Indonesian Women Artists # 3 : Infusions Into Contemporary Art

Ten Contemporary Women Artists
Envisioning the world ahead

Background

During the past few centuries, art by women artists has not enjoyed adequate exposure due to a prevailingly male dominated society, resulting in a great lack of information and understanding of women artists’ contributions to the world of painting, sculpture and other forms of art, leaving huge gaps in the writing of Indonesian art history. 

To remedy the lack, Carla Bianpoen, Farah Wardani and Wulan Dirgantoro decided it was time to fill the gap in art historical publications which had somehow left the women behind. They undertook a major research into the lives and works of women artists of random ages, resulting in the book Indonesian Women Artists: The Curtain Opens, which was published alongside an exhibition curated by Wulan Dirgantoro. Encompassing 33 women artists, the book was published by the Visual Art Foundation, Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia and launched at the National Gallery of Indonesia on 16 February 2019. 

In 2019, the co-founders of Indonesian Women Artists (IWA) including Carla Bianpoen and Cemara Enam Foundation launched the book “Indonesian Women Artists #2 : Into The Future”, together with the exhibition by 21 young contemporary women artists, aged between 27 until 41 years, at the National Gallery of Indonesia. In this, the late Professor Dr. Toety Heraty Noerhadi-Roosseno who founded Cemara Enam Foundation and the Cemara- 6 Gallery-Museum on 4 December 1993, was an important patron, whose legacy of ideas, conceptual thoughts and mission stand as an enlightening example that we are committed to fulfill. 

Ten artists envision the world as they see it. In this very special exhibition of “IWA #3 : Infusions Into Contemporary Art”, we will present 10 fascinating women artists who in their careers and spectacular works have been consistently productive during two decades and whose creative works have become well-known nationally and internationally. The artists are: Arahmaiani, Bibiana Lee, Dyan Anggraini, Dolorosa Sinaga, Indah Arsyad, Mella Jaarsma, Melati Suryodarmo, Nunung WS, Sri Astari Rasjid and Titarubi.  The exhibition which runs from presents a world of diverse imaginations in a unity not unlike  the national and global understanding of Unity in Diversity.

Acknowledgement

Special thanks to the patrons who generously supported IWA#2 and IWA#3, the late Prof. Dr. Toeti Heraty Noerhadi-Roosseno, Prof. Dr. Saparinah Sadli and Giok Hartono; and our standing advisor Maman Wiryawan. Our high appreciation goes to Bapak Pustanto, the Head of the National Gallery of Indonesia who has been very supportive of this IWA#3 exhibitions and Dr. Hilmar Farid, the Director General of Culture, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology through his generous support for the exhibition of women artists since the beginning and for Bapak Yudi Wahyudin, one of the directors who has updated the status of the exhibition intensively.  To the secretary of the Director General of Culture, Bapak Fitra Arda whose kind assistance we duly recognized.

Many thanks are due to Ahmad Mahendra, Director of Film, Music and Media and Tubagus Andre Sukmana for their insights into the importance of documenting the creative process of these 10 women artists with a film that is produced for the very first time in history.

I would also like to thank all those who helped to make and support this exhibition: the patrons,the artists, National Gallery of Indonesia, photographers, film documentary, videographers, virtual 360 and the archives Tim Motion Graphic Linimasa; Gita Hastarika, Lisistara Lusiandiana (Indonesian Visual Art Archive) dan Maura Zulfa Rumany.

I much appreciate the efforts of the initiator, especially Ibu Carla Bianpoen, as a writer as well as curator who never gave up, the curator Citra Smara Dewi and Widia Djatiningrum for her moral support since 2018 to the Cemara 6 Galeri-Museum, our Exhibition team Restu Imansari Kusumaningrum, and Agung Hujatnikajennong and particularly Ily Ditanesia who has stood by us from the very early beginning. 

Last but not least, huge thanks to all the women artists: Arahmaiani, Bibiana Lee, Dyan Anggraini, Dolorosa Sinaga, Indah Arsyad, Mella Jaarsma, Melati Suryodarmo, Nunung W.S., Sri Astari Rasjid, and Titarubi. Their involvement and participation sets a defining mark on the importance of this exhibition with its variety of media, from painting, drawing, sculpture, film and performance to photography, installation art, and ancient mythical symbols morphed into advanced science and technology and digital video installations. 

Next Step

let me close with the hope that we will all continue to be blessed with good health and may our next step: an International Women’s Biennale, take shape in the not too distant future.

Inda Citraninda Noerhadi
Cemara Enam Foundation
Jakarta, March 2022