STORIES LEFT UNTOLD R A N G G A P U R B AYA
Rangga Purbaya was born in 1976 in Jakarta, He studied photography at
the Indonesian Institute of Arts in Yogyakarta, where he still lives today with his family. In 2002, he was among the co-founders of Ruang Mes 56: initially a frugal student art space that developed into one of Indonesia’s best-known laboratories of photo-based art emphasizing the exploratory and experimental approach. He also runs his own photography studio Etalase 69.
His main interest in photography is history, particularly family history,
which he elaborated 2012 in a Colonial Photography Workshop organized by the Dutch Noorderlicht Festival and together with Kunci Cultural Studies Centre in the Bon Suwung Project at Ledok Timoho. Besides his ongoing engagement in programs and exhibitions by Ruang Mes 56, Rangga’s work was also exhibited in other Indonesian cities and Thailand.
SELECTED EXHIBITION
WORKSHOP
2015 “Stories Left Untold” ICAN Gallery, Yogyakarta
2012 “Colonial Photography” Noorderlicht Festival Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta
“PAUSE” Bangkok Photo Festival 2015 Bangkok Art & Cultural Centre 2014 “Contract & Other Transactions” Mes 56 2013 “Faraway So Close” Semarang Gallery, Semarang.
PROJECT 2015 “Alhamdullilah We Made It” Adelaide Oz-Asia Festival 2015 Australia 2012 “Bon Suwung” Wasteland Twinning KUNCI, Cultural Studies. Yogyakarta
I t was on l y af t er t h e en d of t h e S u h ar t o r eg i m e in 1998 th a t m y p ar en t s t ol d m e ab ou t t h e r eal f a t e of m y g r an d p aren ts . T h a t m y g r an d f a t h er, B oen t ar d j o A m ar oen K ar t o wi n ot o was c a p tu red an d p rob ab l y m u r d er ed d u r i n g t h e m as sac r es h a p p en i n g al l over I n d on es i a i n 1 9 6 5 . T h a t t h e wh ol e f am i l y af t er war d s h ad t o su f f er a l ot of h ard sh i p s an d was sc a t t er ed t o t h e wi n d s. S i n c e t h en I f e l t th e d es i re, to d i g d eep er i n t o ou r v er y p r i v a t e h i s t or y. A l m os t ev er y m em b er of m y ex t en d ed f am i l y I h a ve i n ter vi ew ed si n c e t h en , t ol d m e ab ou t t h e s ad n ess an d ad v er si t y, th ey h ad exp er i en c ed d u e t o ou r f am i l y h i s t or y. S t i l l , m ost of t h em w ere rel u ctan t t o d i s c u s s t h e i ss u e. I t f el t l i ke op en i n g ol d wou n d s . An d s om e of th e y ou n g er on es d i d n ot ev en kn o w, wh a t I was t al ki n g a b ou t. So th e sear c h f or t r ac es an d m em or i es of m y g r an d f a t h er ’s l i fe tu rn ed ou t to b ec om e v er y d i f f i c u l t . I n t h e en d , m y d oc u m en t a t i on m ore an d m ore f oc u ss ed on t h e y ou n g er g en er a t i on : I t was r a t h er t h rou g h th e p i ct u r es an d m em or i es of m y g r an d f a t h er s d esc en d an t s th a t I cou l d tel l h i s s t or y t h an t h r ou g h t h e f ew r em ai n i n g ar t ef ac t s or d ocu m en ts of h i s l i f e. A s g r an d c h i l d r en of t h e v i c t i m s of 1 9 6 5 , we were n ot d i rectl y t r au m a t i zed . B u t we m u s t l ear n t o u n d er st an d t h e h i s tor y of ou r fam i l i es t o g et a cl ear s t an c e on t h i s i ss u e. T h i s i s n ot ab ou t ri g h t or wr on g , b u t h o w t h e kn o wl ed g e of ou r f am i l y r oot s c an b ecom e a footh ol d i n t aki n g d ec i si on s or ass ess i n g t h e ac t u al s i t u a ti on of ou r s oc i et y an d ou r c ou n t r y. T h i s i s ev en m or e i m p or t an t , si n ce th e you n g er g en er a t i on st i l l h as t o b ear t h e b r u n t of t h e n eg a t i v e s ti g m a u n ti l t od ay. I r eal l y h op e, we wi l l b e ab l e t o op en l y t al k abou t ou r fam i l y b ac kg r ou n d wi t h ou t b ei n g st i g m a t i zed i n t h e f u t u r e.
