What happens when a dynamic Jakarta -based artists collective, Ruangrupa, takes over Germany’s documenta, one of the most prestigious and forward-looking international art exhibitions?
As a team Art Director, they create a totally radical international art show, giving us all a super reason to book a flight to Europe and support Indonesian culture and the embrace the spirit of lumbung (the familiar rice barn for the village harvest).
Held just once every five years in Kassel, now a racially diverse small city, documenta traditionally showcases the hottest new art stars and veteran artists whose work is instantly recognizable to collectors and curators. But this year, it was clearly time for something magically different. The result is a delightful blend of Indonesian hospitality and cooperation, creating a festival of friendship, with shared spaces and new explorations, under an atmosphere of free communication.
Ruangrupa shifted the focus from individual artists to artist cooperatives, and, like me, most art lovers are not cognizant of more than a couple such groups. Thousands of dedicated artists the world over are working under the radar, getting by on shared resources and ad hoc materials, and Ruangrupa gives recognition to their purpose and impact, beginning with the establishment of Lumbung Artists, advisors who took part in majelis akbar (policy meetings that helped shape the tenor of documenta fifteen).
Marginalized creatives from factories, refugee centers, and geographically remote areas have been granted the same space normally reserved for favored artists in the centuries-old hierarchy of luminary artists, investment art, and art criticism. What we can see in Kassel, until September 25, is instead a no-taboos, grass roots exploration of friendship and egalitarianism. This introduces to the international art world an alternative economy based on non-speculative motivations. I asked the Lumbung Artists if they are drawing patrons and collectors into this circular economy, and, yes, this is now a focus of artists from Palestine to Paris.
For the visitor, documenta map in hand, getting to see all the art is like a treasure hunt around the heart of the verdant city, possibly zipping around on rented razor scooters and bikes, or using the great tram system to access every happening spot. There are old industrial buildings and even a repurposed public pool that Ruangrupa have enlivened with art. Designated bars and beer gardens fringe many of the exhibition spaces, and there’s always Ruru Haus, a friendly hangout for getting tickets, merchandise, and refreshments.
Notable: Jogjakarta’s Taring Padi, have since 1998 created countless vibrant wayang kardus (large colorful cardboard puppets) with the help of children, activists and community groups. Anyone who’s picked up an Indonesian newspaper will relate to the messages and clever personifications of corporate greed and corruption, male chauvinism, and many more calls for change. Gudskul from Java has a fun, hands-on installation that demands the visitor turn artist themselves.
It’s not all protest and politics, though. Exquisite site-specific works and environmental art are also to be enjoyed, and the many repurposed industrial buildings that serve as video galleries are a wonderful summer cool-off between sites. And grass-roots need not mean low budget. There is a lot of sophisticated high technology at documenta fifteen, such as how visitors wield iPads to interact with electronic sculpture by Maori artist collective FAFSWAG.
Ruangrupa has made sure that many invited artists can put their work out in Kassel’s community. While several exhibition halls in one centrally located row make up the epicenter of documenta fifteen, art and performances are in parks, the evocative and bright train station, public spaces, and right in the heart of communities of need. Any ticket holder passes right into the documenta galleries, but families and children without a pass can engage in a wealth of fun activities, and any locals who are not immediately drawn to the public installations at the banks of the river Fulda, a community resource center has been established in a neighborhood where many immigrants and underserved people live. Art and live music have been part of the fun there, and now an established network of support for the entire ecosystem of Kassel, not just in the imposing main exhibition halls.
Yes, if you can’t get to Kassel and support Indonesia’s artists and curators, there are online activities. At any time, round-table type discussions are being broadcast through dedicated YouTube channel youtube.com/c/documentafifteen
Totally free and experimental is 24/7 Lumbung Radio: lumbungradio.stationofcommons.org
Hong Kong’s Asia Art Archive is also broadcasting discussions on documenta fifteen. aaa.org.hk/en/programmes is where to find the ongoing artist discussions, whether on the concept of sharing, or artistic content of the show. Tuesday, 19 July, 1–3pm CET / 7–9pm WITA looks promising,
But you really want to make a detour and be a part of history, right?
Luxury-driven Thai airways has one-stop flights to Frankfurt; Emirates and Qatar Airways have one-stop flights out of Jakarta.
Trains run every half hour from Frankfurt to Kassel; it’s a nice 2.5 hour trip for about $45. The FlixBus runs twice a day in the morning for about $11. Thetrainline.com is simply the best site to book these, and seat61.com is a super resource for European train journeys in general.
Internet accomodations rates can be had through all the usual sites. I suggest starting with Booking.com and Hotels.com
https://documenta-fifteen.de/en/ is where you get all the information you’ll need for ticketing and getting to the exhibition venues.
For other things to do in Kassel, check out thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-kassel-germany/
It’s a biennale year for Venice, where art travelers are taking in the usual elite world of prize-winning installations, so you could consider taking those excellent European trains right on down to Venice just to see the many countries’ art pavilions.
Right here at home, check out The Art of Another Earth, works by Yaari Rom. Through July 24 at Park 23 Gallery and Creative Hub, Tuban (Park 23 Mall). Every day noon to 8pm. Not your usual Bali expat art exhibit.
