Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a

Locally-grown Curator Collective

Jeong Ok Jeon

Department of Visual Art, Jakarta State University, Jakarta, Indonesia

Keywords: ARCOLABS, Indonesian media art, media art curating, collaboration, participation and interactivity.

Abstract: Year 2019 seems to be one of the most fascinating years in recent history of Indonesian media art. A number

of media art exhibitions and festivals have been anticipated throughout the year by numerous organizers as

diverse as artist collectives, independent curators, and government sectors. The return of the Cellsbutton, a

media art festival led by Yogyakarta-based new media artist collective, MAG 19, which is the first showcase

of Media Arts Globale organized by Europe-settled Indonesian independent curator, and Media Art Week

(Pekan Seni Media) and Instrumenta, annual media art festivals hosted by Ministry of Education and Culture

in Indonesia are part of this exciting map. In such diverse circumstances, an Indonesian curator collective

called ARCOLABS has played an instrumental role in enhancing the development of media art curatorial

practices in the country. In this paper, I begin with explaining ARCOLABS’s consistent efforts to building

numerous thematic and aesthetic approaches in order to introduce media art exhibitions in Indonesia. Then, I

further explore the importance of collaboration in media art curating with various individuals and sectors

across disciplines. I also discuss the new role granted to audience at the participatory and interactive structure

of the exhibition in which their multiple sensory experiences are the key elements in media art appreciation.

Essentially, this paper aims to reveal the various facets of current phenomena of media art practices in

Indonesia by answering to the questions of what knowledge is required in curating media art exhibition in

terms of theory and practice; what new role is granted to media art curator; and what new experience is

expected to audience.

1 INTRODUCTION

Since 1993 when the concept of curatorship as an art

profession was first introduced to The 9

Jakarta

Biennale (Biennale Seni Rupa Jakarta IX),

Indonesian contemporary art has grown parallel with

the development of Indonesian curatorial practice

(Supangkat, 2018, p.1). By altering its title from

Indonesian Painting Exhibition (Pameran Seni Lukis

Indonesia) initiated in 1974 to Jakarta Biennale in

1993, this international art platform adopted

curatorship as an attempt to present contemporary art

development of the 1980s through the post-modern

perspectives. Unlike the previous biennales focusing

on two-dimensional painting as the main medium, the

exhibition featured the diverse presentation of

creative mediums including installation, video, and

performance (Timeline, 2018), the practices that are

based on time or the fourth-dimension.

In the 1990s, the Indonesian art landscape could

be characterized by the pluralism of various

expressions. The creation of technology-based media

art contributed to such diverse phenomena. One of the

artists devoted to the earlier development of media art

was Krisna Murti, who is considered a pioneer in

exploring video as an art medium. His artistic

concerns include criticizing the ideological power

behind media technology, the television. Through his

work, he elaborated his first-hand observation on how

the television, or mass media, manipulated the public

during the military dictatorship, and further made a

shift to the society during the collapse of the New

Order regime (Hujatnika, 2009, pp.2-3).

In the similar sense, Krisna’s works were also

concerned with television’s ‘one-way’

communication that places audience as a passive

recipient. As if suggesting a solution, another

Indonesian forerunner Heri Dono looked into

‘interactivity’ between art and audience. By manually

assembling and providing a new life to the second-

hand electrical components, Heri’s animism inspired

kinetic installation raised a question on the meaning

of technology for the locals. Mostly dealing with the

humble machine of everyday life, people surrounding

Jeon, J.

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective.

DOI: 10.5220/0008527100880100

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative Technology (CREATIVEARTS 2019), pages 88-100

ISBN: 978-989-758-430-5

the artist in Yogyakarta considered everyday machine

as valuable as cutting-edge technology due to its

strong connection to their daily life that is influenced

by tradition and culture (Hujatnika, 2009, p.4). It is

legitimate to say that sound, light, and movement

generated by means of interactivity shown in much of

his works later became seminal elements in works of

Indonesian media art.

Undoubtedly, the video art of Krisna Murti and

interactive kinetic installation of Heri Dono paved the

way for younger generation to expand their

experiments with more advanced technology in

creating their work of art. Growing up with various

digital tools and computer in particular, such young

artist initiatives recognized the importance of digital

technology and explored its possibility within their

artistic experimentation and creative process. The

earlier groups include HONF in Yogyakarta (1999),

Ruang Rupa in Jakarta (2000) and Bandung Center

for New Media Arts in Bandung (2001) (Timeline,

2018)

. Although their subject matter and the way of

practice differs from one another, they commonly

pursue blending art with different disciplines, such as

science and technology in order to address the way

technological development has changed a daily life in

Indonesia.

It is interesting to note that these artist groups

rather than curator first conducted media art curating

in Indonesia. Therefore, apart from practicing as

media artist, they also initiated video and technology-

based art exhibitions and festivals in the city of their

base. For example, Ruang Rupa kicked off biannually

held OK. Video: Jakarta International Video Festival

in 2003 to support video art development in

Indonesia. Starting in 2015 it changed its name to OK.

Video: Indonesia Media Arts Festival showcasing

expanded art forms ranging from sound, Internet,

social media and audio-visual art, along with

traditional medium of video and film (Sukmana,

2015, p.5). In 2005, HONF started to organize video

focused international festival called YIVF –

Yogyakarta International Videowork Festival and ran

annually until 2012, but their enthusiasm for pursuing

innovation and convergence between art and science

made them initiate the first Cellsbutton – Yogyakarta

International Media Art Festival in 2007. One of the

core missions of this annual media art festival lies in

education and supporting local creative communities.

After a six-year hiatus, Cellsbutton returns this year

and is held concurrently with annual Transformaking,

a maker’s platform that began in 2013 (Christ, 2019).