“Stories Left Untold”
Sta r ting Point ,
R i g h t Pe o p l e Wa l k O n T h e L e f t ,
L u w e ng G rub ug , a ver tical ca ve lo c a t e d in Wo no s a r i, G unung K id u l , Yo g y ak a rta. K no wn as the killing lo c a tio n o f c o mmunis t pa r ty mem b e rs a nd suppor ter s. In Novem be r 1965 t o J a nua r y 1966, a r o und 1 5 0 0 p e o pl e ha v e b een killed in this pla c e .
A t t h e l a t e of 7 0 ’s , S i wi K ar t i n i t h e y ou n g est c h i l d c a rr y ou t s tu d i es i n Yog y akar t a. A l t h ou g h al l f am i l y m em b er s ob j ec t ed b u t s h e s ti l l d i d i t, b ec au s e sh e h as a h i d d en a g en d a. D u r i n g t h e st u d y p eri od Si w i al way s wal k wh en t r a v el i n g , s h e wou l d al way s st op i f i t fi n d s th e fi g u re of an ol d m an on t h e r oad . A s t h e y ou n g es t c h i l d sh e w as n ot too fam i l i ar wi t h h er f a t h er f i g u r e t h a t ’s wh y sh e s ec r et l y search i n g for h er f a t h er. S h e h op es t o f i n d h er f a t h er i n Yog y akar t a, b ut i t n ever h a p p en u n t i l t h e en d of h er s t u d y.
6 0 x 9 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
Vre deburg,
At the corner of Nirwana,
M u seum V red ebu r g is n o w cr o w de d w it h t o ur is t s , in 1965 this pl ac e w a s use d as a p r ison for polit ic a l pr is o ne r s .
W i r og u n an p r i son , Yog y akar t a. A l l eg ed l y on c e a p l ac e of d eten ti on B oen t ar d j o.
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 9 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
O n The Left Side,
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Co ll ecti o n of “Left”b ooks b elonging to B ima S ulis t y a the e lde s t s on
B oen t ar d j o’s sh a v er
6 0 x9 0c m , D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
B i m a C ollect ion #2,
B i ma C o l l e c t i o n # 3 ,
Bo e nta rdj o ’s d iar y
B oen t ar d j o’s d oc u m en t s an d ar c h i v es , c on t ai n ed wi t h h i s d i p l om a cert i f i c a t e, m ar r i a g e c er t i f i c a t e, l et t er of as si g n m en t s an d CV.
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
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Si w i K C ollec t ion #1,
Siwi K Collection #2,
Bo e nta rdj o diar y used b y Siwi K a r t ini t o f ind o ut a bo ut he r f a t he r
J ewel er y b ox b el on g i n g S u l as t r i , B oen t ar d j o wi f e.
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
S i w i S Colle ct ion #1,
B u A r i s,
J e wel e r y box belong in g Sulast r i, B o e nta r djo w ife .
