Faraway So Close by Ruang MES 56

FARAWAY SO CLOSE - MES 56

FARAWAY SO CLOSE - MES 56 13-27. 4. 2013 SEMARANG Gallery

FOREWORD

PENGANTAR SEMARANG Gallery

Di dalam kancah dunia seni rupa Indonesia, ternyata karya-karya fotografi sudah mulai mendapat apresiasi. Karya-karya fotografi perupa-perupa Indonesia sudah mulai mendapat kesempatan dipamerkan pada peristiwa-peristiwa pameran, berdampingan dengan karya-karya seni rupa yang lain seperti lukisan, video art, instalasi maupun object art. Kita bisa saksikan pada peristiwa art fair, biennalle dan pameran yang diselenggarakan, baik oleh galeri lokal maupun galeri internasional, karya-karya fotografi perupa Indonesia sudah mendapat tempat sejajar dengan karya-karya seni rupa yang lain.

anak-anak Ruang Mes 56 secara kelompok dan lengkap. Sepertinya inilah pameran bersama mereka yang pertama kali diikuti oleh seluruh anggota Mes 56. Kami sepakat mengangkat tema tentang Kota Semarang. Selama kurang lebih 3 - 4 bulan, project ini digarap dengan intens. Masing-masing perupa melakukan survei untuk melihat berbagai fenomena sebuah kota bernama Semarang. Hasilnya diwujudkan dalam karya-karya foto dalam berbagai medium, video, instalasi soundscape dan karya video interaktif yang sangat menarik. Yang lebih penting bagi saya adalah bagaimana Semarang Gallery bisa menyuguhkan sebuah alternatif karyakarya fotografi yang dihasilkan lewat proses berkesenian dan pemikiranpemikiran baru. Dan tentu saja karya-karya ini akan menarik jika dibandingkan dengan karya-karya fotografi yang selama ini berkembang di dunia fotografi di Semarang.

Ruang Mes 56, kelompok perupa fotografi yang beranggotakan 12 perupa lulusan ISI Yogyakarta sering di sebut-sebut sebagai generasi awal yang ikut berjasa dalam mempopulerkan fotografi di dunia seni rupa Indonesia. Mereka terdiri dari gabungan perupa lintas angkatan. Namanama Angki Purbandono, Wimo Ambala Bayang, Jim AllenÂ Abel dianggap pendahulu oleh angkatan-angkatan yang lebih muda sepertiÂ Anang Saptoto, Akiq AW, Andri William, Daniel Satyagraha, Edwin Roseno, Rangga Purbaya, Seto Hari Wibowo, Wok The Rock dan Yudha Kusuma.

Terima kasih kepadaÂ para perupa yang telah berpartisipasi dalam project pameran ini. Selamat menikmati Chris Dharmawan

Pada pameran kali ini saya mendapat kesempatan memamerkan karya-karya 2

CHRIS DHARMAWAN

FOREWORD SEMARANG Gallery

In the field of the Indonesian art world, photographic works have already begun to be appreciated. Photographic works of Indonesian artists have started to get a chance to be showcased in the exhibition events alongside other works of art such as painting, video art, installation as well as object art. We can see in the events of art fair, biennalle and exhibitions organized either by local or international galleries, photographic works of Indonesian artists have equal place with other works of art.

We agree to bring up a theme of Semarang. For approximately 3-4 months, this project was intensely worked. Each artist did a survey to see the various phenomenon of a city called Semarang. The results are embodied in photographic works in various mediums, video, soundscape installations and interactive video works that are very interesting. More importantly for me is how Semarang Gallery is able to present an alternative of photographic works which are resulted through a process of artistry and new ideas. And of course this works will be interesting when compared with photographic works that so far have been developed especially in the world of photography in Semarang.

Ruang Mes 56, a group of photographic artist which consist of 12 graduate artists from ISI Jogjakarta often called as the earlier generation who contributed in popularizing photography in Indonesian art world. They consist of a combination of cross-generation artists. Names such as Angki Purbandono, Wimo Ambala Bayang, Jim Allen Abel is considered the predecessor by the younger generation like Anang Saptoto, Akiq AW, Andri William, Daniel Satyagraha, Edwin Roseno, Rangga Purbaya, Seto Hari Wibowo, Wok The Rock and Yudha Kusuma.

Thanks to all artists who have participated in this exhibition project. Enjoy Chris Dharmawan

In this exhibition, I had the opportunity to showcase the works of Ruang Mes 56 members as a complete group. Seems like this is their first group exhibition which participated by all members of Mes 56. 3

SEMARANG 1998 TUBAGUS P. SVARAJATI

tak diundang, setia bertandang setiap waktu. Mereka pasrah. Sebagian yang lain mulai bersiap-bersiasat. Di rumah, kami siapkan berbagai senjata: dari pentungan sampai gobang berkilat terasah. Tak lupa kami sediakan puluhan botol plastik berisi cairan asam sulfat. Jika perusuh datang, kami akan melawan. Kami tak mau terpanggang di rumah kami sendiri. Mari sama-sama terbakar.

Pagi-pagi radio sudah terjaga. Siang merayap lekas. Udara gerah. Seperti pentas teater, setahap demi setahap ketegangan memuncak klimaks. Makin siang suasana makin tak menentu. Lagulagu mars menderas dari radio seperti sepatu lars yang berderap-derap. Sesekali suara penyiar Radio Republik Indonesia mengudara. Katanya, rakyat agar tenang di rumah masing-masing. Mahasiswa dan rakyat bahu-membahu berjuang menurunkan Suharto. Revolusi di ujung tanduk.

Saya tak ingat, entah hari apa ketika itu. Yang tercatat di benak: hari itu siang yang terik bertanggal 20 Mei 1998. Saya gelisah di rumah. Siaran RRI tak mampu menenangkan pikiran saya. Bahkan, sebaliknya, saya kian galau. Saya terpenjara di rumah sendiri. Ibarat gangsing, saya cuma berpusing-pusing dari dapur ke ruang tengah lalu melongok-longok ke luar rumah. Sampai suatu saat saya lihat sebuah mobil yang sudah saya kenal berhenti di depan rumah kami. Saya senang.

Dua minggu sebelumnya, di Jakarta, empat mahasiswa mati ditembus peluru aparat. Kejadian itu bak bara api tersiram bensin. Entah siapa yang memulai, massa yang beringas menjarah dan membakar pusatpusat pertokoan. Kerusuhan melanda hampir di seluruh kawasan Ibukota. Jakarta terbakar dalam arti sebenarnya. Puncaknya, di ujung abad dua puluh ituâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;tarikh 1998â&#x20AC;&#x201D; dunia saksikan kebiadaban di Indonesia: ratusan perempuan Tionghoa diperkosa dan sebagiannya bahkan dipanggang hiduphidup. Puak Tionghoa jadi sasaran amok. Mereka dikambinghitamkan.

Si sopir turun, mengetuk pagar, dan begitu pintu rumah terbuka, ia berseru: â&#x20AC;?Ayo, kita ke luar motret!â&#x20AC;? Saya melonjak gembira. Sebenarnya saya sudah tak tahan berdiam diri di rumah saja. Selain bosan pun saya tak tahu situasi terkini kota kelahiran saya. Karena itu, ajakan Pak Narto serta-merta menaikkan adrenalin saya. Pak Narto ialah Ambrosius Soenarto atawa Amb.

Di Semarang, meskipun kerusuhan belum ataupun tak diharapkan terjadi, kaum Tionghoa tak urung tergetar-gemetar. Mereka panik. Perasaan takut bagai tamu 4

TUBAGUS P. SVARAJATI

dan pematut gaya (stylist) di sana. Inong berjoget di panggung sambil sesekali berorasi. Entah apa yang diteriakkan tak jelas terdengar. Suasana gaduh. Massa tergelak riang melihat lagak Inong.

Soenarto. Ia berasal dari Solo. Rumahnya di lingkungan keraton Surakarta. Sudah lama ia mencari nafkah di Semarang. Ia buka studio foto kecil—bernama Puma Studio— di Jalan Gajah Mada. Di sanalah saya dan kawan-kawan ”bermarkas”. Beberapa tahun berselang Pak Narto telah berpulang.

Tak lama, bergantian, naik pula ke panggung tiga sosok lain. Dua di antara mereka saya kenal baik, yakni Adhy Trisnanto dan Ign. Edi Cahyono Santoso. Yang pertama ialah pengusaha dan ahli periklanan. Sedangkan sosok kedua adalah advokat. Saya kenal mereka dari pergaulan di komunitas fotografi. Entah bagaimana mereka punya akses dan nyali tampil di tengah massa. Figur ketiga ialah Alvin Lie. Saya baru paham belakangan, Lie anak pengusaha toserba Mickey Mouse (belakangan toko ini bersalin nama Mickey Morse) di Jalan Depok. Sekarang Mickey Morse tinggal nama saja.

Tak menunggu lama-lama, saya lekas-lekas bersalin baju, memakai rompi, dan meraih tas isi kamera. Bergegas kami naik mobil. Kami melaju di tengah kota yang lengang. Jalan Pandanaran kami lewati. Kami menuju jantung kota: Simpang Lima. Di Jalan Imam Barjo, di halaman kampus Universitas Diponegoro, kami parkir. Segerombolan mahasiswa menoleh. Tatapan mereka menelisik tajam. Kami tak peduli. Sembari berjalan kami ikatkan secarik kain— bertuliskan ”reformasi”—melingkari kepala dan lengan kami. Langsung kami menuju ke Kantor Gubernur Jawa Tengah di Jalan Pahlawan. Rupanya massa terkonsentrasi di sana.

Ketiga orang Tionghoa tadi berorasi dengan penuh semangat. Pada intinya mereka mendukung perjuangan mahasiswa Semarang menumbangkan rezim Orde Baru. Mereka mengharapkan kehidupan politik yang lebih beradab. Pesan mereka, siapa saja boleh berdemo secara bebas, namun tak selayaknya melakukan tindakan bakar-membakar fasilitas publik atau milik rakyat yang tak bersalah. Massa berteriak mengamini isi pidato ketiganya.

Di tengah halaman, menyatu dengan tiang bendera, berdiri panggung kecil. Massa menyemut di situ. Beberapa orang, termasuk mahasiswa, berorasi membakar semangat massa. Siang makin memanggang badan. Sebagian massa duduk-duduk. Sebagian lagi berdiri bergerombol. Gelombang manusia tak henti-henti berdatangan. Setiap kedatangan rombongan baru senantiasa disambut tempik-sorak oleh massa terdahulu: Selamat datang, Saudara-saudaraku! Rapatkan barisan!

Saya tak ingat, atau tepatnya saya tak tahu, siapa saja yang berorasi. Yang terbanyak, tampak dari atribut dan gayanya, adalah para mahasiswa. Tak jelas pula dari mana mereka berasal. Kumpulan manusia di sana pun tampak beragam. Sebagian pelajar, sebagian lain masyarakat umum. Gelombang manusia tak putus-putus mengular. Di tengah siang yang terik serombongan biarawati Katolik muncul.

Aha, seseorang naik ke panggung. Saya kenal sosok gemulai itu. Inong! Ia transgender, konon, lulusan Sastra Prancis Undip. Saya kenal Inong di Studio Foto Rona, di Jalan Jend. DI Panjaitan. Ia perias 5

SEMARANG 1998

koresponden majalah FOTOmedia.

