Kuratorial

Indonesian Women Artists: Infusions into Contemporary Art

Highlighting the works of women artists in major exhibitions has been an effort of mine since I first did this together with Farah Wardani and Wulan Dirgantoro in 2007. Gathering 33 artists in an official publication had the major intent of filling the gap in Indonesian art history. It was the first such book, involving 33 women artists of random ages in the official publication Indonesian Women Artists: The Curtain Opens which was launched at the National Gallery of Indonesia by the Indonesian Arts Foundation, YSRI, then headed by Miranda Goeltom.

In 2019, twelve years had passed without follow up by any other party as we would have hoped. So in 2019, I was able to gather 21 women artists focusing on women artists in the ages between 27 and 41 in the book and the exhibition of the same title Indonesian Women Artists: Into the Future, published and launched by Cemara Enam Foundation, headed by Dr. Inda C. Noerhadi. At that time, we were surprised by the artistic skill and maturity of the young women artists and we were happy to have been able to document such evolution.

When Covid-19 reached our shores early in 2020, we were gripped by a sense of urgency that made us realize our work was not yet done, we had to do more to fill the gaps in Indonesian art history, and we felt the moment was imminent to adequately reveal women’s major contributions to Indonesia’s flourishing art scene and art history. Such a sense of urgency evoked our project on Indonesian Women Artists: Infusions into Contemporary Art, with a focus on senior women artists of over 50 years of age who had been consistently filling our artistic horizons, and were still actively creating interesting, and even exciting works.

We are extremely thankful that we have all survived the two years of the Covid19 Pandemic and though we had to overcome troublesome challenges, it is with a long sigh of relief that today after a wait of 2 years, we are all still standing and ready to do what we are meant to do.

The issue of age and creativity has some people wondering why we choose to highlight senior women artists. Doesn’t creativity decline with age? This question has indeed attracted scientific research for more than a century. In fact, it is said that an empirical study of this issue was published in 1835. It is true that scientists or psychologists who studied creative accomplishments throughout the life cycle generally have found that creativity peaks between the ages of mid- to late 30s or early 40s, but later studies found that peaks in people’s creativity vary greatly and other studies admit that peaks can occur at any age.

Remarkably, our selected artists have in fact experienced peak after peak, and there is no telling how many more peaks the future holds for them.

The Artists

In this sense it is safe to say that advancing in age has not made the artists creativity decline, but some like Arahmaiani (1961) who used to be a passionate activist for the principles she holds dear, is crystallizing her passionate activism into a depth of quality concerning the future of humanity and the future of the earth. A rebel in the eyes of her adversaries, she has turned to traditional wisdoms to explain the inseparable unity of the yin yang, as in her painting Lingga Yoni (1994), which has later been acknowledged as the basis for achieving peace in the world. Currently Arahmaiani is devoting her time to collaborating with community groups in Bali and Yogyakarta to help develop sustainable organic farms applying traditional methods and wisdoms.

Similarly, Mella Jaarsma (1960) whose works were considered to have opened the eyes of the public to issues deserving critical judgment, such as in the work Hi Inlander, now presents shifting issues in the world, such as basic human needs related to ecology, climate change and its impact on the human being, which is exemplified in works like the series Feeding the Nation, In Ravel Out, and A Taste of Behind, among others.

On the other hand, some artists have precisely advanced to daring and bold expressions, like Bibiana Lee (1956) whose major work I Am China was a mere, albeit comprehensive, chronicle of historical facts. She has now upped her voice in a metaphorical counter-attack following the occurrence of accusations against Asians and Chinese-looking individuals regarding the spread of the virus worldwide. Punches on the punching bags in the interactive installation I Am Not A Virus which is covered with derogatory text will automatically return to hit the puncher. On a global level, her running text in blood red color titled Race resounds with the global issue of the sameness of blood that marks anyone no matter one’s skin color or origin.

There are also those whose works mostly reveal a battle cry. Dolorosa Sinaga (1952) for instance, who is known for the fresh wind she has blown into the male dominated world of sculpture, has created sculptures that challenge the unequal standing of women, infusing them with such spirit evoking the term resistance art. Solidaritas, Avante and I The Witness to mention just a few. Such a sense is still present in her new work featuring a coffin, made during the Pandemic. With this work Dolorosa bemoans the decree that requires deceased covid-19 patients to be buried in a special graveyard. Accompanied by the notion of compassion which is revealed in her sculpture titled Last Hugging, she brings out the voice of the compassionate who sympathize with the human tragedy.

Dyan Anggraini (1957) stands out for her priceless service to art development and strengthening art institutions, particularly in the Yogyakarta region, and has now added another honor to the city of Yogyakarta.

