‘THE DREAM’
Reinterpretation of Dream in the Perspective of an Artist
This process is designed to show wider public how the procedure and process of this competition conducted openly as an effort to spread the idea that this competition is not only held to collect the best works of our young artist but also to pick their thoughts during their creative process.
Netok Sawiji_Rusnoto Susanto, Curator
The greatest inspiration of a genius is his dream. A genius is able to explore sparkle of his dream and change the world. How a person can survive and live his life without holding on to the power of dream and vision? Because, in fact dream creates culture and build knowledge beyond the limitation of our rational thoughts. The simple and basic explanation is that the power of the dream form strong personal characteristic and strong existential characteristic that can make a person survive and respected in certain social group. Dream insists that a man should be visionary and possesses strong character. Based on these ideals, the theme “THE DREAM” The Power of the Dream is used as a theme framed the event of Tujuh Bintang Art Award 2009 which is expected to be able to trigger the emergence of different kinds of perspective of Indonesia young artists in exploring and collecting inspiration on the dreams exist in our current virtual space.
Tujuh Bintang Art Awards 2009
Tujuh Bintang Art Award 2009 is a program presented to become an important part of the journey and development of contemporary fine art in Indonesia. It is also designed as a form appreciation towards the best ideas and works of Indonesian young artist that has dedicated their entire creative live to produce best works. Moreover, this award is also presented to celebrate harmonics relationship between the organizer of the award and Indonesian young artist ever since Tujuh Bintang art space established a year ago. This relationship is of course based on the qualification of the art work presented in this prestigious competition.
Tujuh Bintang Art Award 2009 is a competition offered as a form of award that marks the journey of young artists in their highest achievement. The competition is very tight and it is involving a team of judges consists of curator, art writers, art critics, and scholars with the best qualification in their own fields. These judges are Suwarno Wisetrotomo (Curator, Fine art critics writer and lecturer and Master degree program in ISI Yogyakarta), Kuss Indarto (Independent Curator), Sujud Dartanto (Independent Curator), Mikke Susanto (Independent curator and Lecturer at ISI Yogyakarta), and Netok Sawiji_Rusnoto Susanto (Independent curator and Lecturer at Fine Art Jakarta Public University/UNJ)
One of the important things we have to know is that this award consists of two stages of selection. First stage is the close selections where judges select works good enough to qualify for the next round based on portfolio of works consist of photo of art work and concept of the work. This stage was held in the meeting room of Santika Hotel Jogjakarta, July 7th 2009. There are 623 artists with the total number of 1508 works participating in the competition. All of the participants come from different cities all around Indonesia and some of them are also students at several art university around Indonesia. The large number of participants and art works participated in the event clearly indicates the maximum effort of the committee of this award to prepare this award within the period of one month since the awards was published. It is indeed the best work of Tujuh Bintang Art Awards 2009 team in cooperation with Tean Organizer (Hanif ZR cs) with their extra ordinary devotion towards the event. The organizer is also very proud of the response and the competitive spirit of our young artist.
The first process of the selection chose 170 art works out of 1508 entries. Then, it was narrowed down to 62 nominees and finally 20 final nominees. These final nominees then were obligated to do public presentation in the second stage of the competition. All of the nominators will also have the chance to join the Art Award exhibition. The second stage of the competition was held on July 21st 2009 in seminar room of Taman Budaya Yogyakarta where all 20 final nominees presented their works which they have already sent to Tujuh Bintang art space earlier, in front of the judges and audience of press, artists, and art critics.
The presentation also invited audience participation to express their view and opinion towards the work and also to do some confirmation on the connection between the work and the concept. This process is designed to show wider public how the procedure and process of this competition conducted so that more people will see that this competition is not only held to collect the best works of our young artist but also to pick their thoughts during their creative process. This pattern of competition would at least force all artists to do some preparation and reflection seriously in order to join this competition or other competition later on. This system also helps the artist to always be aware of their creative process. Here, in this competition, we can do some confirmation on the philosophical based of the work and its intellectual articulation. This process is of course very important because basically every art work is made by involving emotional and intellectual aspects.
The Emergence of Many Visual Tendencies
When artist is exposed with certain theme or on the contrary with no theme at all, they are often shocked and then they will try to explore variety of visual references or retracting certain subjects that can reperesent their anxiety in their creative process. They seek for all visual references and subjects that they can find from the simplest to the most complicated. Other than that, there are also a relieving tendency nowadays that an artist with his deep realization of his art work conduct specific research on the subject matter that represent his creative obsession. This research then considered as the background to build his creative works with technical preparadness and mastery of expression media.
