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57

knots not notes
Ade Darmawan*
This short essay is a compositionof selected notes, fragments,

even smaller

sentences

piecesunits: they are justof thoughtsthat I have written

meeting people, researching,exhibiting

different places during the lastfew

drafts, orand words. These are somealong the way while traveling,
and working in some projects

inyears ... the results vary ...

1

Duringthe last one to two decades,

the art world has becomeand shown a capacity

for self-improvement.

for extendingIt swallows

everyone:itself.

socialphilosophers,

workers,

artist-activists,-

and immediately

commercialvery open

Now it even has a great ability

painters,

and museum

mixes -

everything,auctioneers,collectors,

piecesartists.

It's a big global

franchise.

2

A huge amountof money has been spent for big international

well as for running
art and cultural
strategies,

the art system
activities

and subsidizing

are used

as partart events as

artists.

This is becauseof politicaland economical

implemented

by the First World countries

and then followed by

Asia Pasific countries.

They first build the structures

and thinkcontent

last. They celebrateby opening

but start

to think

missionis to find HOW to fill those fine examples

about the substancetech buildings

with art spectacles.

social-functionnew buildings

later. I hope I'm wrong. The nextof architecture

Don't ask me whether

in daily life or on a level of discourse.

Some big art events/shows

and often end up with cliched displays
artists."

are now trappedand high-

art really has a
At least

people get nice jobs from it and a lot of money if generated
consumption.

about theand infrastructure

manyfrom all thein boring themesof the same "big -star, globe-trotting

It's like the Top 40's chart on the radio.

3

Let's go shopping.

4

They could be just like ordinary business(wo)men.
... in the end we didn't meet.

58

Wait for me at the airport

I was stuck in an evil traffic jam ...

5and where is the "periphery?"

Where is the "center"spaces " in Indonesia

as "alternativein direct opposition

to the so-called

government

are no public taxes managed
positionof art and artists

a consequence,
attitudes

different

among artists.

used as a method

emergenational

art events . The

as well as easy-goingat what happens

Thereand out of the ordinary.

Asor extreme

Can this situation

I have been wondering:of looking

where theto art activities.

and used to support

in society is peculiar
needs

to be honest ,about Indonesia,

subsidies

has never provided significant

in my country.

are actually never

because,"mainstream"

I am talking

no mainstream.

there is actuallyThis is what happens

or off-stream?

talk about mainstream
What we understandto

Is it still relevant

also bein some other countries

in

Asia?

So-called "alternativeof lack, militancy,

spaces"in Indonesia

heroic attitudes,

very simple, basic, experimental
research

and interactive

kind of "formula."positionare based on real needs, a sense

and networking.

that finally becomesan approachworkshops,

Most of us start with

We do a lot of participatory

management.

We also do a lot of experimentsby redefiningathe artist's

in the society: the artist as social worker; the artist as an activist;

the artist as organizer;

the artist as facilitator;

the artist as mediator. .. andso on . But in the end, will all of us end up in the same "market"? ... so it
seems ... Indeed, the local agenda is more real and interesting

than global

especiallywhen a big

culturalpolitics.

Isn't it betterto be a good surfer

wave is coming?

6

Eko Nugroho: "Please, no Superman ... , I'm married already ... "Superman: "But I love you ... "Drawing by Eko Nugroho, taken from Daging
in ruangrupa, Jakarta . 2004

Tumbuhlaunching party poster

59

7

Most big scale events now often offer strict curatorial
the curator

in a central

position , just like a composer

plan . This has made the position
sometimes

concepts

of curator

and placewith a big floor

become very significant

political . But it is still interestingandto understandthe situa-tion on a more horizontal

level, at least from my experiencein running

ruangrupa. Many curatorscame to ruangrupa

and forth , travelingfrom their

this year. They go backown countries

work for big events such as biennials

to others . They mostly

or triennials. They stayed for only

a few hours but wanted to meet and see as many artists
possible.

After looking

at some work and talking

and artworksasto some artists , they

think they know what is going on in Indonesia . Whatever the curation
really about -eitherof global politics
the exhibition

dealingwith the most contemporary

or the human journeyin life -isphenomena

I often ask : What does

really offer? Where will it end up? Is it purely a product-oriented,fabricatedalienation

experienced

thing?

And this often makesme think

about

the

by the artists.

8

Stomachproblems

that happens

are sometimes

the first symptom

when I go to a differentof culturalplace. Kiran Subbaiah

shockonce told

me that one thing he always does first when he arrives in a new place isto go to McDonalds . Going to McDonalds

is a fine thing to do because

always serves the "same shit ." It may try to reflect local influences
I'm sure it never works becauseitbutthe locals know where to go for a realgood food.

9"Have We Met .. . ?"10

I am sure it must be really boring to be involved in an exhibition
takes a theme similar
makes

to an anthropologicalme tired to read curatorial

What is there to hope for? Hopefully,

exhibition

is not justa reiteration

ing ourselves

this "Have We Met?"of what has happeneda new kind of sensitivity,and our surroundings

.

that

book . It often

when I am invited to join an

exhibition.

simple aim here is to arouse

60

essaysor historicalbefore.

Our

new ways of see-11

In the context
narrativesof Indonesian

have become

real. Artworks

and artists'

sions and everyday stories
impossible

contemporary

dominant.
concepts

Project-based

works

varied practices.

are now similarsometimes

have become

They tend to be collaborativeplines.

Publicthings that are

tendencyrather

The artistic

theand creativepro -and the most interest-

is no longer the center

does not have the power to control

amongthan the final

with other people and other disci-

is important.

cess in such works tends to be more systematic,

the platform/systemandconfes-cynical but not offensive.

an interestingproduct.

ing thing is that the artist

small

they are so warm and unpretentious,

They focus more on the process

involvement

today,

to simpleof close friends and relatives,

for us to miss because

funny, crisp , and delicious,

art practices

They seem to be more relevantof meaning.

He/Shethe whole work. He/She only createsthat can be enteredpart of it. In short, it's a never-endingby those who really want to beexperiment.

12" ... there

is no world

AustinI]

Powersany more,Is all this really about so-called"Can contemporary
tioning and testifying

it's

only

"identity"?

corporations

Or, to ask more specifically:

art really reflect our identity'self' with artistic

Well, I can say, "OJ course ... but what... " (Mr. Two, in

inspiration

if it is an act of quesand sensitivity?"

we need thenis a 'corporate

identity'."13

Let's have some Fun(ds]!

Ade Darmawan (Artist/ Director, ruangrupa, Indonesia)

61