Page 70 - 50.La Biennale di Venezia issue of World of Art Magazine

BIENNALE VENEZIA

50TH INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION 2003

Dreams and Conflicts - The Dictatorship of the Viewer

ARTE COMMUNICATIONS

la Biennale di Venezia INDONESIA

Paradise Lost: Mourning of the World
2nd participation of INDONESIA since 1954
Artists: Dadang Christanto, Arahmaiani, Tisna Sanjaya, Made Wianta
Commissioner: Sumarti Sarwono
Curator: Amir Sidharta Co-Curator: Paolo De Grandis
INDONESIA MADE Vice Commissioner: Grace Anna Maria
Organized by INDONESIAN EXPOSITION
WIANTA 2003
Co-organized by Arte Communications

On Saturday, 12 October 2002 (just a year, a month and a day after the influence and form their artistic work. Currently working as a resident
attack on the twin towers of the World Trade Center on Tuesday, 11 artist an lecturer in Darwin, Australia, Dadang Christanto (b. Tegal, C.
September 2001), two bombs exploded in Kuta on the Island of Bali, killing Java, 1957) presents Cannibalism, a piece that was initially done not
180 individuals, mostly Australians, but also Americans, Europeans and long after the violent riots that hit Indonesia in 1998. The piece consists
Indonesians. The incident sent a grim message to the world that there of what seems to be chunks of meat (crafted out of ceramics) threaded
was no longer any place in the entire world that was isolated from terror on skewers, roasted on a four meter long barbeque grill that would
and violence. Since “9.11” changed the state of the world, terror was remind one of the Indonesian dish, sate (satay), usually served with
even happening on the Island of Paradise. A global conflict has affected spicy peanut sauce. For Arahmaiani (b. Bandung, W. Java, 1961), the Bali
world’s dream-world’s sense of peace and freedom. Paradise is now lost! bomb is a result of the prejudice and hatred that develops amidst the
After being absent from the event for around half a century, Indonesia will social, political and economic imbalance and injustice that is happening
be participating once again at the 50th INTERNATIONAL ART EXHIBITION in the world today. Moreover, she observes that the world is becoming
La Biennale di Venezia, featuring the work of four artists representing even more polarized than ever, and prejudice has further developed
the centers of art in the country (Bandung and Yogyakarta on Java, and around the world. “As an artist with an Islamic background, I think that
Bali). The project focuses on Bali, “Paradise Lost”, as a starting point to this is a matter that needs to be addressed, not from the viewpoint of any
introduce the contemporary art emerging from this tumultous nation, of the sides/parties in conflict (Islam and the West), but my own personal
and a point from which the artists explore contemporary issues that point of view,” she states. (Amir Sidharta)

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