OK. Video and Cellsbutton were based on the

form of festival. Along with an artwork showcase, the

festival consisted of numerous other programs such

as open labs, workshops, film screening, audio-visual

performances, and discussion series. The festival was

undoubtedly an exciting event in that it offered a

variety of attractions and various programs to

participate, but it was sometimes overwhelming in

terms of the number of works and programs, which

results in some works not fitting to the theme of the

festival and not all programs thoroughly appreciated.

On the other hand, the media art exhibition organized

on a smaller scale provided an opportunity for

audience to concentrate on each work of art in relation

to the exhibition theme. As a result, audience could

comprehend the message of the exhibition that

curator attempts to deliver. In mid 2010, a curator

collective called ARCOLABS came into the

contemporary art scene in Indonesia and made fresh

efforts, particularly in developing different curatorial

approaches to media art.

In 2014 ARCOLABS began its curatorial

practices as Center for Art and Community

Management within Surya University, aiming to

enhance creativity and innovation through a variety

of practice-based programs including visual art

exhibitions, community development projects, hands-

on workshops, student research, and other academic

and non-academic events. Led by three female

curators with various backgrounds

, ARCOLABS

became independent of the university in 2016 and has

currently focused on curatorial and education

programs. Through their art and technology program,

ARCOLABS has developed and experimented

specific curating methods for media art exhibition.

Unlike curating traditional exhibitions, media art

curating requires different knowledge and the way of

presentation. The works in the traditional exhibition

mostly represented by paintings and sculptures, or so-

called object-based, are static and visual, and

therefore often categorized by medium, scale, and

chronology in their arrangement. On the other hand,

by utilizing digital technology, media art, by its

nature, is often based on time (unless it is a digitally

manipulated two-dimensional photography or

illustration) and contains non-material elements that

demand new understanding on its presentation.

This paper aims to discuss the instrumental role

that ARCOLABS plays in enhancing the

development of media art curatorial practices in

Indonesia. It begins explaining ARCOLABS’s

constant efforts to introducing media art exhibitions

in Indonesia by means of experimenting with

numerous thematic and aesthetic approaches. Then, it

further explores the importance of collaboration in

media art curating with various individuals and

sectors across disciplines. It also discusses the new

role granted to audience at the participatory and

interactive structure of the exhibition in which their

multiple sensory experiences are the key elements in

media art appreciation. Essentially, this paper aims to

reveal the various facets of the current phenomena of

media art practices in Indonesia and provide a

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective

theoretical and practical knowledge to local curators

who are interested in media art for their curatorial

work.

2 THEORETICAL

FRAMEWORKS

2.1 Elements and Principles of Media

Art

The term ‘media’ in media art, as generally known,

refers to mass media that is based on media

technology (Rancajale, 2017, p.xix). Hence, when we

say media, we are talking about all the different

methods of communication in massive scale that

reaches out to large number of people. Commonly

known media include print, recordings, cinema in

earlier form and radio and television in later system.

Through these media technology, our ideas and

information have been able to be stored and

distributed (in the physical form of book, CD and

video), or transmitted (via cable networks). Since

1990s all aforementioned media made it possible into

one system called the Internet, or ‘newer media’

based on computer technology and now by using

smartphone, we can communicate at anytime and

anywhere (Eric, 2015).

Media art that incorporates media technology

requires new set of aesthetic elements and principles.

Unlike in traditional art of paintings and sculptures

where lines, colors, shapes, and space matter, the

seminal elements in media art include time, light,

sound, and movements with which one can create,

discuss and criticize a work of art. In addition, as

ways to arrange the elements of art to communicate

creatively and effectively, media art is based on such

principles as causality, duration, interactivity and

musicality, rather than value, balance, rhythm, and

unity found in paintings and sculptures (Mueller,

2017). Now we are experiencing media art with more

extended technology such as augmented reality,

virtual reality, robotics, bio-technology, AI, and real-

time data transmission. In this circumstance of

emerging technology, or new media, and its adoption

by artist, understanding the concepts and

characteristics of the elements and principles

pertinent to media art is a crucial task not just for artist

but also for curator who pursue working with media

and new media art.

For example, when an artist deals with the

duration of a work, he/she should consider its

effectiveness to viewer’s concentration and

comprehension of the work. As Mueller states,

duration of the work can range from milliseconds to

years and the experience of the work can be

instantaneous. Based on telematic operation system,

Ken Goldberg’s art and technology installation titled

“Telegarden” lasted for 9 years (1995-2004).

Consisting of a soil bed and a robotic arm, the work

allowed remote gardeners to water, plant and view a

garden via online control. The work seemingly

emphasized the role of the community by inviting

people from all over the world to cultivate small

ecological systems collectively. In contrast to the

speed of the Internet, this cyber garden grows in

slower pace that can last as long as it is connected to

a remote social network (Mueller, 2017, pp.216-217).

2.2 New Media Art Curating

The complexity of new media art curating is due to

the characteristics/behaviors of the works of new

media art as argued by Beryl Graham and Sarah

Cook, the practicing curators, academicians and co-

authors of “Rethinking Curating: Art after New

Media”. In the book they define new media art as “art

that is made using electronic media technology and

that displays any or all of the three behaviors of

interactivity, connectivity, and computability in any

combination” (Graham, 2010, p.10). In other words,

even if artwork is themed around science technology,

if it is not made through digital process of technology,

then they are not part of this art form. The authors

further argue that new media should be understood as

behaviors not as mediums because it is characterized

as process rather than object (Graham, 2010, p.5).

“Many new media art projects (though certainly not

all) are not interested in the object outcome, but rather

in the process, the engagement, and the

interaction…new media art is not necessarily

materialistic, but is instead concerned with method

rather than with final form” (Graham, 2010, p.61).