Sontak massa bergemuruh. Mereka girang melihat kehadiran para biarawati dengan senyum santunnya itu. Lambaian tangan disambut tinju-tinju yang menggedor langit.

Pada peristiwa demo tadi saya turut memotret bersama Pak Narto. Saya akui, pada waktu itu kemampuan fotografi saya belum maksimal. Kesadaran sejarah saya pun tidak cukup kuat. Akibatnya, detikdetik bersejarah terlewat begitu saja. Kendati begitu, saya turut menyaksikan dan berada di pusaran sejarah bangsa ini. Sejarah kecil itu tercetak dalam beberapa lembar foto. Melihat ulah saya yang gencar memotret, Adhy Trisnanto tersenyum kecut dan menggerundel, ”Orang-orang lagi demo, kau malah enak-enakan hunting!”

Para orator terus membakar hari, menyemangati hati rakyat. Urat leher mereka menegang. Lewat pengeras suara mereka teriakkan tuntutan reformasi. Semangat mereka berdentam-bergelora. ”Turunkan Asu Harto!” ”Reformasi damai!” ”Jangan bakar Citraland! Jika terbakar, siapa yang rugi?!” ”Kitaaaaa...!” massa menjawab lantang.

Sehari setelah saya turut hadir di Gubernuran Jawa Tengah, Presiden Suharto mundur. Jenderal kelahiran Kemusuk, Wonogiri, itu melenggang keluar istana pada 21 Mei 1998 setelah bercokol selama 32 tahun. Wajah dan sejarah NKRI pun berubah. Adhy Trisnanto, usai Reformasi 1998, lantas bekerja sebagai Pimpinan Redaksi tabloid Nurani Bangsa. Berkala mingguan ini disokong oleh beberapa orang pengusaha Tionghoa dengan tujuan mulia: melakukan advokasi politik terhadap kalangan Tionghoa Semarang. Sayangnya tabloid ini tak berumur panjang. Kemudian, berpusing bersama sejarah, Alvin Lie adalah anggota DPR RI untuk dua periode jabatan. Ia berasal dari Partai Amanat Nasional. Sedangkan Ign. Edi Cahyono Santoso kembali ke habitatnya sebagai pengacara.

Silih berganti orang-orang berpidato di panggung. Sementara itu, ketersediaannya bak air bah, nasi bungkus dan air dalam kemasan tampak berlimpahan. Konon logistik itu sumbangan para pengusaha Tionghoa. Realitanya, gemuruh Reformasi 1998 tak sampai melumpuhkan Semarang. Kota ini, ibarat kolam ikan, cuma beriakriak kecil. Ketika itu, pada 1998, tak banyak orang memotret. Kamera SLR masih terhitung sebagai barang mahal. Perangkat telpon genggam berkamera belum lazim dalam genggaman. Perilaku memotret pun belum menjadi adat orang kebanyakan. Walhasil, hanya wartawanlah yang memotret keramaian di halaman Gubernuran saat itu. Satu sosok yang menonjol ialah Chandra Adi Nugroho. Ketika itu ia bekerja untuk harian sore Wawasan. Lantas ia pindah ke koran Kompas dan terakhir, jika tak salah, ia koresponden harian Kedaulatan Rakyat di Semarang. Bersama dia, antara lain, saya turut menggagas dan mendirikan Pewarta Foto Indonesia (PFI) Semarang, September 2002. Di saat PFI Semarang lahir saya

*** Ingatan-ingatan tadi berseliweran, timbul-tenggelam, dan terang-benderang memunculkan kembali jejak-jejak peristiwa di halaman Gubernuran Jawa Tengah, pada tengah hari yang membakar, tanggal 20 Mei 6

TUBAGUS P. SVARAJATI

1998. Semua itu berkelebat di dalam dan bersama foto. Peristiwa-peristiwa pasti akan berlalu, orang pun tak selamanya hidup, dan jejakjejak ingatan tak cuma terekam di benak, yang dalam hitungan waktu bisa pupus pula, namun trinitas manusia-peristiwaingatan hadir kembali dalam dan bersama kehadiran pemandang foto. Masalahnya, bagaimana imaji fotografis, yang diam-beku dan tak bersuara, hadir dan hidup dalam ingatan kita. Apakah setiap orang niscaya tergetar-dalam-haru yang sama pada foto sejenis? Saya ingat, seraya mengutip pendapat MallarmĂŠ, yang berkata bahwa semua hal di dunia niscaya berakhir dalam buku, Susan Sontag punya pandangan sendiri, yakni setakat ini apa saja berujung pada sebuah foto. Today everything exists to end in a photograph. Tapi, pada alaf ketiga ini, semua hal tak hanya berakhir pada foto, namun, bahkan sebaliknya, manusia terjerat dan terperosok dalam imaji digitalis. Saya hanya citraan.

Tubagus P. Svarajati Esais

SEMARANG 1998 TUBAGUS P. SVARAJATI

visiting in all of times. They capitulated. A few others began to prepare and to plan. At home, we prepared various weapons: from batons to machetes, glinted sharply. Not to be left out tens of plastic bottles of sulphuric acid. If the rioters came, we would fight. We didn’t want to be burnt in our homes. Let’s burn together.

Early morning the radio was already alive. The afternoon crept in swiftly. The air was stifling. Like a theatre play, gradually the tension increased into a climax. As midday peaked the situation was increasingly erratic. March anthems pounded the radio like soldier boots thumping the ground. Once in a while the voice of Radio Republik Indonesia news announcer was on air. He said, citizens please remain calm in your homes. Students and the people were struggling together to topple down Suharto. Revolution was ripe.

I don’t remember what day it was. What was recorded in my mind: it was a bright mid-day of 20 May 1998. I was restless at home. RRI broadcast could not calm my mind. On the contrary, I was getting even more anxious. I was imprisoned in my own home. Like a spin top, I was just spinning from the kitchen to the living room and then checking out of the house. Up to when I saw a car I recognized stopping in front of our house. I was glad.

Two weeks earlier, in Jakarta, four students died by the authorities’ bullets. It was like dousing fire with gasoline. It was unclear who started it, the wild mob robbed and burned shopping centers. Riots broke nearly in every part of the capital city. Jakarta was burning in a real sense. The climax, at the end of the twentieth century—year of 1998—the world witnessed the barbarism in Indonesia: hundreds of Tionghoa women were raped and some were even burnt alive. The Chinese ladies were the targets of amok. They were the scapegoats.

The driver stepped out, knocked at the gate and once the front door was opened, he shouted: “Come, let’s go outside taking photographs!” I leapt in excitement. Truthfully I could not stand staying put inside the house. Aside of being bored I know nothing of the latest situation of my birth town. Because of it, Pak Narto’s invitation immediately raised my adrenaline. Pak Narto is Ambrosius Soenarto or Amb. Soenarto. He came from Solo. His house was in the proximity of

In Semarang, although the riot had not or was not expected to happen, the Chinese were inexplicably worried. They panicked. Fear came like an uninvited guest, faithfully 8

TUBAGUS P. SVARAJATI

between his oration. What he shouted could not be heard clearly. The situation was noisy. The masses chuckled joyously on watching Inong’s acts.

Keraton Surakarta. He had been earning a living in Semarang for long. He opened a small photo studio—called Puma Studio—in Jalan Gajah Mada. It was there where me and my friends set up a “base”. A few years later Pak Narto passed away.

Not long after, in turns, three other figures got on stage. Two of them I knew very well, Adhy Trisnanto and Ign. Edi Cahyono Santoso. The first was a businessman and advertising expert. The latter was a lawyer. I knew them from the photography community circle. Somehow they had access and the guts to step forward in the middle of the masses. The third figure was Alvin Lie. It only dawned me recently, Lie was the son of Mickey Mouse (later it changed name into Mickey Morse) supermarket owner in Jalan Depok. Now Mickey Morse is no more.

Not waiting too long, I hurriedly change clothes, wore a vest, and grabbed the camera bag. We hastily got in the car. We sped in the middle of an empty city. Through Jalan Pandanaran we went. We were going to the center of the city: Simpang Lima. In Jalan Imam Barjo, the yard of Universitas Diponegoro, we parked. A group of students turned their head. Their sharp gazes were inquisitive. We didn’t care. As we walked, we tied a piece of cloth—“reformasi” written on it—on our heads and arms. We went directly to the office of Central Java Governor in Jalan Pahlawan. Apparently the mass was concentrated there.

The three Chinese men delivered spirited orations. Basically they supported the struggles of Semarang students in bringing down the New Order regime. They expected a more civilized political live. Their message, for anyone to have freedom in protesting, but it’s inappropriate to burn public facilities or properties of innocent citizens. The masses roared agreements to the three speeches.

In the middle of the yard, attached to the flagpole, was a small stage. The mass converged there. Several people, including students were delivering orations and ignited the spirit of the masses. The afternoon was increasingly parching the bodies. Some of the masses were sitting. Some were standing in crowds. Waves of human didn’t cease to arrive. Each new group was always welcomed with cheers and applause from the previous mass: Welcome, Brothers and sisters! Rally up!

I don’t remember, or to be exact I don’t know, who delivered the orations. Most of them, from their attributes and manner, were students. It was also unclear where they came from. The crowd was diverse. Some were students, and some others were the common public. The waves of human didn’t cease arriving in queues. In the scorching midday a group of Catholic nuns appeared. The masses quickly jolted. They were excited to see the nuns with their genteel smile. Their waves were greeted with fists striking the sky.

Aha, someone stepped on stage. I know the effeminate figure. Inong! He’s a transgender, they said, a French Literature graduate from UNDIP. I knew Inong from Rona Photo Studio in Jalan Jenderal D.I. Panjaitan. He’s the make-up artist and stylist there. Inong danced on stage in 9

SEMARANG 1998

“Bring Asu Harto (Harto Dog) down!” “Peace Reform!” “Don’t burn Citraland! If it burned who will pay for the loss?!” “Uus….!” The masses answered loudly.

photography skill wasn’t good yet. My history awareness also wasn’t strong enough. As a consequence, historical seconds were missed. Even so, I witnessed and was present in the historical vortex of this nation. The small history was printed in several copies of photographs. Seeing how aggressively I shot photographs, Adhy Trisnanto smiled surly and grumbled, “People are protesting, you’re having fun hunting!”

Taking turns people made speech on stage. Meanwhile, available like a flood, wrapped rice and mineral water supplies were in abundant. These logistic allegedly were donations from Chinese businessmen. In reality the uproar of 1998 Reform didn’t paralyze Semarang. The city, like a fishpond, rippled only a little.

The day after that I was also present in the Central Java Governor office complex. President Suharto stepped down. The general who was born in Kemusuk, Bantul, Yogyakarta, walked out of the presidential palace in 21 May 1998 after ruling for 32 years. The face and history of the United Republics of Indonesia had changed.

At the time, in 1998, not many people took photographs. SLR cameras were still considered luxury items. Mobile phone with camera was not a common thing to be held. The act of taking photographs is yet the habit of common people. Hence only journalists photographed the crowd at the Governor office complex front yard at the time. One prominent figure was Chandra Adi Nugroho. At the time he was working for the afternoon newspaper Wawasan. Later he moved to Kompas daily and finally, if I’m not mistaken, he’s a correspondent for Kedaulatan Rakyat in Semarang. Together with him, among others, I jointly initiated and established Pewarta Foto Indonesia (PFI, Photo Journalists Indonesia) Semarang, September 2002. When PFI Semarang was born I was the correspondent for FOTOmedia.

