyakarta)
Venue: National Gallery
Date: 24 February 2009
Duration: 1 day (2 groups /2 sessions)

Exhibition guide book
Contains general information about the whole of JB ’09 Programs, including schedule, location, and activities in Opening Ceremony, Artist Talks, Seminars, Workshops, and Artist Gatherings. This book will also include location map, brief information about JB ’09 artists, and other exhibition activities at the same time in other galleries in Jakarta.
Language: Indonesian
Designer: Irwan Ahmett (Ahmett Salina)
Edition: 3.000 copies
Distribution: will be distributed for free.

Exhibition Catalogue
This catalogue will be published internationally as an anthology of writings on contemporary arts in Southeast Asia and the works exhibited in JB ’09. The contributors are fine arts experts from Southeast Asia.
1. DR. Thomas Berghuis
A Netherlands born curator, critics, and fine art lecturer who now resides in Australia. He will analyze the phenomenon of artists’ mobility in Southeast Asia and art practices resulted from residency programs and artists exchange.
2. Prof. Patrick D. Flores
A Curator, critic, and arts lecturer from Philippines. Will review the history of contemporary arts in Southeast Asia.
3. Adeline Ooi
Curator and critic from Malaysia. Will analyze the trend and current issues in the works of young artists from Southeast Asia.
4. Enin Supriyanto
Curator and critic from Indonesia. Will review the latest development of arts infrastructure in Southeast Asia.
5. Agung Hujatnikajennong
Curator for JB ’09 and critic from Indonesia. Will write about the curatorial theme of JB ’09, Fluid Zone, and the works in exhibition.
Content Editors: Ade Darmawan, Bambang Budjono, Agung Hujatnikajennnong
Language Editors: Bruce Carpenter and Bambang Budjono
Translators: Rani Ambyo and Hawe Setiawan
Readers: DR. Eugene Tan and Mella Jaarsma (tentative)
Designer: Irwan Ahmett (Ahmett Salina)
Publisher: Dewan Kesenian Jakarta
Language: bilingual (Indonesian & English)
Edition: 3.000 exemplars
Distributor (tentative): S&P Production
Printings (tentative): Indonesia Printer
On publish schedule: 29 January 2009
Distribution: national and international

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