In new media art curating, space and time are the

essential elements to comprehend. Today’s art is

getting more immaterialized that it is often

experienced through the system of networks and/or

virtual space. Hence one shall get into the system to

be connected to the work of art (Graham, 2010, p.60),

which in turn gives the new condition to new media

art space with an environmental infrastructure that is

appropriate for web-based art

iii

. As far as space is

concerned in new media art curating, time is

correspondingly essential as both time and space are

inseparable. Curators dealing with new media art

must understand how the characteristics of time in

new media art differs from the time in video and

performance: for example, new media art that is based

on “behaviors of connectivity and computability”

(Graham, 2010, p.92) provides a “real-time”

experience while video art and performance art are

understood as “time-based” or “live” (Graham, 2010,

CREATIVEARTS 2019 - 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative

p.87). Furthermore, “if video’s default option is the

simple recording and transmission…of real-time

visual information, then the computer’s talents lie in

the manipulation of data (ideally in real time)”

(Graham, 2010, p.97). Considering co-operation

between absolute time inherent in art and relative

time of experiencing art, curators of new media art

must pay attention to time issue when mounting an

exhibition.

Reflecting the notion that new media art is

characterized as process rather than object, who is

involved in the process and how, should be taken into

consideration (Graham, 2010, p.111). In traditional

exhibition, one experiences a work of art through

internal and spiritual interaction in one’s state of

mind. This type of interaction is based on a visual

experience that stimulates an aesthetic sense of the

individual by very personal levels. In the case of

media art exhibitions, however, interactive activities

are carried out by the direct intervention of and

communication by the audience's body. In this

circumstance the audience becomes a participant who

actively intervenes in the work using one’s various

senses beyond visual. However, as Graham and Cook

pointed out, it is important to note that in many cases

interaction is not truly “acting upon each other”. In

other words, it is not a two-way interaction, but

instead, one-way “reaction”. By “reaction” it means

that if an audience operates a mechanic part in art,

then the art reacts by the audience’s stimulus

(Graham, 2010, p.112). How to make true

interactivity (two-way interaction) still remains as a

challenge for curators because it is one of the

important parts of behaviors in new media art.

3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The research refers to a qualitative method based on

the data about Indonesian media art and artist in order

to explore the growing phenomena of media art

practices in the country. It also refers to a qualitative

method over the specific media art exhibitions

organized by ARCOLABS, a locally-grown curator

collective focusing on media art exhibition in order to

examine its role and contribution to developing media

art scene in Indonesia. The research analyzed a wide

range of collected data from theoretical text in media

art and curating, conference paper, artist statement,

exhibition catalogue and curatorial essay. The

research is also based on personal involvement of

curating numerous media art exhibitions over the past

years; therefore, it provides a curator’s direct

experience and perspective. This paper hopes to

reveal the various facets in the recent development of

media art in Indonesia while answering to the

questions of what knowledge is required in curating

media art exhibition in terms of theory and practice;

what new role is granted to media art curator; and

what new experience is expected to audience.

4 FINDINGS

4.1 Various Themes and Aesthetics of

ARCOLABS’s Media Art

Exhibition

Since its inception in 2014, ARCOLABS has

constantly curated exhibitions that include media art.

Each exhibition is developed based on certain theme

that reflects the importance of time when the

exhibition was made. From big data to nomadism,

from eco-politics to artificial intelligence, the media

art exhibitions by ARCOLABS aim to broaden a

thematic possibility that media art can express, rather

than merely concentrating on technological impact of

‘media’ to our society and/or demonstrating

characteristics of media as a ‘medium’ that is often

seen in other media art exhibitions. By suggesting

various interesting themes, ARCOLABS has enabled

media art exhibitions to be more accessible by the

public. Among many examples, three exhibitions

shall be analyzed and discussed in this section,

namely Visualizing the Invisible (2016), Nomadic

Traveler (2017), and Typotopia (2014).

4.1.1 Visualizing the Invisible

Visualizing the Invisible (2016) was held in

conjunction with Data for Life Conference 2016, an

international conference that aimed to raising

awareness about the power of big data and its related

technology. The exhibition aimed to present a variety

of perspectives toward the idea of data through the

eyes of media artists who demonstrate how media art

pushes boundaries between art and technology (Jeon,

2016b). The curatorial process began with an

acknowledgement that data is an unfamiliar subject

for both artists and public. Although overwhelmingly

connected through online, we did not notice how our

online activities are related to data in terms of its

production and dissemination. Considering

increasing concern about data from many different

fields, this exhibition was made timely enough,

giving a new flavor on how to understand invisible

data as an exhibition theme by means of artistic

attempt (ARCOLABS, 2016b).

Seven artists were invited to the exhibition.

Despite the limited numbers of the participating

artists, each artist presented his/her work in large

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective

scale with in-depth exploration. They presented their

work in unique way on how to read, understand and

visualize the subject matter, leaving powerful

impression on the audience. For example, the real

time movement of currency data by Mioon, which is

portrayed as a digital forest, reminded us of its

dominant and ubiquitous impact on our lives (Fig. 1).

By using data from bacteria and plants and

incorporating scientific methodology of

photosynthesis process, HONF suggests a possibility

of art beyond its comfort zone. As a showcase of

artists from different parts of the world, the exhibition

provided an opportunity to witness the distinctive

characteristics of culture to culture on how to deal

with data. Most importantly, the interest and attention

by the public was given equally to every work of art,

as all were visually appealing and conceptually

acceptable. (ARCOLABS, 2016b).

Figure 1: Mioon, Contingent Rule (2009-2016), Jakarta.

Modified version of original artwork of 2009 to present

currencies of the countries around and related to Indonesia

which real-time exchange data transmitted every five

seconds. The image shows Indonesian Rupiah 13285.001

per 1 USD when it was captured.

In addition, as if a reproduction of the

anthropological classification, Angelica Dass’

anonymous portrait series profoundly touched on all

human dignity (Fig. 2).