Adhy Trisnanto, after the 1998 Reform, worked as the Chief Editor of Nurani Bangsa tabloid. Several Chinese businessmen supported the weekly publication with a good cause: political advocacy for the Semarang Chinese. Unfortunately the tabloid didn’t last long. Later on, spinning with history, Alvin Lie became a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives for two periods. He hailed from the National Mandate Party. Meanwhile Ign. Edi Cahyono returned to his habitat as a lawyer. *** These memories passed by, bobbing, and brightly brought back the traces of events in the Central Java Governor office complex front yard, in a burning day, on 20 May 1998. All of these were flashing within and with the photographs.

At the protest rally I took photos together with Pak Narto. I admit, at the time my

Events will pass, people don’t live forever, and the traces of memories aren’t only

The orators kept burning the day, igniting the spirits of the people. Their veins tensed. Through megaphones they shouted the demands of reformation. Their spirits was resounding-surging.

TUBAGUS P. SVARAJATI

being recorded in the mind, which in time would also fade away, but the trinity of human-event-memory once again present within and with the presence of photograph viewer. The question is how the photographic images, still-frozen and silent, appear and live in our memories. Will everyone be experiencing the same trembling-in-being-touched by similar photograph? I remember, as I quote MallarmĂŠ, who stated that everything in this world would certainly end in a book, Susan Sontag has her own view, today everything exists to end in a photograph. In this third millenia, everything is not only ending up in a photograph, yet, even on the contrary, human are trapped and stumbled in digital images. I am just an image.

Tubagus P. Svarajati Essayist

FARAWAY SO CLOSE AGUNG NUGROHO WIDHI

Poin paling penting dalam karya-karya yang ditampilkan MES 56 dalam pameran ini bukan hanya sebatas pada “jarak yang relatif dekat”, melainkan juga seberapa jauh mereka dapat membaca dan melihat berbagai fenomena di sebuah kota yang “relatif jauh dan asing”.

The most important point of MES 56’s works in this exhibition are not just limited to “relatively close distant”, but also how far they can read and see variety of phenomenon in a city that is “relatively far and unfamiliar”. Awareness of distance will always accompanied by an effort to move closer, and afterwards, maybe we will be faced with facts, phenomenon, or landscape which is not entirely new. But the unfamiliar feeling and awe will certainly conquer the senses (sight) of a human being. We want to see, record, and remember everything.

Kesadaran akan sebuah jarak selalu diiringi usaha untuk terus bergerak mendekatinya, dan setelahnya, mungkin kita akan dihadapkan dengan berbagai fakta, fenomena, ataupun lanskap yang belum tentu sepenuhnya baru. Namun perasaan asing dan takjub tentu akan menaklukkan indera (penglihatan) seorang manusia. Kita ingin melihat, merekam, dan mengingat semuanya.

FaCade

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 13

Mayang Anggrian A Khairudin aka Adin Hysteria Wukir Suryadi Anggun Priambodo Dioti Russelino Muhammad Hasan Stefanus Fatria

You imagine us in the far distance... yet we are so near.

ARTWORK

RUANG MES 56 Untitled Fiber Sheet Instalation, 6m in diameter, Photographs print on transparent sticker, sound, 3 loud speakers, stainless steel pole

RUANG MES 56

ARTWORK

RUANG MES 56 Brief Study of The Lost History Digital print on paper, variable size

RUANG MES 56

ARTWORK

RUANG MES 56 Invisible city Video still, (5.12’),4 channels video installation

Landing/Take Off Video still (6.41’), 4 channels video installation

Rob Tick Tock Cloud Video still, (6.23’), 4 channels video installation

Street massage Video still, (5.30’), 4 channels video installation

Kolase momen-momen tentang mobilitas & ketidakmampuan.

A collage on moments about mobility & disability.

RUANG MES 56

ARTWORK

Rangga Purbaya Semarang archival inkjet print 400 x 50 cm 2013

RANGGA PURBAYA

ARTWORK

ANANG SAPTOTO MENIKMATI RUNTUHNYA KOTA LAMA Photography print on transparent acrylic, aluminum, lifesize, 15 parts, 3 edition + 1 AP, 2013

Exhibition view: Photography print on sticker paper, lifesize 2013

Dalam beberapa karya terakhir, saya tertarik mengolah gagasan tentang ‘ukuran’. Bagi saya, ukuran tidak hanya mempunyai nilai berupa angka, tetapi juga relasi maupun konteks dengan dimana ukuran atas sebuah obyek itu ditempatkan.

When working on my latest works I am particularly interested on the matter of ‘size’. In my opinion, size is not only a numbered value but also constitutes certain relationship as well as underlying context for an object. In “Menikmati Runtuhnya Kota Lama” (Savoring the demolition of Kota Lama), images of Kota Lama’s shattered walls are presented in its authentic physical measurement. By presenting them as how it is, I expect to narrow the distance between audience with an ongoing issue of the site within the gallery and beyond.

Dalam karya “Menikmati Runtuhnya Kota Lama”, saya menampilkan foto-foto kerusakan tembok bangunan di kawasan Kota Lama, dan dalam presentasinya tembok-tembok itu dihadirkan dengan ukuran yang sebenarnya. Harapannya adalah bagaimana gagasan tentang ukuran ini dapat lebih mendekatkan jarak maupun pengalaman antara penonton dengan sebuah persoalan yang terjadi saat ini, tentang sesuatu hal yang lebih luas, di luar obyek yang ditampilkan.

ANANG SAPTOTO

We are messengers... who bring closeness to those who are distant.

ARTWORK

AKIQ A.W. Atlas of Semarang Photographs mounted on aluminium panel 20 x 105 cm, 10 pieces 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Atlas of Semarang mencoba menemukan posisi Semarang dalam peta global dunia. Proyek ini menggunakan platform image atlas (imageatlas.org) yang dikembangkan secara kolaboratif oleh Aaron Swartz dan Taryn Simon untuk menemukan dan memetakan perbedaan dan kesamaan-kesamaan budaya dan cara pandang dunia di 51 negara yang terpilih atas kata kunci tertentu tentang Semarang. Image-image yang dihasilkan merupakan hasil pencarian teratas di negaranegara tersebut dan dipresentasikan sebagai sebuah urutan index.

The Atlas of Semarang investigates Semarang’s position in the global map of the world. This project uses the image atlas’s platform (imageatlas.org) developed collaboratively by Aaron Swartz and Taryn Simon, to discover cultural differences and similarities on certain keyword in 51 countries that are selected. The keywords are ten words I choose randomly and put it side by side with the word ‘semarang’. The images that are presented here are the top results in these countries, and presented as a sequences of index.

Detil

AKIQ A.W.

ARTWORK

Rangga Purbaya & Wok The Rock Jarak Pandang: Candi Baru, Semarang, 2013 Photo, audio, wood-shelf, books, LCD projector, interactive on digital tablet 2013

Jarak Pandang dikerjakan secara kolaboratif antar dua seniman yang memiliki ketertarikan atas perubahan sosial dan budaya yang beririsan dengan identitas masyarakat. Karya ini merupakan bagian dari tema besar tentang kajian kota Semarang. Pengetahuan kami tentang kota Semarang yang sangat minim menjadi acuan untuk mengajukan wacana mengenai hubungan antara kota dan penduduknya. Sejauh apa dan seberapa dekat kita mengenal lingkungan sekitar kita?

Jarak Pandang (A Distant View) created collaboratively between two artists who interested on social and cultural changes which intersect with identity issue. This work is part of a primary theme about the discourse of Semarang city. The lack of our knowledge of Semarang (3 hours driving from Yogyakarta) become our trigger to propose a discourse about the relation between a city and its citizen. How close we know the environment around us?

RANGGA PURBAYA & WOK THE ROCK

ARTWORK

Edwin Roseno Gedung Bioskop Lux Theater (Scratched Memory) Photograph and Acrylic Engraving, 42 x 72cm, 2013

Gedung Kesenian Dan Pertemuan SRIWANITO (Scratched Memory) Photograph and Acrylic Engraving, 42 x 72cm, 2013

Gedung Olah Raga (Scratched Memory) Photograph and Acrylic Engraving, 42 x 72cm, 2013

Gedung Rakyat Indonesia Semarang (Scratched Memory) Photograph and Acrylic Engraving, 42 x 72cm, 2013

Seri ini berusaha menelusuri perubahan lanskap sebuah kota, dengan situs-situs atau bangunan yang dulunya merupakan pusat kebudayaan, pendidikan yang sekarang telah digantikan dengan lahan-lahan komersial. Pembangunan dengan fungsi serta orientasi yang sangat berbeda ini tentu tidak lepas dari masalah sosial, ekonomi, bahkan â&#x20AC;&#x153;politik pembangunanâ&#x20AC;? itu sendiri.

This series tried to trace changes in the landscape of a city, that commercial buildings replace sites and buildings once known as a center of culture and education.Certainly, this development is not out of the social, economic, and political context that are surrounding the city. There are two layers that are stacked on each work in the series. The first layer is a picture depicts old site engraved on acrylic and the second layer is depiction of current situation. Everything is presented as a way to record changes of historical places.

Ada dua layer yang ditumpuk di setiap foto dalam seri karya ini. Lapisan pertama adalah sketsa dengan teknik engraving situs-situs lama yang kini sudah hilang, dan lapisan keduanya adalah situasi/ lanskap terkini. Semuanya dihadirkan kembali sebagai cara untuk mencatat suatu perubahan sekaligus upaya mengingat sebuah sejarah.

EDWIN ROSENO

ARTWORK

ANDRI WILLIAM Should I Stay or Should I Go (Skateboarding) digital print on aluminium 80 x 120 cm 2013 (edition 1/3)

Should I Stay or Should I Go (BMX) digital print on aluminium 80 x 120 cm 2013 (edition 1/3)

“Di Semarang itu mas klo gak pelakunya (anak muda) yang pergi, ya tempatnya yang pergi”. (Bentar, 27)

Meski kurang termediasi, anak-anak muda Semarang masih memiliki daya kritis terhadap pola aktivitas anak muda dan perkembangan kawasan kota dan gejolak sosialnya.

Although less mediated, young people of Semarang has a critical point of view on various issues from hang out places they spent the life, the development of urban areas to social turmoil.

Berawal dari pernyataan tersebut saya mendapatkan informasi mengenai tempat yang disebut Ventura Mas. Bangunan tersebut merupakan sebuah tempat kuliner di kota Semarang. Terletak di jalan Ki Mangunsarkoro no.15 (depan stadion diponeggoro). Uniknya, orang Semarang justru meggenal tempat tersebut dengan nama “kolam renang stadion”. Dahulu Ventura Mas adalah kolam renang, kemudian berubah menjadi kolam ikan, dan ada sebagian lahannya dipakai untuk skatepark (bowl), mainstage (panggung musik).

