Eko Prawoto: YOGYAKARTA AND THE IMAGINATION OF EMPOWERED COMMUNITY CULTURE
Interviewer:
During the recent 10 years, Biennale Jogja has been contributing to alternative notions and power relations in art internationalism, particularly by making a decision to collaborate with equatorial regions and employing it as a long-term theme and vision. The idea to use a geopolitical framework in collaboration was the result of lengthy yet meticulous discussion on different contemporary art phenomena, including those closely related to unequal exposure to Western and Eastern countries or Northern and Southern spheres. How was the equatorial framework initiated? Were the founders of Yayasan Biennale Yogyakarta led by their postcolonial consciousness to develop a different biennale concept?
Tracing back the history, the equator series of Biennale Jogja was, in fact, built upon the existing practices. After being held for several times, the team wondered about how to re-brand the event in order to make it international. Back then, it seemed like there was an urge for Yogyakarta to take part in the dynamics of global art. To do so, we should consider the particular potential and characteristics of Yogyakarta. We were fully aware not to copy the formats used by developed countries. So, (unclear) the already established biennales. It was not solely aimed at making BJ go international. We also took into account the benefits it might give to the art practices and artists in Yogyakarta and Indonesia in general. One of the ideas coming into our mind was to connect the event with the development of art infrastructure in Yogyakarta, as well as to build the city brand as the city of culture. To present itself as a city of culture requires a distinctive feature that makes the city stand out and fit in a wider setting.
We started to identify the city’s uniqueness and the way to present BJ as an international event. Inviting foreign participants does not necessarily make it international. We believe that the determining factor lies in the underlying idea. So, what does make us unique? It is our geographical position as one of the countries straddling the equator. Then we planned to invite our counterparts around the equator to collaborate. Thus, the equator is regarded as a framework that takes into account our geographical positions. However, it turned out that the tropical belt scope is very narrow. So we broadened the scope to include the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. These are far broader belts, i.e. 23° both North and South, and lie on many more countries. But then we realized that those countries have differences and things in common at the same time. What we intended to do was not contesting. Instead, we would like to propose an alternative to the dialogue between the global north and south. However, we did not take the geopolitical division for granted. We choose to work with a more horizontal approach to regions. That is how it was initiated.
Interviewer:
When we decided to limit the scope around the equator, does it imply any particular forms of art? Do forms of art differ between the global north and south? In other words, does this geopolitical framework also reflect the aesthetic vision?
Interviewee:
Correct. Geographic location naturally affects the characteristics of a culture. We can identify them through many layers. For instance, we may look at their shared characteristics of geographic location, climate, post-colonial history, social history, and so on. Some of those countries are labelled developed or developing. Some are continental, while the others are archipelagos. This richness is highly potential to be employed as a framework. Only then I realized that there is a very wide gap among these equatorial countries. Furthermore, their history of power relation is no less complicated. When we talk about art, it does not merely refer to products and objects. We are referring to the attempts of making use of art as an analysis tool in order to have alternative discourses. It always means how art is applied in its entirety and used in order to look at the wider dimensions of life. It never refers to the isolated art, presented solely for itself. Instead, we would like to see art as a contributing factor that shapes our perspectives and critical thinking when we look at the life of a society. I think this is a critical finding. Thus, the big collection of artworks is an everlasting source of study.
Interviewer:
What attempt do you think appropriate to bring out our discussion so that it becomes part of the experiences we offer to the public? Among the wider stakeholders, how can we present the important values Biennale Jogja Equator Series bring forward? How should we build the multi-party dialogue in order to give chance to BJE’s proposal to become our shared concern or even part of our cultural strategy?
Interviewee:
It takes a very long time. In my opinion, this is a cultural investment. It may even serve as a space where conventional working mechanisms are questioned. We even desire to broaden the approach into something inter- or transdisciplinary. We also question the roles of high education institutions, not only the art institute, such as ISI, but also other universities.
Interviewer:
The partner countries with which we collaborate have different political context regardless of our shared experiences of colonialism. After the World War II, these countries turned into democratic states. But then, the Cold War occurred. We have cooperated with countries such as Nigeria and Brazil whose democracy turned chaotic, just like ours. Every time we held Biennale Jogja, it gives us a time to reflect upon our realities by looking at the others. Do you think art has the function to propose alternatives to the mainstream politics?
Interviewee:
I personally think that art itself can function as a powerful method or tool. Other disciplines hardly have the capacity like of art. When we talk about the highly fragmented world situation and its evident social gap, the disciplines we use may potentially make the society more segregated or worsen the situation. There are two disciplines that may unite and bind us together. One of which is art. Art has the capacity to be more inclusive. The other discipline is environment. Other than the two, they tend to widen the gap. Art comes in handy due to its multi-interpretation and multi-layer nature. It is fluid, very powerful; it may present either subtly or harshly; it may appear evidently, looking either tiny or gigantic. People may appreciate it from its physical form to its intellectual concept. The potential is real. Additionally, art and environment become very inclusive platforms to manifest it.
Interviewer:
How should we address the politics of urban culture in this context? As an artist, you frequently take part in exhibitions and cultural projects, including Gwangju Biennale. Gwangju was once not considered as a cultural center. It was considered secondary compared to Seoul, [name of a city], and Amsterdam. But once it has a significant event like biennale or festival in [name of a city], its cultural infrastructure starts to thrive. Going beyond branding, art and culture even have the capacity to interpret collective memories or actions—a capacity hardly possessed by other sectors. What do you think of Biennale Jogja, does it have the potential not only to create the infrastructure but also develop the ecology?
Interviewee:
People frequently talk about physical planning, urban planning, architecture, or urban development; all of which refer to physical development. But rarely we discuss social planning. Who is responsible for social planning? Institutions responsible for urban planning arrange the city so that it integrate its physical and functional aspects, making it safe, comfortable, clean, and so on. These circumstances were achieved by arranging the physical aspect. Then, what should we do to make the citizens mingle one another harmoniously? In Yogyakarta, no stakeholder is set responsible for that. In this case, art has the potential capacity to do so. It can relate to everyone’s experience, serving as a shared platform that enables it to function as a medium of mass communication. In developed countries, that is the function of art. Opening up the paths through which the segregated urban society may connect and interact one another. Developed countries are fully aware of that specific role of art. The state is rich and invests a large amount of fund to facilitate communities’ gathering and connection. The attempt works to overcome their daily individuality. Meanwhile in Yogyakarta, the people are strongly communal and highly engaged in social activities that maintain their social bond. Therefore, here, art is widely acceptable and known by the people. This also serves as its unique feature. This is why Yogyakarta is called the city of culture. The people are potentially open to and compatible with art and culture.
Interviewer:
And in the beginning, the initiatives were taken by the community itself instead of implemented as a top-down movement. Most of the initiatives were born out of the dynamics of the city’s creative communities.
Interviewee:
This is another unique feature of Yogyakarta. The artists based in this city tend to have their particular types of social network, responsibility, and role that are different from those of other cities. It is also complemented by the openness of the society. The people are not taken aback, they tend to be receptive. In many chances of artwork public display, there were no vandalism as well. This what makes me adore Yogyakarta.