Figure 2: Angélica Dass, partial display view of Humanaé

project (2016) in Jakarta, a work in progress since 2012.

Portrait of anonymous being labeled with a color code

from the PANTONE ® charts.

Visualizing the Invisible was held in an

unfinished lot at Pacific Place, one of the prestigious

malls in Jakarta. The mall itself has been a home for

a decade run Art Jakarta, one of the major art fairs in

the country, and hence it is a familiar art venue for

general public. By presenting art in a major shopping

mall, the exhibition reached out a broader audience

aside from the academic and art communities.

According to the record, the total number of visitors

throughout the exhibition for two weeks (Aug. 31 –

Sept. 13 2016) marks the approximately 3500 people

from various backgrounds: artist, art collectors,

gallery owners, students, data analysts, tech company

professionals, financial executives, interior designers,

architects, photographers, and musicians. Such a

remarkable number of attendees demonstrated that

this exhibition provided unusual opportunity of

cutting-edge art to a wide range of public in everyday

life context (ARCOLABS, 2016b).

There were several challenges for curatorial team

to deal with during the preparation. As the exhibition

was held in non-traditional gallery space, there were

many necessary yet unexpected settlements to be

done between the curatorial team and the venue

management, and due to a strict regulation in the mall

in terms of its use of space and duration of display,

curatorial team must settle an agreement a head of

time so the exhibition can be prepared better

(ARCOLABS, 2016b). Some of the main challenges

regarding the space is that as the space was unfinished

after an old tenant recently moved out, there were

much work to be done for renovating the space even

prior to artwork display. If the uneven cement floor

with tremendous dust was regards to building the

hardware infrastructure, ensuring network for real-

time data and web-based interactive work was for the

software infrastructure, both of which are important

matters to be taken into consideration. The exhibition

provided the curatorial team with a valuable lesson

for what is needed in mounting a media art exhibition

in a public space with raw condition.

4.1.2 Nomadic Traveler

Humans have always had the urge to move from one

place to another. Whether they do so for a permanent

objective, humans have been motivated to travel for

such various reasons for survival, desire for

exploration, life’s pleasures, and/or seeking a better

life. When human travel confronts the boundaries of

the state and the concept of citizen, it becomes a more

contested term as it is affected by the political and

economic conditions. Today with the aid of digital

technology, humans search for their move beyond

space and time, while others are exploring a

possibility of new human history in Mars (Huang,

2017, p.11).

CREATIVEARTS 2019 - 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative

Nomadic Traveler (2017) is an exhibition to

explore ideas of travel in the realm of contemporary

art. Migration has become a discourse in

contemporary art today, and the diverse motives of

displacement can be observed through numerous

artistic activities. Themes of journey can be found in

the contexts of crossings between territorial

boundaries, as well as different cultures. These artists

also journey through artistic shifts as they experiment

with different media and techniques. With the aid of

digital technology, they search for virtual mobility

(Huang, 2017, p.11). Historically, geographic

relocation has been observed even before the term

“globalization” was introduced into the common

vocabulary. Today it is an ongoing phenomenon

experienced on global level.

The eight artists were invited to this exhibition

with works that do not limit to human travel within a

specific cultural context, but rather extending it to the

mobility of material, reason, and information

associated with our society. In Figure 3, Indonesian

media artist Julia Sarisetiati reveals challenges of

migrant workers during their time spent overseas.

One of the challenges that the artist proposed is the

day-to-day language used by Indonesian factory

workers who were employed in Korea. Her video

installation “Indo K-Work” engaged the Indonesian

migrant workers to share the on-site vocabularies that

are not taught during preparation before their

departure to new land. By placing the factory workers

as an alternative source of information, this video

installation suggested the new wave of human

migration that extends beyond geographical and

economical contexts (Sarisetiati, 2017, p.32).

Figure 3: Julia Sarisetiati, Indo K-Work (2017). Seen in

the video installation are Indonesian migrant factory

workers in Korea who share a wide range of vocabularies

useful in their everyday life, yet not learned during pre-

departure preparation.

Equally important, Venzha Christ has a lifelong

interest in science fiction, particularly in astronomy

and space science. He has created a series of radio

frequency transmitters to connect the Earth with the

outer space to look for signs of alien life (Fig. 4). His

practice as an artist-scientist provides a rare

opportunity to introduce the theme of outer space

travel within contemporary artistic practices. By

using advanced technology as a medium, he transmits

his hopes and vision to reach out to other civilizations

in our galaxy (Huang, 2017, p.12).

Figure 4: Venzha Christ, The Unknown: Received-

Transmitted (2017). Developed by v.u.f.o.c lab and

time data transmitter sending signal and frequency in the

gallery room to outer space.

Artists of this exhibition explore the idea of

nomadism and mobility that characterize the

contemporary society through various creative

means. Living in the midst of technologically-driven,

hyper-connected world, we have all become (virtual)

nomads and cross beyond boundaries. This reality

provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our

identities; it seems that the more we are (digitally)

connected with others, the more we tend to lose touch

with ourselves. Through a wide spectrum of art from

the two countries that combine new ideas with latest

approaches, the exhibition becomes a joyful

expansion of an artistic journey that reflects an aspect

of contemporary nomadic life in the 21st century

(Huang, 2017, p.13).

4.1.3 Typotopia

Exposing art in everyday life and reaching out to

general public beyond art sphere is an ongoing

inquiry for ARCOLABS’s curatorial practice. To

fulfill its mission, ARCOLABS has been exploring

the ways in which a wider range of public can access

to media art in their daily life context. In addition,

today’s art in many ways resembles play, and

therefore, a sense of playfulness has become an

important element in art. In this regard, Typotopia

(2014) is a good example to discuss on the matter of

public, everyday life and playfulness. Inspired by

typography, the artists from Korea and Indonesia

presented the rediscovery of alphabets, texts, and

symbols representing both Korea and Indonesia.