I get information about a place called Ventura Mas, which is a culinary place in the city of Semarang locate in the Ki Mangunsarkoro Street No.15 (right in front of The Diponegoro Stadium). Interestingly, today people knows it as “ The swimming pool stadium”. Ventura Mas used to be a swimming pool, then turned into a fish pond, and there are skatepark (bowl) and mainstage for live music performance. At its heyday, Ventura known as a cool place for youth of Semarang in particular for the skateboard community

Ventura sendiri mempunyai cerita dan masa keemasannya sebagai tempat anak muda di Semarang khususnya bagi komunitas skateboard

ANDRI WILLIAM

ARTWORK

Aderi Putra WicaKsono Struggle To Get More 2 videos 05:00â&#x20AC;? each 2013

This project revealed the duality of football fans in Semarang, between Snex and Blue Panzer. Both groups host fanatical supporters led by people who are able to survive with their own ways, based on friendship and political attitudes.

Proyek ini mengungkap tentang dualisme suporter sepak bola di Semarang, antara Snex dan Panser Biru. Kedua kelompok suporter ini merupakan kelompok fanatik yang dipelopori oleh orang-orang yang mampu bertahan hidup dengan cara-caranya sendiri, berdasarkan persahabatan dan sikap politik.

ADERI PUTRA WICAKSONO

ARTWORK

Daniel Satyagraha Cine de Memoria (Tasripin FAMILY) Archival inkjet print on paper 110 x 110 cm, 70 x 110 cm 2013 (6 edition + 1 artist proof)

Cine de Memoria (Widayat Basuki Darmo FAMILY) Archival inkjet print on paper 110 x 110 cm, 70 x 110 cm 2013 (6 edition + 1 artist proof)

Cine de Memoria (Jongkie Tio FAMILY) Archival inkjet print on paper 110 x 110 cm, 70 x 110 cm 2013 (6 edition + 1 artist proof)

Datang ke sebuah kota yang bernama Semarang, sebelumnya saya tidak tahu apaapa tentang kota itu. Menggunakan medium fotografi sebagai metode pendekatan dalam membaca sebuah sejarah dan kebudayaan adalah satu hal yang menarik untuk saya mendatangi dan bertanya kepada beberapa keluarga yang telah turun temurun tinggal di Semarang sejak jaman kolonial.

Coming to Semarang, I did not know anything about this city before. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very interesting for me using photography as a medium and a method of approach to read a certain historical and cultural aspect of a community. I asked a few families who have been living for generations in Semarang since the colonial era. The stories and photographs that I have collected in this series provide a closer view about the history of these families, and at the same time give me an idea about how the city of Semarang grows.

Cerita-cerita dan foto-foto yang saya kumpulkan dalam seri karya ini, memberikan gambaran yang lebih dekat bagi saya dalam melihat sejarah keluarga-keluarga itu, juga sekelumit gambaran tentang bagaimana Kota Semarang berkembang.

DANIEL SATYAGRAHA

ARTWORK

Yudha Kusuma Putra The Flowers of Old City #1 C-Print on Paper 50 x 75 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Kalau dianalogikan galeri adalah sebuah rumah, karya seni adalah jendela dan pintunya, sedangkan seniman dapat diposisikan sebagai tuan rumah “pada saatnya”. Ketika berada didepan “rumah”, mungkin kita akan melihat bangunanbangunan atau rumah lainnya di pinggir dan seberang pagar. Rumah para tetangga yang dekat secara fisik, namun berjarak dalam kehidupan kita sehari-hari.

This is an analogy: If a gallery is a house, works of art are the windows and doors, while the artist can be positioned as the host of “certain time”. From a house terrace we’ll see other buildings or houses, a places of neighbors who are physically close but in fact, far in our daily life. In this series, I invite and ask some neighbors to take a photo session inside Semarang Gallery. Three days after the shooting, I printed and framed the photos, gave it to them, help them install it in their home, then photographed again in a place where

Dalam seri ini, saya mengajak dan meminta beberapa orang tetangga Galeri Semarang untuk berfoto bersama dan

YUDHA KUSUMA PUTRA

The Flowers of Old City #2 - 7 C-Print on Paper 50 x 75 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

perorangan didalam area galeri. Tiga hari setelah pemotretan, saya memberikan foto-foto tersebut ke mereka, membantu memasangkannya di rumah mereka, lalu memotretnya kembali di tempat dimana fotofoto itu diletakkan. Tentu saja, dari beberapa orang itu mempunyai tanggapan yang berbeda-beda.

the pictures were placed. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predictable that everyone has different respons on that procces. New questions arise after the project and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the answer but at least I tried to break the ice that had obviously do exist.

Pertanyaan-pertanyaan baru muncul setelah proyek ini selesai dan sayapun tidak mempunyai jawaban atas pertanyaan tersebut, tetapi paling tidak saya mencoba untuk memecahkan bongkahan es yang selama ini nyata-nyata memang ada.

Each one creates his own world within his own vision and hearing. He remains a prisoner in it. And from his cell he sees the cells of others.

ARTWORK

WIMO AMBALA BAYANG Untitled #1 1 79x119 cm, C-Print on Fuji Professional Paper mounted on aluminum, 2013

Untitled #2 1 79x119 cm, C-Print on Fuji Professional Paper mounted on aluminum, 2013

Untitled #3 1 79x119 cm, C-Print on Fuji Professional Paper mounted on aluminum, 2013

Setiap foto dalam projek ini merupakan pemicu untuk memanggil ingatan dan pengetahuan penonton atas hal hal yang disembunyikan, menghilangnya benda benda dan ketidakhadiran peristiwa.

Each photograph in this project is a trigger to recall memories and knowledges of the spectator upon everything which are hidden, disappear and absent.

Wimo Ambala bayang

ARTWORK

WIMO AMBALA BAYANG Hidden Garden 1 - 16, C-Print on Kodak Photo Paper 30x44cm, 2013

Berupa serangkaian foto-foto bunga plastik yang menghiasi lorong sebuah toilet umum, yang berada tersembunyi di wilayah Pasar Yaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ik Kauman, Semarang. Dipresentasikan beserta video wawancara dengan Bapak Sarto, salah satu pengelola toilet umum tersebut.

A series of photographs of plastic flowers that adorn the hallway of a public toilets which is hidden in Yaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;k Kauman market area. Presented along with a video interview with Mr. Sarto, one of the managers of public toilets

Wimo Ambala bayang

Video still, single channel video 1.41â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

ARTWORK

Aderi Putra WicaKsono Open Space #1 - 4 C-print on aluminium 60 x 40 cm 2013 (edition 1/3)

Seri ini bertitik tolak dari Undang-undang (UU) Nomor 26 tahun 2007 yang ditetapkan oleh Pemerintah Propinsi Jawa Tengah tentang penataan dan pengaturan ruang terbuka hijau. Saya melihat dan memaknai peraturan itu bukan semata-mata sebagai sebuah peraturan yang ditetapkan oleh birokrasi pemerintahan, melainkan sebagai suatu utopia; harapan, keinginan, sekaligus kerinduan kita akan keindahan.

This series use goverment regulation; Act No. 26/ 2007 established by the Provincial Government of Central Java about structure and arrangement of cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s green open space, as a starting point for investigation on the society behaviour. I consider the lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not merely as a bureaucratic regulations set by the government, but rather as a utopia; hopes, desires, as well as our longing for beauty.

ADERI PUTRA WICAKSONO

ARTWORK

Seto Hari Wibowo Domestic Foods #Tahu Bakso, Wingko archival inkjet print 60 x 60 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Domestic Foods #Mochi, STMJ archival inkjet print 60 x 60 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Domestic Foods #Lunpia, Wedang Tahu archival inkjet print 60 x 60 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Domestic Foods #Bandeng juwana, Nasi Kuning, Pilus Arab archival inkjet print 60 x 60 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Domestic Foods #Timus, Mie Kopyok archival inkjet print 60 x 60 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Domestic Foods #Spekoek, Wedang Ronde archival inkjet print 60 x 60 cm 2013 (3 edition + 1 artist proof)

Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the most important products of culture. A wide variety of foods have been created to meet the tastes and appetites of human. Domestic Foods trying to record the spread of culture through food products. Food samples are taken is a product that is considered typical of Semarang, although it is actually a

Makanan adalah pusat aktifitas umat manusia dan salah satu produk yang sangat penting dalam kebudayaan. Berbagai ragam makanan telah diciptakan demi memenuhi cita rasa dan selera manusia. Domestic Foods mencoba merekam penyebaran kebudayaan melalui produk-produk makanan. Sampel-sampel makanan yang diambil merupakan produk56

SETO HARI WIBOWO

produk yang dianggap khas semarang, meski sebenarnya merupakan campuran dari komponen makanan khas daerah/bangsa lain.

mixture of typical regional food components / other nations. Semarang has sold various types of cuisine in many corners of the city and claimed to be the typical product. This food appears intertwined with local food, even dominate as souvenirs “Original” from the city of Semarang.

Semarang memiliki beragam jenis kuliner yang dijual di berbagai sudut kota dan diklaim sebagai produk khas. Makanan ini muncul berkelindan dengan makanan lokal, bahkan mendominasi sebagai oleh-oleh “Asli” dari kota Semarang.

ARTWORK

AKIQ A.W. Anatomy of Common Sense Wooden framed of photographs, binocular, monocular, carpet installation - variable size 2013 (single edition)

Anatomy of Common Sense menggunakan data dan foto dari rekor MURI (Museum Rekor Indonesia) sebagai titik pijak membicarakan’akal sehat’ (common sense). Catatan-catatan rekor di museum ini bukan hanya soal penghargaan atau capaian, lebih dari itu merupakan gambaran tentang bagaimana manusia indonesia melihat diri, masyarakat dan dunianya. Proyek ini juga menginvestigasi bagaimana common sense itu bekerja, baik dalam level mental personal maupun sosial komunal.

Anatomy of Common Sense uses data and images from MURI (Indonesian Record Museum) as a starting point to talks about ‘common sense’. Records from the museum’s database more than just about awards or achievements, it helps us to understand on how the Indonesian people see themselves, their society and rest of the world. The project also investigates how common sense works, both in the personal and social level, psychologically and socially. In Gramsci’s logic, those who in power maintained control not just through violence, political and economic coercion, but also through a hegemonic culture, which propagated its own values and norms so that they became the ‘common sense’ values of all.

Dalam logika Gramsci, common sense merupakan salah satu perangkat hegemoni kuasa yang diselundupkan ke dalam kesadaran, sehingga agenda, nilai dan tatanan sosial yang menguntungkan status quo berubah menjadi sebuah niscaya di alam sadar masyarakat.

AKIQ A.W.

Curiculum Vitae

Aderi Putra Wicaksono

Akiq Abdul Wahid

Born Yogyakarta, 1989

Born in Kediri, a small town in the middle of East Java province

Education Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “V” Yogyakarta

Solo Exhibitions 2012 Lima Cerita Dari Rumah, Selasar Solo Project Series, Selasar Sunaryo Bandung To the Landscape and Beyond, Emmitan CA Gallery Surabaya

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia. Menelisik Pulau Biawak at Jogja Gallery Workshop exhibition “Sudut Pandang” at Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta

2011 One Man Different God, Art Dept-Good Department, Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta

2012 Destinasi at Gallery Bank Indonesia, Yogyakarta Re.claim [Collective Project Mes56: Melawan Lupa] at Gallery Nasional, Jakarta

2010 The Order of Things, Ruang MES 56 Yogyakarta Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia.

2011 Beyond Photography at Ciputra Artpreneur World Center, Jakarta GIFFESTIVAL2011 (Indonesian Contemporary Moving Images) at RuangRupa, Jakarta New Folder #2 at Inkubator Asia, Jakarta SEPULUH at Tujuh Bintang Art Space, Yogyakarta New Folder #1 at Ruang Mes56, Yogyakarta

2012 Homoludens #3, Emmitan CA Gallery Surabaya Collective Ground : The Gallery in the Midst of Market and Discourse (group show), May 2012, Gallery Rachel Marker’ Art Dubai, as represented artist of dGallerie.

