The Indonesian Agency for Creative Economy (Bekraf) and Yayasan Design+Art Indonesia (YDAI) are pleased to announce in collaboration the final Indonesian artist to participate at the Venice Art Biennale 2019, May 11 – Nov 24, 2019. After having undergone a strict curatorial process, the chosen art project to be showcased at the world’s most prestigious biennale is an interactive art installation entitled “Akal Tak Sekali Datang, Runding Tak Sekali Tiba.” It is a unique collaboration with some of the country’s best curators and artists, that involve curator Asmudjo Jono Irianto, co-curator Yacobus Ari Respati, and artists Handiwirman Saputra and Syagini Ratna Wulan.
“The strengths of this proposal rest on self-reflection to develop critical understanding of today’s contemporary art in the world and to build public perception by setting their artworks vigorously with political and socio-economic trends at the forefront,” said Chief Judge, renowned sculptor, Dolorosa Sinaga.
The winning team will showcase their artworks under a booth area of 340 m² at the Arsenale, Venice, namely Indonesia Pavilion. This year, it exceeds the area, four times larger than the previous year of 70m². “At the biennale, we are planning to exhibit 400 interactive lockers, each interprets Indonesian heritage and cultural stories. We allow all attendees to experience the story, as if they are in amusement rides. This is the way we depict multiple art scenes, that have been playing the political and socio-economic for years,” said Asmudjo Jono Irianto.
A set of focus areas that will be given preference in the selection process also comprises of innovation in all its contemporary art forms, well-executed art visual, collaborative teamwork, the feasibility of establishing an international contemporary artwork, as well as artistic abilities to realize a work on the basis of their proposal.
Jim Supangkat, a senior curator as one of the judges, stated, “It is not merely one artist exhibiting his single artwork. Thus, unlike prior years, each finalist will present as a team to widely elaborate the whole frame and interpretation of Indonesian contemporary art. We aim to promote Indonesia thoroughly, as an emerging potential of this ever-growing contemporary art era.” Other judges include curator Nirwan Dewanto; and academics, I Bambang Sugiharto and St. Sunardi.
Indonesia Pavilion’s selection process for Venice Art Biennale 2019 was started on February 2018. After a conduct of forum group discussion (FGD), Bekraf and YDAI proposed 60 Indonesian curators and artists to be shortlisted into 23 candidates. “We invite them to build a team and present their exceptional art project proposal. Of all these 23 candidates, we chose two finalists, one of which will participate at the most internationally acclaimed art exhibition in the near future,” added Diana Nazir, Founder and Director of Artura, a holding of Yayasan Design+Art Indonesia.
In addition to “Akal Tak Sekali Datang, Runding Tak Sekali Tiba,” these five judges also selected an art installation proposal “Synthetic Estate,” a tech-driven interactive art initiated by art collective TROMARAMA, artists Riar Rizaldi and Natasha Gabriella Tontey, and curator Bob Edrian Triadi.
