News, analysis and comment - museums & libraries |
First, a little bit of background, because you might be wondering why I’m writing about Indonesia. Not long after starting this column, I moved to Indonesia on an Australian Volunteers International (AVI) placement. I am here in Jakarta to work with Pekerti, a fair trade organization, redesigning and updating their website, while training some of their staff in web and graphic design. So yes, I am now your Indonesia correspondent.
Jogjakarta is reputedly the cultural capital of Indonesia and that certainly seems to hold true, limited though my knowledge and experience here is. Not only are there batik (traditional wax print cloth) sellers and stores everywhere, but many of the walls all across the city are covered in murals. Not surprising in the city of universities, artists and craft-makers. They're amazing too. Practically any style you can think of is there; cartoony, macabre, silhouettes, realistic, 2 & 3D graffiti… You get the idea.
Even some of the houses down by the river near the centre of town (certainly not affluent houses), have colourfully decorated roofs, walls and outward facing windows. The houses may not be perfect and look kind of improvised, but the art makes them more inviting.
For a mostly Islamic country that's seen as being quite a conservative society, Indonesia's art is bright, flamboyant and public. Traditionally, Islamic art does not portray people (more info at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_art and www.muslimheritage.com/features/default.cfm?ArticleID=204 ), but Indonesian street art shows all kinds of characters and situations. It's like an externalisation of the emotions that are otherwise discouraged to be overtly displayed in society. Naturally it's more complex than that, but that's how it appears to me, on the surface.
Looking more closely at the street art, many of the more prominent walls carry some kind of social, environmental or public health/wellfare message. The largest mural wall in Jogja, surrounding a huge compound is all messages of this kind. There's one portraying a kid kicking the crap out of a horde of mosquitoes, warning of the dangers of mosquito borne viruses. Others encourage people to exercise and play sport or are anti cosmetic surgery or encourage a clean lifestyle.
In Jakarta, there are also many of these public message artworks. A long stretch of wall near the centre of town, on a major bus route, is covered in murals carrying a strong environmental about keeping Jakarta clean and green. Not only are walls utilised, but the large columns or pillars holding up overpasses are also adorned with traffic safety and anti-road rage murals.
These have all obviously been either publicly endorsed, commissioned or encouraged in some way. It's interesting to see that in Indonesia, graffiti and murals can be used for public service announcements, advice and positive messages. Quite different to it being shunned and or becoming an outlet for political and social activism, rebellion, fun, marketing or publicity.
I asked Isna, a local teacher, who told me that graffiti is not illegal here. People seem to take it as a given that walls everywhere are painted creatively. Why not? Apparently even the Sultan enjoys murals and paid a Japanese artist an exorbitant sum to paint a prominent wall in Jogja.
What I've found most interesting about the prevalence of street art here, is the mood and feeling it creates. Seeing colourful artwork adorning walls everywhere you go gives you something interesting to look at, makes you happy and inspires you if you're artistically inclined.
I've long thought that a more lax policy or more channelled outputs for graffiti (like the tolerated zones in Melbourne) would be a good thing and Indonesia, for me, reaffirms that argument. When people are openly allowed and even encouraged to create artwork on blank walls in public view, the work changes, because more time can be spent on it and it's not done covertly or in the dark. It becomes more finished and refined, but can lack the rawness and immediacy that can make good graffiti.
Seb Fowler is from Melbourne and is interested in all things art, graphics and comics. He recently returned from a post in Mongolia, designing and maintaining the website for a youth oriented TV show. He's done some illustration, graphic and web design, plus multimedia projects.
E: sebfowler@gmail.commedia release 6 Dec 2010
MUSEUM OF BRISBANE: Museum of Brisbane (MoB) is on the hunt for artwork from former tree lopper and sign writer-turned-artist Robert Brownhall for the first survey of his 20 years of painting.