Andri William

2011 Commissioned Artist, Yogyakarta Biennale XI, Shadow Lines: Indonesia meets India. Young Artist Project 2011: Future Lab, Daegu Exco, Daegu Metropolitan City Korea Ruang MES 56: Contemporary Photography from Indonesia, Centre for Contemporary Photography Melbourne Art | Jog 11, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta. Indonesia Nowadays at Tokyo Month of Photography, Canon Gallery Tokyo Perfect World by Akiq AW and Agung Nugroho Widhi, dGallery Jakarta Angsana: Southeast Asian Photographers Taking Flight, 2902 Gallery, Singapore

Born Jakarta, Indonesia April, 1986 Education Indonesia Institute of Art, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia. 2012 Arcive Reclaimed.doc, Photo Book Project “Melawan Lupa” w/ Ruang MES 56 at National Gallery Jakarta, Indonesia 2011 Beyond Photography at Ciputra Artpreneur Center, Jakarta, Indonesia NEW FOLDER at Inkibator Asia, jakarta, indonesia NEW FOLDER at Galeri Ruang Mes56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Anang Saptoto

2010 FIXER at Nasional Art Space, Jakarta, Indonesia Jalan Menuju Media Kreatif at Institute of Art, Denpasar, Indonesia

Education (graduated) 2000 – 2005: ADVY (Visi Yogyakarta Design Academy), Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Born Yogyakarta, September 1982

Curiculum Vitae

2002 – 2009: Indonesian Institute of Art, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Bali, Indonesia Look! See? (MES 56), Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia Crash Project: Image Factory, SigiArt Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

Residencies 2011: ID Contemporary Art Indonesia, Kunstraum Bethanien, Berlin, Germany 2004: Terrorrizer!, MES 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Angki Purbandono

Acknowledgements 2012: 25 Best artworks BaCAA #2, Lawangwangi, Bandung, Jawa Barat, Indonesia

Born Cepiring, Indonesia September, 1971 Educations 1994-1999: Indonesia Institute of Art, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 1993-1994: Modern School of Design Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2009: Ambassador for Environment, Environment Development Centre (PPLH) Java Region, Ministry of Environment Indonesia

Residencies October 2012 Artist in Residency program by Art Space Asia, Hong Kong. Jan. – Feb. 2011 Artist in Residency by S. Bin Art Plus Gallery, Singapore. Sept. - Oct. 2009 Artist in Residency Program by Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan. Dec.2006 - Feb.2007 3 month: ‘Landing Soon #1’ Artist Residency by Artoteek Denhaag The Netherlands and Cemeti Art House Yogyakarta Indonesia. Sept.2005 - Sept.2006 1 year: Asian Artist Fellowship at Changdong Art Studio, Seoul, South Korea. 2004 1 month: ruang rupa Residency Program, Jakarta, Indonesia.

2006: Best Poster Design, Jogja Computer Festival, at Jogja Expo Centre, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Solo Exhibitions 2009 Pingpong Education System, MES 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2008 Caution! Water Supply Areas, Lakibini Artspace, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia.

Solo Exhibitions 2013: OVALOVA at Vivi Yip Art Room, Jakarta, Indonesia.

2012 Workshop & Exhibition: Book Play Project 1 with Tobucil, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta. Archive-Reclaim.doc, (MES 56), National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia Des Indes Orientales, collaboration with Kunci Cultural Studies Centre & Historia Community, ICAN, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2011 TOP POP at S. Bin. Art Plus Gallery, Singapore. 2010 Noodle Theory at Garis Art, Jakarta, Indonesia. 2 Folders From Fukuoka at Vivi Yip Art Room 2, Jakarta, Indonesia. 2009 Kissing The Methods at Richard Koh Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

2011 Beyond Photography, Ciputra World, Jakarta, Indonesia ID Contemporary Art Indonesia, Kunstraum Bethanien, Berlin, Germany

2008 Happy Scan at Biasa Art Space, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia.

2010 On Camera, (MES 56), Biasa Art Space, Seminyak, 63

Curiculum Vitae

2007 Industrial Fiesta at Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Contemporary Asian Photography, Howl Space - Tainan, Taiwan. 2010 On Camera, Biasa Art Space, Bali.

2006 Industrial Fiesta at Changdong Art Studio, Seoul. South Korea.

2009 Sobekan Buku Harian (with Ayomi Amindoni), Laki Bini Spaces, yogyakarta.

2000 My Brain Packages at Centre Culturel Francais, Jakarta, Indonesia.

2008 Anniversary XXIV Indonesian Institute of Art, Recording Media of Art Facult ( ISI ) Yogyakarta, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta.

1999 KOLASMANIAC at Centre Culturel Francais, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Dito Yuwono

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia.

Born Yogyakarta, 1985 Education Faculty of Political and Social Science, Atma Jaya University, Yogyakarta

2012 Postcolonial, at Kodra, Kalamaria, Thessaloniki, Greece. Ghost Park-ART JOG 12, Commision Artworks at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Insight, at Kunstraum Englanderbau Vaduz, Liechtenstein. Saturations: Selection of Indonesian Contemporary Photography Post 2000s at Element Art Space, Singapore. Melawan Lupa [Ruang MES 56] - Archive-Reclaim. doc, at National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Solo Exhibitions 2011 “Have We Met?”, LirSpace, Yogyakarta. 2012 “Finding Stillness”, Artsphere, Jakarta. Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia. Feels Like Home”, Kelas Pagi Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta

2011 Indonesian Contemporary Photography at Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia. Indonesian Eye : Fantasies & Realities at Saatchi Gallery, London, UK.

2012 “Bela Bangsa”, LirSpace, Yogyakarta. “Archive: Reclaim.doc”, National Gallery, Jakarta. “Dies Natalis XXVII Institut Seni Indonesia” (Part of Melawan Lupa Project by Ruang Mes 56), Galeri Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI), Yogyakarta “ArtJog 12”, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta “Workshop & Exhibition: Book Play Project 1 with Tobucil”, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta.

Daniel satyagraha Born Jakarta, December 1984

2011 “3Point Award” (part of Photography Month by French Culture Center), Kelas Pagi Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta.

Education 2006 - 2009 Indonesia Institute of Art, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Edwin Roseno Kurniawan

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia.

Educations 2001-2008 Department of Photography, Indonesia Institute of The Art Yogyakarta (BFA)

2012 Flaneur in the Insular Cities- The Group Exhibition of 64

Curiculum Vitae

1999-2000 Product Design 10 Nopember Institute Technology of Surabaya Solo Exhibitions 2009 Frozen City, at Kedai Kebun Forum,Yogyakarta 2005 Beyond Coca-cola, at Ruang Mes56 Yogyakarta

2011 “Sejarah orang India di Yogyakarta” Paralel event Jogja Biennale 2011 iCan – Indonesian Contemporary Art Network, Yogyakarta

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia. The Art 13 London, Olypia, London

2006 “Surealistic Infrared Photography “ Solo Exhibition, Indonesia Institute of Art. “Promised Land” Solo Photography Exhibition, Via-Via Café, Jl. Prawirotaman 31 Yogyakarta Ruang Per Ruang #3, MultiHappy Dimensional, Art Exhibition, Third Eye Studio

2012 The 7Th Asia Pacific Triennial Of Contemporary Art, Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery Of Modern Art, Queendsland Brisbane Australia Saturation-Selection of Indonesian Contemporary Photography Post-2000s, Element Artspace Singapore Arcive Reclaimed.doc, Photo Book Project “Melawan Lupa” w/ Ruang MES 56, National Gallery Jakarta

SETO HARI WIBOWO Born Madiun, Oktober 1981 Education 1999-2006 Institut Teknologi Nasional, Malang

2011 Beyond Photography, Ciputra Marketing Gallery, Jakarta Speakoff, Louncing Jogjanews.com, at Jogja Nasional Museum Different Angel Film Competition at Shoot Me Film Festival, The Haque

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia.

2010 Look!See? Indonesian Contemporary Photography, at Nadi Gallery Jakarta Crash Project, at Sigi Arts Gallery, Jakarta Oneminutes video presentation at World Expo, Shanghai Art Jog 10, Indonesian Art Now: The Strategies of being, at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta

2012 Flaneurs The Insular Cities Howl Space, Tainan, Taiwan RE.Claim, National “Melawan Lupa”Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia Dies Natalis ISI Yogyakarta XXVIII “Melawan Lupa” Galery FSMR ISI Yogyakarta “Ongoing Echos” Third Wave Indonesia-Myanmar 2012, Cemara 6 Gallery, Jakarta

RANGGA PURBAYA

2011 3point Award, 8-31 Oktober, Rumah Kelas Pagi, Yogyakarta

Born Jakarta, July, 1976

2007 OK! Video”Militia” 3rd Jakarta International Video Festival, Ruangrupa, National Gallery Indonesia “Peradaban Baru’ Festival Seni Surabaya”, With Insomnium, Balai Pemuda, Surabaya Indonesia

Educations 1995 Graphic Design, Modern School of Design Yogyakarta 1996-2006 Photography, Department of Photography, Indonesia Institute of The Art Yogyakarta

Curiculum Vitae

Wimo Ambala Bayang

2011 1001 Doors, Ciputra Land, Jakarta, Indonesia. Selametan Digital, All Night Long Video and New Media, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakatya, Indonesia. Month Of Photography Tokyo 2011, Place M, Ring Cube, Canon Gallery, Asian Centre, as Curator of Indonesian Photography, Tokyo, Japan. Beastly, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Salihara Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia. Hijacking TV, Salihara Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia. CROSS+SCAPE, ASEAN-Korea Contemporary Media Art Exhibition, KUMHO Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea. Jeonbuk Museum or Art, Jeonju, Korea. GoEun Museum of Photography, Busan, Korea. Ok Video, Video Out, Focus on; Henry Foundation, Resa Afiizina, Wimo Ambala Bayang, Dia.lo.gue, Jakarta, Indonesia. Immemorial; reaching back beyond memory, Chan Contemporary Art Space, Darwin, Australia. Ruang Mes 56: Contemporary Photography from Indonesia, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne, Australia. Moving Images from Indonesia, ZKM_Media Theater, Karlsruhe. [SEA] TERRITORIES OF THE REAL AND UNREAL, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. BIENNALE JOGJA XI-EQUATOR #1 SHADOW LINES: INDONESIA MEETS INDIA, Jogja Nasional Museum, Yogyakarta Indonesia.

Born Magelang, October, 1976 Educations 1995-1996: Interior Design, Modern School of Design Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 1996-2006 : Photography Department, Indonesian Institute of Art Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Awards 1997 The Best Black and White Photo Print, Record Media Faculty, Indonesia Institute of Art Yogyakarta 1998 The Best Art Photography, Indonesia Institute of Arts, Yogyakarta Residencies 2004: Ruang Rupa, Jakarta, Indonesia. 2005: Lijiang Studio, Kunming and Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China. 2006: Short wave, Cemeti Art Foundation, residency at Indramayu, Indonesia. 2008: Cemeti Art House, Landing Soon #7, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 2009: Heden kunst van nu, The Hague, The Netherlands. 2009: South Project/ Monash, Melbourne, Australia.