B ef or e h i s ar r est , Pak K ar t o s ai d : „I am i n d eed a c om m u n i st , b u t I am n ot a m em b er of P KI “
6 0 x4 0c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
D i p o Adi,
B a yu A r d i ,
M o t he r tol d me tha t Gr and fa th e r w a s c a r r ie d a w a y by tha t t ime, b u t I d id no t k no w, wh y and wh a t he did w r o ng
H e wor ked h ar d t o m eet t h e n eed s of h i s s ev en c h i l d ren
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
S a r ah Intan,
D a yu ,
I w i l l al w ay s be p r oud of wha t Mba h B o e n w a s f ighting f o r
H e wi l l al way s b e m y p r i d e, n ot som et h i n g t h a t h as to b e h i d d en an d p ass ed b y
6 0 x4 0c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
Pu t ut Raditya,
P r a k a si t a W i g a t i ,
We wi sh to kn o w and visit his r e s ting pla c e
H op ef u l l y t h e ol d wou n d s c an b e p a t c h ed u p b y h i s g ran d ch i l d ren ’s h a p p y s t or i es
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
R i n i Indi,
D a n a n g S u t a so ma ,
I a m so pro u d of them an d fee l s o ho no r e d t ha t I ha v e t he ir blo o d
T h i s wou n d c an n ot b e c ov er ed , b u t m u s t b e c u r ed
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
6 0 x 4 0 cm , Di g i tal p h o to g r ap h y, I n k j et p r i n t o n al u m i n i u m b o n d i n g
D oc u m en t s t h e l i f e s t or y of B oen t ar d j o A m ar oen K ar t o w i n oto – 50 years af t er h i s as su m ed d ea t h . O n l y af t er S u h ar t o’s f al l i n 1998, p h otog rap h er R an g g a P u r b ay a l ear n ed t h a t h i s g r an d f a t h er p r ob ab l y d i ed i n th e m ass ac r es f ol l o wi n g t h e c ou p t h d ’ ét a t of t h e 3 0 of Sep tem b er 1965. T h e ec on om i c ser v i c e em p l o y ee t h an d m em b er of th e reg i on al p arl i am en t was ar r est ed on t h e 1 0 of N ov em b er 1 9 6 5 an d d i s a p p eared s h or t l y af t er war d s. O u t of f ear of p er sec u t i on , t h e f am i l y c h an g ed t h e d a te of h i s d ea th to 1 9 6 4 , s o t h a t h i s c h i l d r en an d g r an d c h i l d r en c ou l d al s o b ecom e ci vi l s er v an t s or t eac h er s, wh i c h was n ot al l o wed f or r ela ti ves of p ol i ti cal p r i s on er s u n d er t h e S u h ar t o r eg i m e. E v en u n t i l t od a y, s om e of Boen t ar d j os p r og en y d o n ot kn o w ab ou t t h e f am i l y ’s h i st o r y.
AM,
6 0 x 4 0 c m, D i g i ta l pho t o gra phy, Inkj et pr int on aluminium bonding
T h e me a ni ng of life an d d ea th is t o k e e p the fa mily a liv e
R an g g a P u r b ay a r esear c h ed ar c h i v es an d i n t er v i ewed h i s rel a ti ves to r e- t r ac k t h e h i d d en st or y of h i s g r an d f a t h er i n p i c t u r es as w el l as i n au d i o. N ot ev er y m em b er of t h e f am i l y wel c om ed h i s efforts to fi n d th e t r u t h . A t t h e b eg i n n i n g , R an g g a’s m ai n ob j ec t i v e wa s to g et to kn o w wh o h i s g r an d f a t h er was, b u t i t t u r n ed ou t t o b ec ome a con fron ta ti on wi t h h i s o wn g en er a t i on ’s m ost l y d et ac h ed n es s, or e ven com p l ete ob l i v i ou s n ess , t o t h ei r o wn p as t . T h r ou g h h i s p er s on al a ttem p t a t recon s t r u c t i n g h i s f am i l y ’s h i st or y, t h e p h ot og r a p h er r ev ea l s h o w s i g n i fi can t i t m i g h t b e t o c om e t o t er m s wi t h t h ei r h i d d en p as t , n o t on l y for h i s o w n f am i l y, b u t al s o f or t h e wh ol e of soc i et y. C h r i s t i n a S c h ot t