The tendency mentioned above has become our concern because there are not many artist who are willing to know, understand, and comprehend all things related to their conception and and to analyze their own thoughts. When artists are not willing to do research on the subject of their art, they will certainly appear not ready to articulate his reflection, thoughts, and theory. Realization of thoughts and ideas build based on the impulse of intellectual and emotional sensitivity will not only be able to celebrate the change within the development of contemporary art but also will open the chance for the artist to establish his representation. It cannot be denied that contemporary art is a celebration of unusual thoughts that can be intellectually explained. The tendency of an artist to base his creative process with emotional, intellectual, and perceptual consciousness is very important for his art works because it can serve as the spirit of their arts. This creative process is the one that has the potential to produce best works in the future.
The Dream in Interpretative Understanding and Artistic Qualification
There are several important notes from the process of judging the entries sent to the competition. One of the most important notes is that there is a tendency to create similar images in choosing the language of expression even though each art work has variety of aesthetic strength and technical achievement. From 1500 entries, 60 participants were chosen as nominees and this number of nominees then narrowed down to 20 final nominees to join second slection. It means that the judges with their careful consideration only choose 10% of all entries to become nominees. However, at the end there are only 59 participants/nominees qualified to join the exhibition due to several technical problems.
Other important notes is the fact that out of more than 1500 entries, only 59 were chosen and only 20 out of those 59 were able to join the public presentation. Certainly it is not easy to do so. In this opportunity, I would like to explain a little bit about the detail of the selection process of Tujuh Bintang Art Awards 2009. This competition give the opportunity to redefined the meaning of The Dream in interpretative understanding which conceptually build with the highest dedication of the artist to explore as well as to represent their aesthetic values and to observe the artistic qualification. Several interesting arguments were found at this stage when we do some confirmation on the works of the final nominees. Take as an instance the presentation from Desrat Fianda, Made Wiguna Valasara, Syaiful A. Rachman, Rudi Hendriatno, Cipto Purnomo, I Wayan Upadana, Muhammad Yusuf Siregar, Suparyanto, Erianto, I Kadek Agus Ardika, Deden FG, Kadafi Gandi, Kusuma, Edi Maesar, Purwanto, Khusna Hardiyanto, Wibowo Adi Utama, Dedy Maryadi, Hasto, Edi Setiawan a.k.a Iwan Hasto, Angga Aditya Atmadilaga, dan Rocka Radipa (although Rocka Radipa was finally expelled from the competition and the exhibition because of several technical reason)
There are many ideas able to be delivered argumentatively when the judge publish its decision which then automatically lead us to refer to several aspects assessed. However, in this curatorial writing, I will not do comprehensive review on the process of assessing the work of art. Instead, I will give general picture on why the best works of these young artists deserve to be presented before you.
It is interesting to observe the work of Desrat Fianda (‘Bingkai Istimewa #2/The Special Frame #2, Take Wood, car paint, Acrylic on canvas, Semi 3D painting, 154cm x 154cm x 12cm, 2009) especially when he presented his thoughts on the basic idea of his creative process which has already been comprehensively tested by the judges. The innovation of his concept is very interesting specifically when he is able to create painting that combine 3D object in a 2D media by switching the function of frame on paintings. His intelectual realization leads him to produce creative and non convensional painting.
The strong and clear description of the work that he delivered in front of the judges clearly shows his idealism on the role of the frame as the first object in this case as the gift ribbon. It is very interesting especially when he said that his canvas does not demand many artistic explorations because of its role as mediator to represent image of gift. He explained further in the presentation that the role of the frame in his painting has the similarity with the role of the ribbon of the gift. They are both placed outside and they can also tie or decorate. Therefore, the shift of form from painting frame to gift ribbon is an articulation of something that seems impossible to be done but it is actually possible. This concept is Fianda’s version of what he believes as the power of the dream. It is a power to turn something impossible into something possible and even certain. Here, the role of the discourse is very crucial to describe something that concern the painter argumentatively. His presentation is considered very successful because he fufill all the aspects refer to in his painting both generally and specifically.