2010 Landing Soon, Erasmus Huis, Jakarta, Indonesia. Look! See?, Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia. CUT 2010; New Photography from Southeast Asia, PARALLEL UNIVERSE, Vallentine Willie, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Masih Ada Gus Dur, Langgeng Gallery, Magelang, Indonesia. Lihat! Video art from Indonesia, Gallery Jesus Gallardo, Instituto Cultural de Leon, Leon, Mexico. Contemporaneity: Contemporary Art in Indonesia, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China. Codex/ Code, Ruang Rupa, Jakarta, Indonesia. Ok. Video-Jakarta International Video Festival. A Retrospective, art and culture international e. V KunstBĂźroBerlin, Berlin, Germany. Digit (all), Contemporary New Media Art Practise in Indonesia, Umah Seni, Jakarta, Indonesia. On Camera, Biasa Art Space, Bali, Indonesia. Ruru and Friends, 10th Anniversary of Ruang Rupa, National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia.

Solo Exhibitions/ Projects 1999: Revolusi #9, GFJA, Jakarta. 2003: Select All, Ruang Mes 56, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 2009: Wimo Film and Video Festival, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. 2010: Not So High (Heels), d Gallerie, Jakarta, Indonesia. 2012: Kaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;bah, Ark Gallerie, Art Dubai | Marker, Dubai. 2012: You See Half, You Get Half, Ark Gallerie, Jakarta, Indonesia. Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 Zoological, 2902 Gallery, Singapore. FARAWAY SO CLOSE, Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Indonesia. Beyond Boundaries, Umah Seni, Jakarta, Indonesia. 2012 Here and There, Now and Then, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Jogja Agro Pop, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Strike Anyspacewhatever Trading, Finale Gallery, Makati City, Philippine.

Curiculum Vitae

WOK THE ROCK

Yudha Kusuma Putra

Born Madiun, September 1975

Born Magelang, Oktober 1987

Education: 1994 Advertising, Gadjah Mada University (unfinished) BA 2004 Visual Communication Design, Indonesia Institute Of Art

Education Fotografi FSMR ISI Yogyakarta Solo Exhibitions 2012 Alam Bawah Sadar dalam Staged Photography, Lobby FSMR ISI Yogyakarta Meminjam Mata dan Melihat Ruang, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta

Solo Exhibitions 2012: “The Golden Memories”, Open Archive, Melbourne, Australia “Personal Project”, Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace, Jakarta, Indonesia 2011 “Burn Your Idol Versus FFR”, Fight For Rice Store, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia.

2003 “For Me and You”, Ruang MES 56 Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2012 Re.Claim, Galery Nasional, jakarta (Project MES 56, Melawan Lupa)

Selected Group Exhibitions 2013 FARAWAY SO CLOSE, Semarang Contemporary Art Gallery, Indonesia.

2011 Beyond Photography, Ciputra Artpreneur Center, jakarta New Folder, galeri Mes 56 ,yogyakarta New Folder in incubator asia, jakarta

2012 “Punkasila: Crash Nation”, Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney, Australia “ArtJog 12 — Yogyakarta Art Fair”, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia “Riverscape IN FLUX: Eco-Cultural Art Projec”, Goethe Institut, Hanoi, Saigon, Bangkok, Phom Penh, Jakarta, Manila “Saturation: Selection of Indonesian Contemporary Photography Post 2000s”, Element Artspace, Singapore “Re.claim”, Indonesia National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2010 FIXER, Norty Art Space ( Pasar seni Ancol Jakarta ) 2009 Exhibition Sewon Open # 3, page FSMR ISI Yogyakarta Exhibition, Yogyakarta Jogja Expo Center XXV Anniversary Exhibition, Gallery Photo FSMR ISI Yogyakarta Jogja Art Fair # 2, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta Photo Exhibition Welcome To The Jungle, HMJ FSMR Yokyakarta ISI

2011 “OK Video: Flesh – International Video Art Festival”, Galeri Nasional, Jakarta, Indonesia “Beyond Photography”, Ciputra Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia “ArtJog 11 — Yogyakarta Art Fair”, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia “Moving Images from Indonesia”, ZKM — Center For Art And Media, Karlshure, Germany “Catching the High Tide: Video Art From Indonesia”, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Singapore 2010 “On Camera”, Biasa Artspace, Bali, Indonesia “Codex Code”, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia “Lihat!: Video Art From Indonesia”, Galeria Jesús Gallardo, León, Mexico

Colophon Penulis/ Writer: Tubagus Svarajati, Agung Nugroho Widhi Penerjemah/ Translator: Mirna Adzania Desainer/ Designer: Anang Saptoto, Wok The Rock Photography by Dwe Rahmanto (IVAA), Ruang MES 56 Katalog ini diterbitkan oleh/ This catalog is published by Semarang Gallery ÂŠ April 2013 Edisi pertama/ First edition, 500 copies

Jl. Taman Sriguntingno.5-6 Semarang 50174 Telp. 024-355 2099, Fax.024-344 2199 Email. galeri_semarang@yahoo.com www.galerisemarang.com

Ruang mes 56 thanks to Chris Dharmawan, Heri Pemad, Bpk Tubagus Svarajati, Paula Dewiyanti, Keluarga Bpk Widayat Basuki Darmo, Ibu Inge Wijayanti, Bpk Yongki Tio, Rumah Makan Semarang, Ipietbanget, Kartun, Jefri Dinomo, Tia Chasmani, Prisma UNDIP Photo Club, Aimee Band, Pak Sarto, Toilet Umum Tombo Kebelet dan Yaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;k Kauman, Adin Mbuh, Karina Roosvita, Nur Alam, Ivan Saihu, Sofian Akhriyadi, Roekardie, Sarita Fraya dan keluarga, Brigitta Dwijanti, Antariksa, Teguh Hari, Semarang Gallery crew: Wisnu, Ivan, Pak Maryanto, Pak Kasri, Robot Snex, Kirun Panser Biru, Hermawan BCS X PSS,

JUWARA, Pondoh, Dian Ariyani, Acong, Devie Ariany, tetangga-tetangga Semarang Gallery (Bu Sri, Mbak Sri, Dicky dan Maya, Nyai, Ome, Topik, Pak Iyas, Mbak Parti, Mak Sum, Kasri), Mas Riko, Lia Budiarti, Pak Henry, Ventura (kolam renang ex stadion) Yokki Puppet, BUCK (Lintang & Sefa, Ilham, Yoga Mbah dkk), TREANT (Adit, Petruk, Sukro, Reva, Itenk dkk) Skater & BMX Semarang (Bait, Ipang, Pundeng dkk) , DISTRIC dkk. Polos, Zul, Brojol, Sotil, Garna, Baskoro, AK47, Adiyat Okkaroke dkk, Fahmi, Galih Karamba.

MES 56 adalah sebuah kolektif seniman yang juga menjalankan sebuah ruang inisiatif; Ruang MES 56 (didirikan tahun 2002), fokus pada seni berbasis fotografi dan menekankan pada eksplorasi, baik secara teori maupun praktik, secara konseptual maupun kontekstual, dan bertujuan untuk mengembangkan wacana fotografi kontemporer dan budaya visual di Indonesia.

MES 56 is a Jogja based artist collective who also runs an artist initiative space; Ruang MES 56 (est. 2002), which is active in the field of photo-based art that emphasizes in the exploratory approach, both in theory and practice, conceptually and contextually; having the purpose to develop the discourse of contemporary photography and visual culture in Indonesia.

Faraway So Close

agung nugroho widhi

Faraway So Close1 Membaca judul di atas, mungkin kita akan beranggapan bahwa ini adalah sebuah permainan kata-kata belaka atau suatu pemikiran yang dualistis. Judul tulisan yang sekaligus merupakan judul pameran kolektif MES 56 ini, berusaha “berbicara tentang Semarang”, sebuah kota yang terletak di sebelah utara Jogja, dengan jarak tempuh kurang lebih empat jam. Secara umum, karya-karya yang ditampilkan dalam pameran ini “membicarakan Semarang” dalam dua artian, yaitu Semarang sebagai entitas bentang fisik (physical landscape) dan sebagai bentang mental (mental landscape) yang mengacu pada “gagasan atau narasi besar tentang Semarang.” Secara tematik, karya-karya yang ditampilkan MES 56 dalam Faraway So Close bisa dibagi menjadi tiga kelompok, yaitu karya-karya yang membicarakan memori, jarak, dan ketertampakan (visibility). Tiga kelompok karya tersebut semuanya dibingkai serta terangkum dalam tiga buah kutipan2 yang juga disajikan di ruang pameran.

1. ‘Judul tulisan serta judul pameran ini diambil dari sebuah film karya sineas Jerman, Wim Wenders (1993). 2. Ketiga kutipan yang dimaksud bisa dilihat dalam katalog pameran, dan merupakan kutipan beberapa dialog dari film yang menjadi judul pameran ini.

Tulisan ini berupaya untuk membaca ulang gagasan pameran dan karya-karya yang dipresentasikan, baik karya-karya personal para anggota MES 56 maupun karya kolektif. I. Gagasan dari proyek pameran ini bisa dibayangkan sebagai suatu laku perjalanan. Berjalan-jalan keluar rumah, untuk sementara waktu pergi meninggalkan tempat asal menuju ke sebuah tempat baru dengan jarak tempuh yang sebenarnya tidak terlalu jauh. Dengan bekal pengalaman, pengetahuan, dan segala agenda yang akan dijalankan, di tempat baru yang didatangi itu, kita hanyalah seorang tamu. Berada di suatu tempat baru, tentu kita akan bertemu dengan orang-orang baru. Para tuan rumah. Orang-orang lokal, yang meskipun berbahasa sama, namun memiliki perspektif yang mungkin sangat jauh berbeda dengan kita dalam melihat lingkungan dan rumah yang di tinggalinya. Pada fase ini, jarak tidak lagi berada dalam tataran fisik, namun telah bergeser menjadi sebuah interaksi yang lebih kompleks. Menjadi antara kita dengan mereka. Kita yang suatu waktu adalah mereka, serta mereka yang suatu waktu sekaligus kita. Antara melihat dan dilihat, membaca dan (untuk) dibaca, mengamati dan teramati.

FARAWAY SO CLOSE

II. Bagian ini akan menggali dua konsep atau tema dalam beberapa karya yang dipamerkan, yaitu tentang jarak dan ketertampakan (visibility). Saya mencoba untuk melangkah mundur ke belakang dan berusaha untuk memposisikan diri sepenuhnya sebagai seorang “penonton”, untuk dapat lebih memberikan gambaran tentang proyek pameran ini. Menginjakkan kaki di suatu tempat baru dan asing, mungkin kita akan dihadapkan dengan berbagai fakta, fenomena, ataupun lanskap yang belum tentu sepenuhnya baru. Dalam situasi maupun kondisi tertentu, seniman juga tak ubahnya seorang turis, yang ingin terus merekam dan mengingat segala sesuatu yang tampak dipermukaan (façade), seolah-olah segalanya menarik dan terlihat baru. Gagasan tentang “ketertampakan” (visibility), bisa kita amati melalui dua karya kolektif MES 56 yang ditampilkan di lantai bawah Galeri Semarang. Di karya kolektif berjudul Untitled, kita bisa melihat dan mendengar berbagai imaji juga suarasuara (berisi potongan berbagai iklan maupun slogan yang telah didekonstruksi sedemikian rupa) yang selama ini sering kita temui maupun dengar setiap harinya di Semarang. Dalam karya yang disajikan sebagai instalasi itu, terpampang belasan snapshot yang menggambarkan kota Semarang seperti yang pernah, bahkan mungkin sering kita lihat. Kawasan Kota Lama yang terendam banjir, interior serta pilar-pilar penyangga Pasar Johar, tumpukan kontainer di Pelabuhan Tanjung Mas, dan lain sebagainya.