Scott O'Hara 17 Nov 2010
This month’s column continues from last month (Composing Committees) rounding out what I have learnt from 16 years of working with committees and Boards in the community cultural development.
media release 15 Nov 2010
HISTORY SA: History Week, which had grown to become South Australia’s largest community event, will become About Time: South Australia’s History Festival, and will run throughout the month of May.
Sarah Adams 11 Nov 2010
MUSEUM VICTORIA: Dusty relics on out-of-reach darkened shelves are a thing of the past at the Melbourne Museum.
media release 8 Nov 2010
NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA / WESFARMERS ARTS INDIGENOUS FELLOWSHIP: The National Gallery of Australia and Wesfarmers Arts have announced the inaugural recipients of the Wesfarmers Arts Indigenous Fellowship, Australia’s ...
media release 4 Nov 2010
MUSEUM AND GALLERY SERVICES QUEENSLAND: The 2011 Pilot Mentorship, Exchange and Fellowship Program offers a fantastic professional development opportunity for gallery and museum staff and volunteers working in regional ...
media release 2 Nov 2010
2010 IMAGinE AWARDS: Celebrating and acknowledging excellence and innovation, the 2010 IMAGinE Awards were held at the Museum of Contemporary Art with winners coming from both metropolitan and regional NSW and large and small ...
media release 19 Oct 2010
MUSEUM AND GALLERY SERVICES QUEENSLAND: Now in its seventh year, the GAMAA is a prestigious annual event designed to celebrate the outstanding achievements, professional excellence, and innovation of Queensland’s museum and ...
media release 14 Oct 2010
MELBOURNE MUSEUM: Melbourne Museum will celebrate its 10th birthday in October this year as Australia’s most popular museum, having welcomed more than 7.5 million visitors through its doors to experience award-winning ...
media release 31 Aug 2010
2010 IMAGinE AWARDS: Celebrating and acknowledging excellence and innovation, these awards offer a great guide to some of State’s best institutions and collections for the public.
media release 10 Aug 2010
AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR THE MOVING IMAGE (ACMI): The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) will be the exclusive Australian host city for 'Dreams Come True: The Art of Disney’s Classic Fairy Tales', a major new ...
media release 10 Aug 2010
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART: Work has now started on the $53 million redevelopment of the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), which will deliver a world class art and educational institution.
media release 5 Aug 2010
BURRINJA CULTURAL CENTRE: Burrinja Cultural Centre is delighted to have been awarded The Archival Survival Award for Small Museums, 2010 by Museums Australia (Vic), for its Exemplary Public Programs.
media release 3 Aug 2010
AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT: Minister for the Arts, Peter Garrett, announced the appointment of Mr Peter Dexter AM as Chair of the Australian National Maritime Museum Council.
media release 21 Jul 2010
MULTICULTURAL ARTS VICTORIA: Hon. John Cain named Patron of Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV)
media release 21 Jul 2010
STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA: The President of the Library Board of Victoria, the Hon. John Cain, welcomed the appointment of Bruce Akhurst, Sylvia Geddes and Dennis Goldner to the Library Board of Victoria.
Fiona Mackrell 13 Jul 2010
AUSTRALIA BUSINESS ARTS FOUNDATION: Hearing what businesses think is an important part of further developing corporate partnerships, which done right can be highly beneficial to both parties. Arts organisations can’t afford ...
media release 9 Jul 2010
ORANA ARTS: Orana Arts has signed a memorandum of understanding with five contributing councils.
Josh Nelson 8 Jul 2010
TIM BURTON: THE EXHIBITION (ACMI): Likening the assemblage of his work (previously presented at New York’s Museum of Modern Art) to an “archaeological dig”, even Burton seems genuinely surprised by the size of this collection.
media release 9 Jun 2010
DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, WATER, HERITAGE AND THE ARTS: Arts Minister Peter Garrett has announced more than $459,000 in Festivals Australia funding for 32 projects at regional and community festivals throughout Australia.