Typography was suggested not only as a tool of

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective

communication and means of aesthetic expression,

but also as a method of play.

Through a variety of media such as video

installation, motion graphics, animation, interactive

object, and typography furniture, the exhibition was

curated within three sub-themes: Typography + Art,

Typography + Technology, and Typography + Play.

Artworks that focus on the language and meaning of

typography were presented in Typography + Art. In

Typography + Technology, the artists manipulated

letters, text, and typography by means of digital

media. On the other hand, artists in Typography +

Play suggested that the power of imagination and

playful interaction with artwork is the key for

communicating with contemporary art.

The exhibition was held in an open space in

Lotte Shopping Avenue in Jakarta, attracting a great

number of visitors. Many artworks were interactive

and participative that audience experienced being part

of each work. In Adityo Pratomo’s generative

installation (Fig. 5), audience was invited to interact

with a pre-determined word by changing its shape and

visual. If audience pours water into the water

container, a custom-made algorithm implemented in

computer code generates new shape and visual of the

word ‘Civilization (Peradaban)’. Through his work,

Adityo talked about two important aspects of human

civilization; that is, roots and growth (Huang, 2014,

p.24).

Figure 5: Adityo Pratomo, Civilization (Peradaban)

(2014). Word in the screen changing its shape and visual

as audience activates computer algorithm by pouring

water into the container.

On the other hand, in Terra Bajraghosa’s

interactive computer game audience was invited to

produce one’s own avatar (Fig. 6). By selecting and

arranging illustrated items, the audience was able to

create a pixelated and virtual alter ego. (Jeon, 2014,

p.30-31).

Figure 6: Terra Bajraghosa, Pieces of Me (2010, 2014).

Outcomes of production of avatar on display on the wall.

Game engine by Gerdi Budi.

The exhibition was an earlier curatorial practice

in technology-based art by ARCOLABS. Hence,

there were some technical challenges faced by the

curators, one of which was the difficulty in ensuring

technician. In order to set up a Korean artist’s

interactive digital animation without his presence

during display, display team were struggled with

generating the computer application that was

customized by the artist, which allowed the artwork

to be activated by human movement. Video

conference between the artist, curators and display

team were conducted for two nights until the artwork

was properly set up. The open floor plan and bright

ambience of the mall was another challenge,

particularly for projection-based work that the

curators and display team must negotiate with the

venue in order to adjust the space.

4.2 Media Art Across Disciplines

In media art practices, collaboration cannot be

ignored. Whether it is between artist-scientist, artist-

technician, artist-curator and/or curator-curator,

collective process in media art cannot be absent in

order to ensure the success of a project. It is not

merely because of the complexity of technical

knowledge of constructing a work of art, but it is also

because of the benefit to conceptually deepen one’s

understanding of certain fields of studies. The

following two examples demonstrate ARCOLABS’s

efforts to exploring different working methods of

curating through collaboration with many different

parties; Arbotics (2014) and Five Passages to the

Future (2019).

4.2.1 Arbotics

Additionally, Arbotics (2014) is one of the earlier

curatorial projects of media art conducted by

ARCOLABS. The initial motivation was to explore a

new approach in interdisciplinary studies through the

concept of a robot. Curators observed the fact that the

CREATIVEARTS 2019 - 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative

convergence between art and science had gained a

great deal of attention for the past decades through

which a new form of art had been introduced and an

alternative to the science driven society had been

suggested. Arbotics is an exhibition that revealed the

current urge of bridging between art and science.

Through the form of kinetic, interactive and robotic

installations, the invited artist groups tried to discover

a new language and new paradigm in art (Jeon,

2014b).

The first collaboration aspect of media art in

Arbotics lies in the characteristics of each artist

group. The exhibition invited five Yogyakarta based

artist collectives, Doni & Hafez, HONF,

Indieguerillas, ThedeoMIXBLOOD, and XXLABS.

Doni is an artist working with photography and now

expands to three dimensional installations while

Hafez is known as a paper artist and pop-up book

designer. HONF, as a new media artist group, is

working closely with artist, designer, architect, sound

artist, programmer, and electronic engineers.

Indieguerillas is a duet of Santi Ariestyowanti and

Dyatmiko “Miko” Bawono whose backgrounds are

Visual Communication Design and Interior Design

respectively. ThedeoMIXBLOOD is a project group

of Dila (Fahla Fadhillah Lotan) and Otong (R. Bonar

D. Senan Putro) with an interest in Graffiti and Pop

Art. XXLABS

is a female artists’ initiative whose

main focus is electronic art using both open source

software and hardware (Jeon, 2014b).

Prior to the exhibition, the artist groups attended

a series of workshop programs in order to sharpen the

understanding of robotics and enrich the insight of

artists in terms of themes and ideas for their artistic

expression. In Figure 7, Dr. Riza Muhida, director of

the Center for Robotics and Intelligent Machine,

Surya University, who introduced the current robotic

developments and the basics of machine mechanics,

conducted the first workshop session.

Figure 7: Workshop session by Dr. Riza Muhida,

discussing basic mechanism in robotics.

Then, the second workshop session was led by

Yuka Narendra who was the researcher from the

Center for Art and Design, Surya University (at the

time of the program), discussing various local

cultures in Indonesia and how culture is related to

pursuing the future (Fig. 8).

Figure 8: Workshop session by Yuka Narendra, discussing

Indonesian culture as a medium for contemporary art.

Finally, in Figure 9, Heri Dono, a senior artist

from Yogyakarta shared his experience of working

with kinetic and media art (ARCOLABS, 2014a).

Workshops were intensive and productive and helped

the participants broaden their scope of robotics as the

main theme of their work.