Pada ruangan lain di lantai bawah, tersaji empat kanal video yang diproyeksikan ke atas empat lembar multiplex bekas. Semuanya menggambarkan Semarang dalam penampakan yang sangat berbeda dengan apa yang ditampilkan dalam karya sebelumnya. “Semarang yang bukan Semarang”. “Semarang yang bisa dimana saja”. Momen-momen acak, fragmenfragmen antah berantah yang tak bertuan. III. Kesadaran akan sebuah jarak haruslah disertai usaha pengamatan lebih lanjut, untuk bergerak menjauhi berbagai perasaan dari pengalaman melihat yang sifatnya seketika. Hal ini memang bukan perkara gampang, dan tidak semua seniman mampu melakukannya. Seniman bukanlah hanya seorang turis yang seolaholah berjalan tanpa tujuan, namun ia juga seorang pengamat, yang gerak-geriknya akan selalu diamati oleh orang lain; si tuan rumah. Menilik kembali konsep visibility maupun jarak, saya mencoba untuk melihatnya melalui beberapa karya yang dipamerkan di lantai atas Galeri Semarang. Kita akan lihat bagaimana karya-karya ini membicarakan Semarang dalam dua artian sebagaimana tersebut diatas, sebagai physical landscape dan mental landscape. Saya mengambil contoh karya instalasi interaktif kolaborasi Rangga Purbaya dan Wok The Rock, Jarak Pandang: Candi Baru, Semarang. Karya ini berupa rekaman wawancara dengan dua orang Semarang, disertai foto lanskap suatu kawasan bernama Candi Baru3 yang 3. Kawasan ini dibangun pada masa penjajahan Belanda tahun 1916, dan khusus diperuntukkan sebagai kawasan tempat tinggal orang-orang Belanda dan bangsa Eropa. Pada masa itu, Oei Tiong Ham, si raja gula sekaligus Majoor der Chinezen di Semarang adalah

agung nuroho widhi

dipresentasikan melalui sebuah layar sentuh (tablet). Dengan ukuran gambar yang sangat besar dan detil sangat tajam (ultra high resolution), kita bisa memilih bagian-bagian tertentu, lalu melihat secara rinci elemen-elemen yang tampak dalam foto itu. Rumah demi rumah yang dibangun di atas tanah berbukit, warna serta potongan setiap jemuran pakaian di depan pintu-pintu rumah, maupun aktivitas tiga orang manusia yang ada disana. “Sejauh apa kita mengetahui dan seberapa dekat kita mampu melihat ini semua?” Karya Yudha Kusuma Putra, Flowers of an Old City membawa perihal jarak ke dalam suatu tataran yang lebih kompleks. Melalui karyanya, Yudha mencoba untuk menelaah kembali jarak serta fungsi seniman, seni, maupun institusi seni (peran sebuah galeri seni) di dalam kehidupan sosial kita. Subyek foto-foto Yudha adalah “orang-orang yang sepertinya dekat”; potret sembilan wanita dan seorang anak kecil yang tinggal tepat di seberang Galeri Semarang. Dalam karya Yudha, jarak bukan hanya dalam pengertian fisik, namun juga merupakan sebuah metafor; “jarak antara kita dengan orang lain, jarak antara seni, seniman dengan lingkungan sosialnya”. Kota Semarang maupun kawasan Kota Lama hanya berfungsi sebagai latar yang tidak terlalu penting, karena gagasan yang dibicarakan dalam karya ini bisa ditemui dimana saja. Semarang hanyalah sebatas pijakan untuk membicarakan sebuah narasi besar yang melampaui kota itu. Titik pijakan yang serupa juga bisa dilihat melalui salah satu seri karya Akiq AW, Anatomy of Common Sense. Dalam karyanya, Akiq merujuk pada sebuah institusi yang satu-satunya orang non-Eropa yang mendapatkan hak istimewa untuk tinggal di kawasan Candi Baru.

berada di Semarang, yaitu Museum Rekor Indonesia (MURI). Dengan menggunakan data dan foto-foto dari MURI, Akiq menelisik kembali pemahaman kita selama ini tentang “akal sehat” (common sense). Rekor-rekor yang tercatat di MURI memberikan gambaran tentang bagaimana manusia Indonesia melihat diri sendiri, masyarakat dan dunia di luar kita. Penonton bisa membaca dan melihat bagaimana “akal sehat” itu dibangun dan ditelusupkan pada kesadaran manusia, bagaimana peristiwa atau kegiatan-kegiatan yang tidak masuk akal menjadi masuk akal, yang biasa saja menjadi tidak biasa. IV. Dalam berbagai percakapan serta diskusi dengan anak-anak Mes sepanjang proses pameran, saya beberapa kali mendengar cerita bahwa seringkali mereka dihadapkan pada suatu pandangan yang terlalu nostalgis tentang Semarang dari orangorang yang mereka temui selama berada disana. Hanya segelintir orang saja yang (mampu) bercerita panjang lebar tentang wajah Semarang hari ini, pun demikian halnya dengan tulisan Tubagus Svarajati dalam katalog pameran juga menceritakan pengalamannya pada sebuah peristiwa di Semarang bulan Mei 1998. Andri William dan Edwin Roseno mengolah memori dan sekelumit sejarah tentang kota Semarang dalam karya-karyanya. Kedunya menggunakan pendekatan serupa, yang mengingatkan saya pada karya kolektif MES 56, Unfolded City (2005)4 dan teks 4. Unfolded City membenturkan persepsi kita tentang konsepsi waktu, antara Jogja di saat tertentu (masa lalu) dengan Jogja di saat yang lain (masa kini). Apa yang kita sebut sebagai “dulu” dan “sekarang”, atau sesuatu yang kita anggap representasi dari “masa lalu” dan “masa kini” ditumpuk ke dalam satu layer dan dihadirkan pada saat yang sama. Karya ini merupakan karya kolektif MES 56

FARAWAY SO CLOSE

di salah satu foto dari seri Oma, 5 karya Yudhi Soerjoatmodjo. Berikut saya kutip di bawah: Sometimes I think photography fails me. How does one photograph the past? The language of words is equipped to deal with time: there are words that can fill the hole of our past, words to build a future. But one can only photograph in the physical present. Right now. Eventhough “right now” becomes a past once we photographed it. Dalam seri Scratched Memory, Edwin Roseno (biasa dipanggil Dolly) menumpuk serta menghadirkan dua layer yang berbeda di setiap foto-fotonya. Lapisan terluar dari karya-karya Dolly adalah sketsa beberapa situs atau bangunan di Semarang pada masa silam yang dieksekusi di atas selembar akrilik dengan teknik laser engraving, sedangkan lapisan keduanya adalah fotofoto bangunan atau lanskap situs-situs itu hari ini. Semuanya telah berubah serta beralih fungsi. Empat bangunan yang dulu merupakan gedung pertemuan, pusat kebudayaan dan pendidikan, sekarang telah berubah wujud menjadi pusat perbelanjaan, dan lain sebagainya. “Di Semarang itu mas, kalo gak pelakunya (anak muda) yang pergi, ya tempatnya yang pergi” 6 yang dipresentasikan di Biennale Jogja 2005 “Disini & Kini”. 5. Oma adalah salah satu diantara tiga karya fotografi yang dipamerkan dalam Jakarta Biennale IX (Desember 1993 - Januari 1994), dikuratori oleh Jim Supangkat. Beberapa tahun kemudian, karya ini kembali dipamerkan dalam pameran Orientasi/ Orientatie di Galeri Nasional, Jakarta (1995) dan Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal, Leiden (1996). Oma terakhir kali ditampilkan dalam Serendipity: Photography, Video, Experimental Film and Multimedia Installation from Asia (The Japan Foundation Forum, Tokyo, 2000).

Mengambil titik tolak serupa dengan Dolly, Andri William dengan karyanya Should I Stay or Should I Go memilih sebuah tempat bernama Ventura Mas (orang Semarang biasa menyebutnya kolam renang eks stadion). Bangunan tua peninggalan Belanda yang selama belasan tahun pernah dijadikan area nongkrong muda-mudi kota Semarang, tempat bermain papan luncur (sekaligus skate park pertama di Pulau Jawa) dan sepeda BMX. Sama halnya dengan empat bangunan yang ditampilkan Dolly dalam karya-karyanya, latar yang dipilih Andri ini sekarang juga telah berganti wajah. Dalam dua fotonya, Andri menghadirkan orang-orang yang dulu biasa menghabiskan waktunya disana; para skater dan anak-anak BMX. Benar memang, kita tidak bisa memotret masa lalu, kita hanya bisa menghadirkan atau membacanya melalui selembar foto. Cerita berdasarkan “ingatan” tentang sebuah film dibawah, mungkin dapat menjelaskan hal ini dengan lebih baik. Dua hari berselang setelah kejadian mengenaskan yang menewaskan Robert F. Kennedy (Bobby Kennedy) di Hotel The Ambassador, New York, Paul Fusco, seorang fotografer dari agensi foto Magnum, berada di dalam kereta yang membawa peti jenazah senator sekaligus calon presiden Amerika Serikat termuda itu ke Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Sepanjang perjalanan dari New York ke Arlington, Fusco memotret orang-orang yang berada di luar dari dalam gerbong kereta. Ratusan bahkan ribuan wajah yang menangis terisak, berdiri memberi hormat 6. Pernyataan dari Bentar, salah satu subyek yang ditampilkan Andri William dalam fotonya.

agung nuroho widhi

ala militer, atau membentangkan berbagai spanduk dan pamflet dengan tulisan-tulisan yang menyiratkan penghormatan dan kecintaan mereka pada Bobby. Hampir empat puluh tahun kemudian, seorang sutradara film, Jennifer Stoddart, menelusuri wajah-wajah yang terekam oleh kamera Fusco. Dibantu oleh beberapa orang kru dan narasumber, ia akhirnya bertemu dengan mereka, yang empat puluhan tahun lalu menunggu dan melihat sebuah gerbong berisi peti jenazah melintas.7 Dalam dua seri yang mereka kerjakan, Dolly maupun Andri tidak hanya menelusuri serta membahas masa lalu yang serba nostalgis dan romantis, atau membicarakan masa lalu demi masa lalu itu sendiri (old days for the sake of the old days), namun menjadikan masa lalu sebagai pintu masuk untuk membicarakan Semarang hari ini. Right now. Seperti penelusuran Stoddart atas fotofoto Fusco, karya-karya mereka bukanlah sekadar catatan atau rekaman masa lampau, melainkan penciptaan kembali ingatan. V. Sepertinya sungguh tidaklah mungkin untuk berandai-andai atau bernostalgia tentang Semarang seperti halnya orangorang Semarang yang ditemui oleh anak-anak Mes, maupun tulisan Tubagus Svarajati dalam katalog pameran. Saya membayangkan ini semua seperti ketika melihat karya atau proyek residensi 7. Penelusuran yang dilakukan Jennifer Stoddart atas foto-foto Paul Fusco diproduksi dalam sebuah film berjudul One Thousand Pictures: RFK’s Last Journey (2010).