Indonesian Artists Bring Gotong Royong to the Art World
What happens when a dynamic Jakarta -based artists collective, Ruangrupa, takes over Germany’s documenta, one of the most prestigious and forward-looking international art exhibitions?
As a team Art Director, they create a totally radical international art show, giving us all a super reason to book a flight to Europe and support Indonesian culture and the embrace the spirit of lumbung (the familiar rice barn for the village harvest).
Held just once every five years in Kassel, now a racially diverse small city, documenta traditionally showcases the hottest new art stars and veteran artists whose work is instantly recognizable to collectors and curators. But this year, it was clearly time for something magically different. The result is a delightful blend of Indonesian hospitality and cooperation, creating a festival of friendship, with shared spaces and new explorations, under an atmosphere of free communication.
Ruangrupa shifted the focus from individual artists to artist cooperatives, and, like me, most art lovers are not cognizant of more than a couple such groups. Thousands of dedicated artists the world over are working under the radar, getting by on shared resources and ad hoc materials, and Ruangrupa gives recognition to their purpose and impact, beginning with the establishment of Lumbung Artists, advisors who took part in majelis akbar (policy meetings that helped shape the tenor of documenta fifteen).
Marginalized creatives from factories, refugee centers, and geographically remote areas have been granted the same space normally reserved for favored artists in the centuries-old hierarchy of luminary artists, investment art, and art criticism. What we can see in Kassel, until September 25, is instead a no-taboos, grass roots exploration of friendship and egalitarianism. This introduces to the international art world an alternative economy based on non-speculative motivations. I asked the Lumbung Artists if they are drawing patrons and collectors into this circular economy, and, yes, this is now a focus of artists from Palestine to Paris.
For the visitor, documenta map in hand, getting to see all the art is like a treasure hunt around the heart of the verdant city, possibly zipping around on rented razor scooters and bikes, or using the great tram system to access every happening spot. There are old industrial buildings and even a repurposed public pool that Ruangrupa have enlivened with art. Designated bars and beer gardens fringe many of the exhibition spaces, and there’s always Ruru Haus, a friendly hangout for getting tickets, merchandise, and refreshments.
Notable: Jogjakarta’s Taring Padi, have since 1998 created countless vibrant wayang kardus (large colorful cardboard puppets) with the help of children, activists and community groups. Anyone who’s picked up an Indonesian newspaper will relate to the messages and clever personifications of corporate greed and corruption, male chauvinism, and many more calls for change. Gudskul from Java has a fun, hands-on installation that demands the visitor turn artist themselves.
It’s not all protest and politics, though. Exquisite site-specific works and environmental art are also to be enjoyed, and the many repurposed industrial buildings that serve as video galleries are a wonderful summer cool-off between sites. And grass-roots need not mean low budget. There is a lot of sophisticated high technology at documenta fifteen, such as how visitors wield iPads to interact with electronic sculpture by Maori artist collective FAFSWAG.
Ruangrupa has made sure that many invited artists can put their work out in Kassel’s community. While several exhibition halls in one centrally located row make up the epicenter of documenta fifteen, art and performances are in parks, the evocative and bright train station, public spaces, and right in the heart of communities of need. Any ticket holder passes right into the documenta galleries, but families and children without a pass can engage in a wealth of fun activities, and any locals who are not immediately drawn to the public installations at the banks of the river Fulda, a community resource center has been established in a neighborhood where many immigrants and underserved people live. Art and live music have been part of the fun there, and now an established network of support for the entire ecosystem of Kassel, not just in the imposing main exhibition halls.
Yes, if you can’t get to Kassel and support Indonesia’s artists and curators, there are online activities. At any time, round-table type discussions are being broadcast through dedicated YouTube channel youtube.com/c/documentafifteen
Totally free and experimental is 24/7 Lumbung Radio: lumbungradio.stationofcommons.org
Hong Kong’s Asia Art Archive is also broadcasting discussions on documenta fifteen. aaa.org.hk/en/programmes is where to find the ongoing artist discussions, whether on the concept of sharing, or artistic content of the show. Tuesday, 19 July, 1–3pm CET / 7–9pm WITA looks promising,
But you really want to make a detour and be a part of history, right?
Luxury-driven Thai airways has one-stop flights to Frankfurt; Emirates and Qatar Airways have one-stop flights out of Jakarta.
Trains run every half hour from Frankfurt to Kassel; it’s a nice 2.5 hour trip for about $45. The FlixBus runs twice a day in the morning for about $11. Thetrainline.com is simply the best site to book these, and seat61.com is a super resource for European train journeys in general.
Internet accomodations rates can be had through all the usual sites. I suggest starting with Booking.com and Hotels.com
https://documenta-fifteen.de/en/ is where you get all the information you’ll need for ticketing and getting to the exhibition venues.
For other things to do in Kassel, check out thecrazytourist.com/15-best-things-kassel-germany/
It’s a biennale year for Venice, where art travelers are taking in the usual elite world of prize-winning installations, so you could consider taking those excellent European trains right on down to Venice just to see the many countries’ art pavilions.
Right here at home, check out The Art of Another Earth, works by Yaari Rom. Through July 24 at Park 23 Gallery and Creative Hub, Tuban (Park 23 Mall). Every day noon to 8pm. Not your usual Bali expat art exhibit.