Figure 9: Workshop session by Heri Dono, sharing his

experience and perspective in new media art.

In so doing, this exhibition is based on the

collaborative effort by each group, which resembles a

mechanical working logic that requires cooperation

of many different parts. Likewise, each group divides

jobs for each artist. For example, in the work of

“B.I.O. #0.1 ESM-Basic Intelligent Organism

Externalized Spatial Memory” (Fig. 10 & 11), HONF

divided roles by several individuals. For instance,

programming and concept were developed by Irene

Agrivina and Tommy Surya R. Meanwhile, Weissa

Adhiprasetya provided installations and techniques

and Felix Deufel sound installation.

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective

Figure 10: HONF, B.I.O. #0.1 ESM (2014). Display view

of intelligent bacteria placed in hanging petri discs which

movement is captured by hacked infrared web cam

underneath and transferred to stereo speakers for sound

and TV monitors for visual patterns. All controlled by

central computer.

Figure 11: Partial view of B.I.O. #0.1 ESM (2014)

showing colony of intelligent bacteria in a petri disc.

In the case of “Facing the Future” (Fig. 12 & 13),

an interactive installation by XXLABS, more

numbers of individuals were involved. In

collaboration with Stefanie W., Irene Agrivina, Asa

Rahmana, Rennie “Emonk” Agustine and Fahla

Fadillah Lotan conducted concept, installation, and

techniques. Additional assistance was provided by

Eka Jayaningtyas and Ratna Djuwita and additional

programming was done by Yudianto Asmoro

(ARCOLABS, 2014a).

Figure 12: XXLABS, Facing the Future (2014). Audience

getting into interaction with the work.

Figure 13: Audience being reflected on the water in the

installation Facing the Future (2014), reading her own

future.

4.2.2 Five Passages to the Future

It is an unorthodox to discuss a project that is still in

preparation stage, but Five Passages to the Future

(2019) is a very good example of curatorial

experimentation, which core idea lies in significance

of collaboration in media art. Scheduled in October

2019 in National Gallery of Indonesia, this exhibition

is a collaborative effort by five female curators

Indonesia who have different professional

background and interest in the field of research. For

example, Evelyn Huang is a curator educator who is

interested in local wisdom of indigenous people in

relation to environment issue. On the other hand,

Irene Agrivina is an artist curator who focuses on the

problem of sustainability through ecological relevant

artworks. Meantime, Jeong Ok Jeon who is a curator

educator explores how AI has become a part of our

daily routines. As a curator writer, Nin Djani suggests

VR and video games as a way of storytelling media

of today while Ratna Djuwita who is an artist

researcher examines wearable technology through

fashion that is built with bio-material (ARCOLABS,

2019).

The initial motivation for curators is based on the

phenomena of digital technology that has made

tremendous shifts in art. According to them, it does

not just prompt the emergence of new media art, but

also suggests unpredictable direction of future art.

CREATIVEARTS 2019 - 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative

Furthermore, new media art has established a new

way of artistic experience of time and space where

audience relates to art instantly, bilaterally, and

virtually. New media art today, which presents the

most innovative way of art in the 21st century, is

looking beyond the mere reflection on digital media,

and rather suggesting a new perspective in art and

life. Five Passages to the Future aims to showcase

five cutting-edge approaches of new media art in the

issues around eco-politics, sustainability, AI, digital

narrative, and wearable technology, which all serves

as an indicator for future art. The exhibition also

showcases various explorations of five emerging

practices in the field under the theme of eco-data

(ARCOLABS, 2019).

4.3 A New Audience Role in

Participating and Interactivity

The emergence of media art has made a significant

change in the role of audience. Unlike in traditional

exhibition, the audience of media art exhibition

became an active participant rather than passive

viewer. Such change in the role of audience has

affected the problem of communication in art. The

media art exhibitions organized by ARCOLABS

focus on the new way of communication between a

work of art and audience through the participatory

and interactive structure of the exhibition. This

section will analyze Dialogue with the Senses (2016)

exhibition in order to reveal how multiple sensory

experiences become the key elements of

communication in media art.

4.3.1 Dialogue with the Senses

Dialogue with the Senses (2016) is an exhibition that

aims to explore ‘sensory experience’ and its

significance in the course of our lives. The exhibition

stimulates various sensory experiences to encourage

audience members to engage with the works of art at

multiple levels. Some arts are hands-on and

interactive, requiring physical contact or direct

operation by the audience. Some are participatory in

that they stimulate the audience to become a

performer within the works on display. All of them

draw a sense of emotion and psychological

excitement through the stimuli of sensory experience.

Therefore, the body in this regard plays a central role

in perceiving each work of art (Jeon, 2016, pp.13-14).

Dialogue with the Senses features nine

innovative artists whose main consideration lies in the

participation of the audience that is a crucial factor in

completing their work. The sensory experiences that

are pivotal in this exhibition are essentially different

from traditional modes of art appreciation. Unlike the

viewing of paintings or sculptures in conventional

exhibitions, the new mode of art appreciation

presented in this exhibition goes beyond the visual.

We are not only viewing a work of art, but also

hearing, touching, smelling, and tasting it. In that

respect, this exhibition also challenges the long-term

privileging of ‘sight’ in the appreciation of art, and

recovers the power of all other physical senses that

are equally valuable (Jeon, 2016, p.14).

In Fig. 14 & 15, Fajar Abadi is a young

Indonesian artist who often uses food as his main art

medium. With food as a medium, Fajar has

highlighted the ‘ephemerality’ and ‘rasa’ (flavor,

taste, sense) of food in a wide rage of art forms,

including performances, installations, and

community projects. In his work titled “Rasarumah”

(which can be translated as ‘home-aroma-therapy’),

he created an aromatherapy candle with two different

scents: one represents the popular Indonesian chicken

soup (sop ayam), the other the common Korean

fermented soybean paste stew (doenjang jjigae).