yang dilakukan oleh seniman-seniman yang pernah tinggal dan bekerja untuk sementara waktu di Jogja. Dalam situasi seperti itu, pikiran yang merujuk pada suatu pemahaman locally correct atau culturally correct memang tidak bisa dihindari lagi. Namun terlepas dari segala macam persoalan salah-benar, tepat-tidak tepat, siapa melihat siapa itu, tentu ada sebuah “cara pandang baru” sebagai semacam tawaran dari cara pandang sebelumnya, yang dianggap terlalu mapan dan mungkin dirasa mulai membosankan. Poin paling penting dalam karya-karya yang ditampilkan MES 56 dalam proyek pameran ini adalah seberapa dekat karya-karya itu dapat membaca dan melihat berbagai fenomena di sebuah tempat yang “relatif jauh dan asing”. Jarak memang akan selalu ada, dan sudah seharusnya tetap ada. Dan saya sepenuhnya percaya dengan apa yang pernah dikatakan oleh seorang filsuf nun jauh di sana ribuan tahun lalu, bahwa jarak akan membuat seorang manusia menjadi lebih bijak. Semoga. Agung Nugroho Widhi Ruang MES 56

Faraway So Close

agung nugroho widhi

Faraway, So Close1 Reading the title written above, one might assume that it is only a wordplay or a dualistic thinking. The title of this article, which also happens to be the title of collective exhibition of MES 56, attempts to “talk about Semarang,” a city located in the north of Jogja, with a mileage of four hours. Generally, the works presented in this exhibition “talk about Semarang” within two senses, Semarang as a physical landscape and a mental landscape, which refers to “big idea of or narration about Semarang.” Thematically, the works of MES 56 can be divided into three categories: memory, distance and visibility. Those three categories were being framed by and summarized in three quotations2 which also presented at the exhibition space. This writing attemps to re-read the idea of the exhibition and the works presented, both personal works of MES 56 members as well as collective works. I. The idea of this exhibition project could be 1. The title of this writing and the exhibition was taken from a movie directed by a German film director, Wim Wenders (1993). 2. Those three quotations can be seen in the exhibition catalog, which are few dialogues excerpts from the film that became the title of this exhibition.

imagined as having a journey. Leaving the house for a while and going to a new place, which is not really that far from our place. With our experience, knowledge and all designated agenda, we would only become the guest in that chosen destination. Upon arriving in a new place, of course we would meet new people. The hosts. Local people, though speak the same language, but may have very different perspective from ours about the environment and the house they have been living in. Within this phase, distance is not only a matter of physical realm, but it has turned into a more complex interaction. The state of in-between us and them thing. We would become them in a certain period of time, and vice versa. See and being seen, to read and to be read, observe and being observed. II. This section would probe two concepts or themes through some exhibited works: about distance and visibility. I would like to take a few steps back and try to place myself totally as an “audience”, in order to describe this exhibition project more clearly. Stepping the foot onto a new and unfamiliar place, we may encounter various facts, phenomenon or landscape, which not

agung nuroho widhi

totally new. In a particular situation and condition, an artist is just like a tourist, who wants to record and remember anything that appears on the surface (façade), as if everything seems to be interesting and new. The idea of visibility can be observed in two collective works of MES 56 displayed at the ground floor of Galeri Semarang. In the work called Untitled, we see various images and sounds (from pieces of advertising and slogan after a certain process of deconstruction) which we can find and hear easily in everyday life in Semarang. Being presented as an installation, Untitled displays dozens snapshots of Semarang as the one we have ever and often seen. Flooded area of Kota Lama, interior and pillars of Johar Market, piles of containers at Tanjung Mas port, and so forth. In another room, still at the ground floor, there are four video channels projected onto four pieces of used multiplex. All of them shows Semarang in very different appearances compared to the previous work. “Semarang which is not Semarang”. “Semarang which could be anywhere”. Random moments, fragments from middle of nowhere. III. Awareness of distance must be followed up with further observation, to move away from feelings that arise after having experience of seeing with its immediate nature. It is not an easy thing, and not every artist can do it. An artist is not just a tourist who wanders around aimlessly, he or she is also an observer, whose his or her every movement was being observed by the other; the host.

Reconsidering the concept of visibility and distance, I try to elaborate through some works displayed at the upper floor of Galeri Semarang. We will find out how these works talk about Semarang as a physical landscape and mental landscape. I will choose an interactive installation work, a collaboration of Rangga Purbaya and Wok The Rock, Jarak Pandang: Candi Baru, Semarang. This work consists of a recorded interview with two Semarang’s people, along with a landscape photograph of an area called Candi Baru3 presented on a touch screen (tablet). With its ultra high resolution, it enables us to pick certain area and observe every detail of the picture. Houses by houses built on a hilly land, every color and shape of clothes dried before the front doors, and the activities of three people who were there. “How far do we know and how close do we able to see them all?” The work of Yudha Kusuma Putra, Flowers of an Old City takes the matter of distance to the more complex level. Through his work, he tries to re-analyze the distance and the function of artist, art, or art institution (the role of an art gallery) in our social life. The subjects of his photos are “people who are likely close”; portraits of nine women and a child who live right across Galeri Semarang. In Yudha’s work, distance is not only a physical matter, but also a metaphor, “the distance between us and the other, the distance between art, artist and their social environment.” City of Semarang or area of Kota Lama only functions as an unnecessary background, 3. This area was built during the Dutch colonial era, in 1916 and specifically designated as a residential area for the Dutch people and other Europeans. At that time, Oei Tiong Ham, the king of sugar and also the Majoor der Chinezen in Semarang was the only non-European who had privilege to stay at Candi Baru.

FARAWAY SO CLOSE

because we can find the idea of this work anywhere else. Semarang is only a pedestal to talk about a big narration beyond the city itself. Similar pedestal can be found in the series of Akiq AW, Anatomy of Common Sense. In his work, Akiq refers to an institution in Semarang, Museum Rekor Indonesia (Indonesia Record Museum/MURI). Using data and photos from MURI, Akiq probes our understanding of common sense. The records registered at MURI show how the Indonesians see themselves, society and the world outside us. Audience can read and see how “common sense” was built and implanted into the human consciousness, how the preposterous activities became the sensible ones, and how the common became the uncommon. IV. From the conversation and discussion with members of MES 56 during this exhibition process, for many times I heard the stories about how they were being confronted by a very nostalgic view of Semarang from the people whom they met during their stay there. Only a few people who could talk at length about the face of Semarang nowadays, even the article by Tubagus Svarajati inside the exhibition catalogue is about his experience in Semarang, May 1998.

from the series of Oma 5, a work by Yudhi Soerjoatmodjo. Below is the excerpt of that text: Sometimes I think photography fails me. How does one photograph the past? The language of words is equipped to deal with time: there are words that can fill the hole of our past, words to build a future. But one can only photograph in the physical present. Right now. Eventhough “right now” becomes a past once we photographed it. In the series of Scratched Memory, Edwin Roseno (a.k.a Dolly) piled up and presented two different layers in each of his photos. The first layer of his work is a sketch of some sites or buildings at Semarang in the past, executed on an acrylic with laser engraving technique, and the second layer is the photo of the buildings or landscape of those sites in the present. Everything has changed and switching functions. The four buildings, which used to be centers of culture and education, now have turned into shopping malls, and so forth. “In Semarang, it is the actor (the young) who would leave if not the places.” 6 are overlaid on top of each other as one layer and presented simultaneously. This collective work was exhibited at Bienalle Jogja 2005 “Disini dan Kini” (Here and Now).

Andri William and Edwin Roseno worked on memory and history of Semarang in their works. Both of them used a similar approach, which reminded me of a collective work of MES 56, Unfolded City (2005)4 and a text on one of the photo

5. Oma is one of the three photography works exhibited at Jakarta Biennale IX (December 1993-January 1994), curated by Jim Supangkat. Few years later, the work was again on display in the exhibition Orientation/ Orientatie at the National Gallery, Jakarta (1995) and Stedelijk Museum de Lakenhal, Leiden (1996). Oma was last featured in Serendipity: Photography, Video, Experimental Film and Multimedia Installation from Asia (The Japan Foundation Forum, Tokyo, 2000).

4. Unfolded City challenges our perception about the concept of time, between Jogja at a certain time (the past) and Jogja at another time (the present). What we consider as representations of the ‘’past’’ and ‘’present’’

6. A statement from Bentar, one of the subjects of Andri Wiliam’s work.

agung nuroho widhi

Using the same starting point as Dolly’s, Andri William, with his work Should I Stay or Should I Go, chose a place called Ventura Mas (people of Semarang used to call it swimming pool of ex-stadium). That old building is a heritage of Dutch and for dozen years had became a place for the youth of Semarang to hang out, to play skate board (being the first skate park in Java island) and BMX bikes. Like the four buildings presented by Dolly in his works, the background that Andri chose also has changed its face. In his two photos, Andri presented people who used to hang out there; the skaters and the BMX bikers. It is true, we can’t photograph the past, we can only present or read it through a piece of photograph. A story based on “memory” about a movie below may explain it better. Two days after a devastating event that killed Robert F. Kennedy (Bobby Kennedy) at The Ambassador Hotel, New York, Paul Fusco, a photographer from Magnum photo agency was on the train, which carried the coffin of the senator and also the youngest president candidate of the USA to Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia. Along the way from New York to Arlington, Fusco took a picture of people who were outside the train. Hundreds, even thousands faces wept, stood and saluted like a military army, or carried various banners and pamphlets filled with writings of their tribute and love to Bobby. Around forty years later, Jennifer Stoddart, a movie director, traced the faces captured by Fusco’s camera. With help from crews and sources, finally she met with them, who

waited and watched a passing train with a coffin in it almost forty years ago.7 In the two series that they did, neither Dolly or Andry traced and discussed about a nostalgic and romantic past, or talked about the old days for the sake of the old days themselves, but they turned the past as an entry to talk about Semarang nowadays. Right now. Like what Stoddart did to Fusco’s photographs, their works are not only a record or notes about the past, but a re-creation of memory. V. Most likely it is impossible to wish or be nostalgic about Semarang, like the people whom members of MES 56 met, or the article by Tubagus Svarajati in the catalogue exhibition. I myself imagine all of this like seeing works or residency projects done by artists who ever stayed and worked for a short period of time in Jogja. In a situation as such, a thought that refers to an understanding of locally correct or culturally correct is inevitable. But apart from a matter of right-wrong, proper-improper, whoobserves-whom, there is indeed a “new perspective” as a kind of an offer from the previous outlook, which is considered too established and probably perceived as something stagnant. The most important point of the exhibited works of MES 56 in this project is how close they could read and see various phenomenons in a “relatively faraway and unfamiliar” place. The distance would always be there, and it is supposed to be 7. Jennifer Stoddart’s search based on Paul Fusco’s photographs produced in a movie entitled One Thousand Pictures: RFK’s Last Journey (2010).

FARAWAY SO CLOSE

that way. And I firmly believe in what a philosopher once said thousands of years ago, that the distance would make a human wiser. Hopefully. Agung Nugroho Widhi Ruang MES 56