The only woman who spent 24 years of her creative life serving as a bureaucrat alongside being a professional artist (she had 6 of 10 solo shows while in office). Humble but with an inner strength ala Triwikromo, she applied an open policy system that involved artists and the general public, as she steered Taman Budaya Yogyakarta to grow as a progressive institution that was well equipped to face the changing dynamics of the art world at the time. Advancing the institution of TBY to a level that it became daring and ignoring eventual repercussions, she openly portrayed political players as clowns. But in a later stage she was compelled to tone down, and her frustrations are revealed in her series of Koor Bungkam, featuring herself with masks covering her mouth. After retirement she has again honored Yogyakarta with a huge undertaking of an exhibition featuring works and portraits by and of artists and patrons who have contributed to illuminate Yogyakarta as a city of the arts (Maestro Meeting, 2021-22).

Art, science and technology is a fitting description for Indah Arsyad (1965) who came from Landscape Architecture and Environmental Technology and advanced in a fairly short period of time to the level of contemporary art. Technology, whether past like the wayang play or advanced technology, opened for her an entire spectrum of visionary imaginations, the realization of which was supported with scientific research, while morphing etched symbols from ancient Javanese mythology into the conceptual. Her latest works, The Breath and The Ultimate Breath lay bare the infusion of such a variety in digital video installations of the most interesting kind.

An important momentum arose for Long Durational artist Melati Suryodarmo (1969) who usually gathers information into her body as a source or resource for her performances, when she moved to conceive a new resource to store information. Applying new technology for the first time and morphing in symbols from ancient Javanese mythology and legends, she created her Sleep Laboratory as an information resource evoked from the subconscious for her performance If We Were XYZ. She performed it jointly with others, in the first performance of the piece. She also broke new ground in the practice of biennales, when she had bissu, the androgynous shamans from South Sulawesi, perform prayers and blessings at the opening night, thus introducing a new understanding of contemporary art,

Nunung WS (1948) is known for her abstract colored schemes that were inspired by everyday life, or traditional textiles and mosques or whatever she has seen or experienced. Her colors used to come into existence when layer after layer was applied. Speaking of her art as her life journey, she states that it is invoked by the spiritual and the transcendental. Earlier also inspired by calligraphy, she reveals calligraphy inspires her not by what it means but rather as a feeling towards its shape. Lately this feeling may have intensified as revealed by her latest work Annisa.

Sri Astari Rasjid (1953), who is known to always refer to her cultural background for her contemporary work, has stepped up to a new level of artistic conception, as she created an epical work during the Pandemic lockdown. In a new understanding of the feminine energy by which 9 women from various belief systems and geographical origins are called upon to cleanse the earth from the pandemic virus, and other ills befalling mankind. Nine Pearls of Heaven is an installation performed at an archeological site in Yogyakarta, and to be recreated in limited form at the National Gallery of Indonesia. It brings together elements of local wisdom and cherished memory, related to the zeitgeist of today, while revealing an ever moving spiritual and universal energy in the evolution of today’s contemporary art.

Colonial abuse has moved Titarubi (1968) from the rhetoric to new action. Violence against humanity has been an enduring issue that has moved her from the very beginning. But it is the history of Dutch colonial repression that has taken center stage, evoking works such as Kisah Tanpa Narasi with broken body parts in a lorry from the Dutch colonial time (2005). Shadow of Surrender (Venice biennale 2013) has school benches similar to those in the Dutch colonial era, to remind of the long lessons in school. Imago Mundi (2016), is a cloak of 1100 nutmegs, while History repeats itself (2016) consists of three traditional warships in which nutmeg cloaks stand. Eager to know more, she even went back to university, then built a ship that she recreated from an image at the Borobudur Temple. The ship is now at the Adisucipto Airport in Semarang, “to remind us of Indonesia’s prowess as a maritime power,” she said.

For the ten artists, age and creativity is a non-issue.

After all, age is just a number. So let’s just move on.

Carla Bianpoen

Studied in The Netherlands and Germany. She has been an independent arts and culture journalist since the late 1980s. She has contributed to local and international publications, and was the Senior Editor of C-Arts Magazine (2007-2011). She co-authored the seminal book “Indonesian Women Artists: The Curtain Opens” (2007), served as a Juror for the Bandung Contemporary Art Awards BaCAA (5 editions), and as the Artistic Director, Advisor and Co-Curator of the Indonesia Pavilion for the 55th and 56th Venice Biennale. She is a recipient of the Visual Arts Award from the Visual Arts Magazine (2011) and the Anugerah Adikarya Rupa Art Award from the Government of Indonesia (2014).