Commonly served at family meals in the two different

cultures, sop ayam and doenjang jjigae, as mundane

food, provoke longing for family and memories of

one’s hometown. Subtle and trivial, the ephemeral

scent from the candle serves as an invisible yet

powerful art medium that arouses a variety of

sentimental and sensory responses from the audience

(Jeon, 2016, p.15).

Figure 14: Fajar Abadi, Rasarumah (2016). Two bowls of

candles in installation that provoke aroma of soybean

paste stew (doenjang jjigae) far left and of chicken soup

(sop ayam) in the center.

Figure 15: Detail view of the bowl that contain the aroma

of chicken soup (sop ayam). The pattern in bowl itself

representing the particular bowl used in everyday life.

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective

Park Seung Soon is a musician and new media

artist from Korea who created media art content for

audiences who can play a variety of traditional

Indonesian instruments using water. Titled

“Symphonie Aquatique” (Fig. 16 & 17), Park’s

instrumental installation consists of nine bowls of

water that serve as a musical instrument. When

audience touches the water in a bowl, Indonesian

traditional melody resonates in the space.

Incorporating digital media, whereby a computer

program creates a set of sophisticated musical

instruments, the performance is undertaken

spontaneously by anyone who plays it. By virtue of

his experimental music installation turning us from

music consumers into creators of our own music,

Park’s work allows us to witness our long-held

contemporary belief that anyone can be an artist

(Jeon, 2016, p.16).

Figure 16: Park Seung Soon, Symphonie Aquatique

(2016). Installation view without audience interaction.

Figure 17: Symphonie Aquatique (2016) being interacted

by audience who becomes a music player and producer.

Another Korean artist Choi Suk Young

approaches his new media art as a form of play. In

figure 18, his video installation “Interactive SeeSea

Drawing” is designed to invite the audience to

contribute a drawing and play with the work of art.

Choi’s sensibility toward and love of nature

encouraged him to share his awareness of the

importance of nature, which provides a never-ending

sense of security and maternal warmth. He invited

audience to draw endangered underwater animals on

a piece of paper. Their drawings are then scanned and

appear on the projected video, as if the animals have

been back to life. Play and participation is crucial to

Choi’s art, for he wants art to become a playground

that enhances our emotional state (Jeon, 2016, p.17).

Figure 18: Choi Suk Young, Interactive SeeSea Drawing

(2016). Drawing of audience coming to life and shown in

the projected video installation.

5 CONCLUSIONS

More and more artists are working with new media

today and the curators need to be aware of this new

trend in art and be prepared for new curatorial

demands. As if demonstrating such phenomena, year

2019 anticipates a number of media art exhibitions

and festivals throughout the year. The programs’

organizers are as diverse as artist collectives,

independent curators, and government sectors that are

promoting their programs. The return of the

Cellsbutton, a media art festival led by Yogyakarta-

based new media artist collective, MAG 19, which is

the first showcase of Media Arts Globale organized

by Europe-settled Indonesian independent curator,

and Media Art Week (Pekan Seni Media) and

Instrumenta, annual media art festivals hosted by

Ministry of Education and Culture in Indonesia are

part of this exciting map. In such diverse

circumstances, an Indonesian curator collective

called ARCOLABS has played an instrumental role

in enhancing the development of media art curatorial

practices in the country. Consisting of three female

curators, ARCOLABS has flourished locally while

focusing on media art. Their consistent efforts to

building numerous thematic and aesthetic approaches

helped general public more familiar with media art in

Indonesia. Their working methods have highlighted

the importance of collaboration in media art curating

with various individuals and sectors across

disciplines. Through the participatory and interactive

CREATIVEARTS 2019 - 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative

structure of the exhibition, members of the audience

become more active participants, instead of passive

viewers. In so doing, they make their multiple sensory

experiences the key elements in media art

appreciation. With the aid of technology, media art

requires a new process of curatorial framework that

differs from other contemporary art presentation, and

for that reason, more collaborations and exchanges

between the curators are encouraged.

REFERENCES

ARCOLABS. 2014a. Program Report of ARBOTICS. Jakarta:

ARCOLABS.

ARCOLABS. 2014b. Program Report of Typotopia. Jakarta:

ARCOLABS.

ARCOLABS. 2016a. Program Report of Dialogue with the

Senses. Jakarta: ARCOLABS.

ARCOLABS. 2016b. Program Report of Visualizing the

Invisible. Jakarta: ARCOLABS.

ARCOLABS. 2017. Program Report of Nomadic Traveler.

Jakarta: ARCOLABS.

ARCOLABS., and HONF. 2019. Curatorial Proposal of Five

Passages to the Future. Jakarta: ARCOLABS and HONF.

Christ, Venzha. 2019. “Two Decades of Long Process and

Journey of HONF Foundation (1999-2019).” Obtained on

May 14, 2019 from https://m.kumparan.com/award-

news/dua-dekade-proses-panjang-dan-perjalanan-honf-

foundation-1999-2019-1554221784035846214.

Graham, Beryl., and Sarah Cook. 2010. Rethinking Curating:

Art after New Media. Cambridge: The MIT Press.

Huang, Evelyn. 2014a. “Typography + Technology.” In

Exhibition catalogue of Typotopia. Jakarta: ARCOLABS.

p.24.

Huang, Evelyn., and Jeong-ok Jeon. 2017. “Nomadic

Traveler.” In Exhibition catalogue of Nomadic Traveler.

Jakarta: ARCOLABS. pp.11-13.

Hawkinson, Eric. “Introduction to New Media.” Obtained on

March 18, 2019 from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxbnnQtl0H4.