One of the important person of Sentak group that has been receiving many attention lately, Made Wiguna Valasara, explore his realization on the condition of the earth in a very interesting and specific way not only in ihts visual representation but also in the artist understanding of the earth that he observe in his art work entitled: ‘Menyudut’, Diameter 150 cm, Acrylic, rattan on canvas, 2009. Valasara sees the concerning condition of the world with its high population that feed all the land available which causes the round shape of the earth to fade away due to the rapid development of city landscape. This condition threatens the existence of the earth with all of its organic substance which shifts the function and role of the earth is filled with rigid forms. It means that almost all situations similar to what has been explained above, trigger pessimism which indirectly threatens the existence of the earth and the human race. Optimism, on the other hand will only emerge if the people of the world have adequate realization on the existence of the earth and the sustainability of our life.
The interesting thing captured from Valasara’s presentation is that when an artist is able to build empathy towards their surroundings and to capture implicit messages he receive in his life, he will automatically have the power of imagination and the strength of sense and feelings which present themselves through the power of interaction and the dreams in living his life. The visualization which shows many lines crossing above each other as if the lines are fighting for space for them represent the limited and dilemmatic situation of the existence of the earth nowadays. Valasara then assumed that by putting collage of rattan on both side of the canvas can help him expresses the situation which is moving, streaming, and decreasing like what happen with this earth.
Valasara explained further that he wants to articulate his concern towards the condition of the earth not only in the form of concept but he also implements it in his daily life. He said that he has been trying to reduce the use of platic bags in his daily life because he thinks that plastic bags will trigger the destruction of the nature. This realization is the one that gives the opportunity of human kind to keep dreaming and hoping.
Syaiful A. Rachman presented a work of art that gives extraordinary sensation to our eyes with detail of hundreds of object representing football players with its imajinary football team costum in his works entitled 11:11, Acrylic on Canvas, 153x210 cm, 2009. The visual appearance that is so superficial challenged out guts to place our eyes in the perspective of the punctuality of eagle eyes. His skill and technical mastery in playing with optical illusion indicate the work of art as something worth mentioning. Moreover, the uniqueness of his artistical technique is extra ordinary and almost incomparable to his presentation ability. All of the visual aspects of his works is so inspiring and if we see it through the perspective of technical ability and the ability to master the media, we can see it clearly that this work deserve to be presented in Tujuh Bintang Art Awards 2009. Small criticism from all the judges is that even though this work visually amazing, the presentation of the conception works beyond the context of the work which is not significantlty explained the work. Acvording to us, this is the importance of the process of public selection and verbal presentation where an artist is challenged to describe the idea behind his art work in a logical, scientifical, and responsible way. At least, this is one of the visions of this competition.
It seems that through his painting, Syaiful A Rachman wanted to express his concern towards the acceleration of mass culture in liberalist and capitalistic society. Tampaknya Syaiful A, Rachman hendak bertutur perihal akselarasi budaya masa yang berkembang pada wilayah masyarakat liberalis dan kapitalistik. Reffering to his basic idea, he thinks that 11:11 is a fundamental consciousness that nature is dependent towards the system that put forward quantitative aspect instead of qualitative one so that communities are easily trapped in the stream of the culture of consumerism.
Other reference towards his work 11:11 is that 11:11 reflected order as the order of the nature that has the ability to manage and maintain itself in its capacity and obedience to time and space organized in the system arranged by absolute will. In conclusion, Syaiful wanted to present his thoughts and place them in a context with his understanding on mass culture that influence the character of the communitu in the strength of popular culture configurations within his work.
Rudi Hendriatno, ‘Take Off’, Teak Wood (kayu jati), 240x160x130cm, 2009, said that every human has their own dream and that they live for their their dream. In order to start the journey to follow their dream, people need a form of vehicles. This vehicle is something that will take them to meet their dream. The imitation of the form of skateboard in its actual size and its real function become the starting point of the creation of his art work which often understand as one that posseses undeniable artistic and aesthetic aspects.
The use of skateboard is used as a metaphor to represent something fast, light, attractive, and able to slide in certain speed. This skateboard offers artistic visual form and aerodynamics that directly can be referred to the word aeronautics. Skateboard normally used by the younger generation as a part of their hobby in sport. On the one hand, it has high level of difficulty and high level of vulnerability towards accident. On the other hand, it offers high motivation and triggers adrenaline. In the hand of artist like Rudi Hendriatno, skateboard can be modified by giving wings on both side of the skateboard which will emerege a hole new image that lead our imagination to discover the totality of the idea by thinking of the words of flying, freedom, speed, and the certainty that dream is indeed reachable.
