TELL ME PLEASE @Bentara Budaya Bali, Denpasar, Bali September 2013
Installation, Interactive, Performance Ceramic, Canvas, Cotton Thread 225 x 470 cm
The works become my contemplation about being contemporary. What is it actually? Is it when everything goes? When concept is very important in contemporary artwork, but sometimes eliminate the craftsmanship or showing ‘found objects’, as long as the concept is (hopefully) sophisticated and displayed in an art space, then the object (can be) become ‘a contemporary artwork’. When craftsmanship and material knowledge become less important, then how about the process of creating the artwork or studio work? If this happen, everybody may admit themselves as contemporary artists. The question is....Am I contemporary enough? Tell Me Please....inspired by Braille character. Each canvases sew with ceramic tiles that represent Braille letters. The decision to use Braille character is to symbolize my question as ‘being contemporary’. I still groping and blind for the contemporary context.
Interactive:
Visitors are requested to guess the sentences show in the artwork. Each canvas will represent one Braille character, then the whole line represent a sentence. The Braille code is provided for visitors as the key to read the sentences. Later, the visitors are requested to write down in Latin characters. If they do it right, they can read the message and there will be a simple souvenir deliver to their address.
Hints: some sentences are hidden in the artwork description.
THE SACRED, is my newest artwork that inspired by ‘Kerupuk’, the Indonesian (almost) daily crackers (made from flour powder with additional shrimp or fish for the flavor). The ‘kerupuk’ itself can be colorful, but this white one in this shape (curly shape, we have various shape) is the most wanted, as people understand the bad effect of the chemical colorant. This crackers is already a part of main food for all Indonesian people: kids to adults, villagers and cosmopolitan people, all social levels will have this 'kerupuk' to spoil their tongue. Not like other crackers that consume as snack, but ‘kerupuk’ will be a ‘supplement’ for the main food. Weather for soup, salad, noodle, they love to have 'kerupuk'. In most parties, there will be ‘kerupuk’ serve on the dinning - table. Moreover, ‘kerupuk’ usually used for national (traditional) game in celebrating Indonesian National Independence Day (August 17th), called ‘lomba makan kerupuk’ (eating ‘kerupung’ racing). The set of ‘kerupuk’ hung dangling down, then the first participant who finish eating it, will be the winner.
The flowers dangling around the ‘kerupuk’, represent jasmine flowers. Jasmine (Melati in Indonesian) is one of three Indonesia’s national flower (another two are orchid and rafflesia arnoldy). We use jasmine for holy and sacred things, for special ceremonies such as wedding (mostly traditional Javanese wedding, for the groom), welcoming guest (national or international), inaugural, spiritual ceremony (offerings), etc), also use as hair accessories for traditional dancer.
A simple performance PLEASE TO MEET YOU, is presented to support THE SACRED.
AS SIMPLE AS THAT Jakarta, March 2013
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Stoneware and terracotta mixed with papers, dried leaves.
Glasses color are from Fuping, Xi'an, China.
The idea of this work is very simple. In present, I have
super limited time to pursue my artwork.
So I made the simple thing. This work helped by my great
artisan.
I only drew him the idea then I controlled the process, put
the glasses and applied the 'slip liquid' around the top surface.
*the slip liquid is a mixture of transparent glaze, clay
slip, a small amount of water glass, and salt.