Hujatnika, Agung. 2009. “Everything Melts onto the Screen:

Video and Media Art in Indonesia.” This paper is presented

at The International Conference on Arts and Design

Research: The Shifting from Traditional to Contemporary

Visual Culture, at Bandung Institute of Technology, 20-21

July, 2009.

Jeon, Jeong-ok. 2014a. “Typography + Play.” In Exhibition

catalogue of Typotopia. Jakarta: ARCOLABS. pp.30-31.

Jeon, Jeong-ok. 2016a. “Listen to the Light, Touch the Sound,

Look at the Scent.” In Exhibition catalogue of Dialogue

with the Senses. Jakarta: ARCOLABS. pp.13-17.

Jeon, Jeong-ok. 2016b. “Curatorial Essay”. In Digital

exhibition catalogue of Visualizing the Invisible. Jakarta:

Suar Artspace.

Jeon, Jeong-ok., and Hilmi Fabeta. 2014b. “Introduction.” In

Exhibition leaflet of ARBOTICS. Jakarta: ARCOLABS.

Rancajale, Hafiz. 2017. Now, “Media Art is Near Us

(Sekarang, Seni Media Ada Di Dekat Kita).” In Exhibition

catalogue of Pekan Seni Media 2017. Jakarta: Kementerian

Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Direktorat Jenderal

Kebudayaan Direktorat Kesenian. p.xix.

Sarisetiati, Julia. 2017. “Artist Statement.” In Exhibition

catalogue of Nomadic Traveler. Jakarta: ARCOLABS.

pp.32.

Sukmana, Tubagus ‘Andre’. 2015. “Foreword.” In Digital

exhibition catalogue of Orde Baru Ok. Video – Indonesia

Media Arts Festival 2015. Jakarta: ruangrupa. p.5.

Supangkat, Jim. 2018. “The Emergence of Curating in

Indonesia in 1990 and its Background.” This paper is

presented at The National Seminar on Imagined Curatorial

at Bandung Institute of Technology on August 8, 2018.

pp.1-8.

Timeline. 2018. In Exhibition of Manifesto. Jakarta: National

Gallery of Indonesia.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Suar Artspace and Rangga Kuzuma

Figure 2: Suar Artspace and Rangga Kuzuma

Figure 3: <http://www.arcolabs.org/nomadic-traveler/>

Figure 4: <http://www.arcolabs.org/nomadic-traveler/>

Figure 5: ARCOLABS

Figure 6: <http://www.arcolabs.org/typotopia/>

Figure 7: ARCOLABS

Figure 8: ARCOLABS

Figure 9: ARCOLABS

Figure 10: <http://www.arcolabs.org/arbotics/>

Figure 11: <http://www.arcolabs.org/arbotics/>

Figure 12: <http://www.arcolabs.org/arbotics/>

Figure 13: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_

continue=161&v=q0aP1eFHUfM>

Figure 14: <https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2016/

10/24/engage-the-senses-at-media-installation-art-

exhibition.html>

Figure 15: <https://hot.detik.com/art/d-3333143/mencicipi-

karya-seni-instalasi-seniman-korea-indonesia>

Figure 16: <http://www.arcolabs.org/dialogue-with-the-

senses/>

Figure 17: ARCOLABS

Figure 18: ARCOLABS

Exploring Media Art Curating in Indonesia: A Case Study of a Locally-grown Curator Collective

ENDNOTES

Besides the three aforementioned artist groups, there are

other artist initiatives that concern a dramatic

transformation of Indonesian society caused by

technological advancement. Ruang Mes 56 in Yogyakarta

(2002) focuses on contemporary art and photography;

Forum Lenteng in Jakarta (2003) on documentary, film,

video and performance; and Videolab in Bandung (2003)

on video art of young artists, just to name a few. More artist

list can be found in the exhibition catalogue of Pekan Seni

Media 2019.

ARCOLABS is currently run by three female curators: (1)

Jeong Ok Jeon is a Jakarta-based Korean curator who is

actively engaging in Southeast Asian contemporary art,

especially working on providing international exposures for

regional artists in and outside of Indonesia. With interests

in new media and interactive art, she has curated

several science and technology based art exhibitions. She

has gained an MFA from Savannah College of Art and

Design in the US and a BFA from Ewha Womans

University in Korea. Now Jeon serves as the managing

director at ARCOLABS and a full-time lecturer at Jakarta

State University; (2) Evelyn Huang is an Indonesian curator

and lecturer who graduated from her MFA in Creative

Entrepreneurship, Jakarta Institute of Arts after obtaining

her Bachelor degree in Visual Communication Design,

University of Pelita Harapan and Master degree in Cultural

Studies, University of Indonesia. She curates annual media

art exhibitions and international exchange exhibitions for

ARCOLABS while she has been also curating EXI(S)T,

one of the most renowned art incubation programs in

Indonesia. At present, she is the program head of Visual

Communication Design in International Design School; and

(3) Nin Djani is an Indonesian curator and writer with a

passion in literature, history, and pop culture which become

significant influences in her artistic curatorial practice. She

holds an MA in Southeast Asian Studies from Leiden

University and a BA in Media Communications from

Goldsmiths, University of London. Nin is independently

active in various inter-disciplinary creative projects and she

is part of Suar Artspace, ARCOLABS and Atreyu Moniaga

Project.

iii

Today’s media art can be expressed in various forms and

one of the growing forms of media art in Indonesia is sound

art. In order to showcase sound art in indoor gallery space,

soundproof system of the building is required. As for light

art, capacity of electrical power of the designated venue is

crucial so that the artwork can be presented as properly as

it is meant to be by the artist. If the media art is showcased

outdoor, there must be much more to be taken into

consideration.

After the exhibition, XXLABS has changed its name to

XXLab and its members have also been changed over the

years.

CREATIVEARTS 2019 - 1st International Conference on Intermedia Arts and Creative

100