Cipto Purnomo, ‘Mengendalikan Diri’, Batu Andesit, 100cm x 60cm x 40cm, 2009, wanted to articulate something fundamental and something substantial. The most popular statement among the community of santri abangan in Indonesia is that “the most difficult enemy to conquer is our own self.” However, he also wanted his work to be able to immediately explain an unlimited relation with dream which he considered as something that we want to have or to reach. Sometimes it is hard to reach the dream but human will always finds the best way fulfill his dream. Therefore, Cipto implicitly argued that human needs to control themselves. The object of elephant is used as a metaphor to explain that no matter how big the superior power of human, it is always essential for them to be able to control themselves. What is interesting from his creative process is the uniqueness of the visual of his worlks which put forward ancient imagery with a touch of contemporary thoughts. These two aspects are the ones that Cipto tries to combine as well as to split.
Visual Text in Various Context of Representation
Let us now take a look at the work of 59 nominees as follows: Dedy Sufriadi, Yudi Irawan, Rokhim Maosart, Miranti Minggar Triliani, Danny Irawan, Nawir Mc Pitt, M. Wira Purnama, Agung Santosa, Baswara Indrajati, Handry L.S, Pande Nyoman Alit Wijaya Suta, RB. Setiawanta, Hilmi Fabeta, I Gede Arya Sucitra, Nugroho Wijayatmo, Dani ‘King’ Heriyanto, I Made Ngurah Sadnyana, Afdhal , Nugroho Heri Cahyono, Dhomas Yudhistira (Kampret), Achmad Basuki, Mulyo Gunarso, Untung Yuli Prastiawan, Widhi Kertiya Semadi, Ferry Gabriel, I Wayan Legianta, Tri Wahyudi, Kadek Agus Mediana (Cupruk), I Made Adinata Mahendra, Roni Ammer, Bambang Supriyadi, Budi Agung Kuswara a.k.a Kabul, Jouhan Jauhari, Baskoro latu, Nur Fitriyah , Agus Triono, Dwi Rustanto, Ivan Yulianto, Imam Abdillah, dan Andi Riyanto (Laghost). Generally, they use two dimentional media, three dimentional media, and variable media. Only two of those works use multi media with extra ordinary level of exploration.
Observing the tendency of around 1500 entries sent to the committee of the award, we can see that the appearance of visual language in Tujuh Bintang Art Awards 2009 reminds us of the dynamics of modern fine art described by Greenberg which at that time start a movement of cleaning according to order which worked beyond figuration and depth ended in the effort of plain imagery or the use of color only. What Danto considered as the end of art is what philosophically stated as the fall of all expert narration. Then Pop Art acted as its graveyard by emerging a new form of art and created milestone in fine art by integrating fine art in the post-historical pattern of freedom where everything can be observed as the work of art. Warhol’s Brillo Box for instance can stand as the ephiphany of the celebration of the Three Kings in Christianity. At least, we can use Warhol as a sample case in an effort of sympathetic and witty reading of theatricalization of everyday life as a follow up of historical avant-garde which lift the obstacles between art and life the art represent.
The development of the discourse of course triggers young people to celebrate perfect artistic freedom where everything is permitted even though it challenges the Hegelian concept of aesthetics. This enthusiasm then ends at the realization of the more philosophical nature of art. Art can infiltrate through the area of philosophy at the moment which is utilized to make an intellectual decision in determining which one is art and which one is not art. Neo-avant-garde moves to embody the objective of shifting the paradigms towards the practice of postmodernism which continues to be expanded until today. Postmodern never entirely aimed to banish the modern. Both modern and postmodern always exist in its most respected understanding because they are extremely visionary in seeing the imagined future and re-manifested past. However, postmodern in a different understanding put forward anthitesis not only in terms of aesthetic manisfestation but also politics. This history is still considered too young to be able to reconstruct its loosing pieces thus it has the potential to present contradictory atmosphere. One of the instances is the shifting paradigm in fine art that has wider tendency to do concept exploration which triggers tension in the discourse of postmodern art.
This competition brings the atmosphere explained above. Almost all artists participated in the award presented their ideas by using realistic visual language. Only few of them used non-representative objects. Images easily identified in the entries are images that reflect the effort of every artist to enter the area of contemporary fine art with visual representation and the power of ideas that based their creative exploration. This competition then is able to indicate the development of contemporary fine art of today, or at least it will be enough to serve as the media to monitor the development of fine art discourses and to predict the future of fine art.***
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