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Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org

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and cultural value can heighten <strong>the</strong>ir quality of life.<br />

(Sidharta: 2001, 56)<br />

In Thailand, <strong>the</strong> banks were chief players in <strong>the</strong> patr<strong>on</strong>age<br />

of c<strong>on</strong>temporary art. For instance, in 1975, Bangkok Bank<br />

initiated its art collecti<strong>on</strong>, which was complemented by<br />

an annual art exhibiti<strong>on</strong> and competiti<strong>on</strong> that handed<br />

out handsome prizes. (Phillips, 1992) O<strong>the</strong>r firms followed<br />

suit like <strong>the</strong> Thai Farmers Bank and <strong>the</strong> Thai Investment<br />

and Security Company. As Chavitchai Promatdhattavedi<br />

asserts:<br />

Supporting art and culture in terms of infrastructure<br />

has never been a part of nati<strong>on</strong>al policy. Over <strong>the</strong><br />

past two decades we’ve seen many art galleries<br />

opening and closing. It seemed to be <strong>the</strong> fashi<strong>on</strong>.<br />

But many people still d<strong>on</strong>’t understand modern<br />

art. In <strong>the</strong> past, art was seen as something rarefied,<br />

associated with <strong>the</strong> Palace. But now that we have<br />

a more democratic and less hierarchical society, people<br />

are beginning to appreciate art more. (Phatarawadee:<br />

2000, C2)<br />

HERITAGE, IDENTITY, CHANGE AND CONFLICT<br />

When internati<strong>on</strong>al exhibiti<strong>on</strong>s began to gain a firmer<br />

footing in <strong>the</strong> art scene, channels of curatorial c<strong>on</strong>scripti<strong>on</strong><br />

was no l<strong>on</strong>ger c<strong>on</strong>centrated in instituti<strong>on</strong>s and bureaucrats<br />

in government. Exhibiti<strong>on</strong> <strong>org</strong>anizers because of <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

visits and researches in local art worlds met colleagues<br />

who practiced bey<strong>on</strong>d <strong>the</strong> realm of mainstream networks.<br />

Curators, whe<strong>the</strong>r instituti<strong>on</strong>al or independent, have<br />

played a key role in representing local artists in <strong>the</strong><br />

internati<strong>on</strong>al arena. They have become mediators in <strong>the</strong><br />

arbitrati<strong>on</strong> of c<strong>on</strong>temporary art as far as recogniti<strong>on</strong> is<br />

c<strong>on</strong>cerned. This is more apparent in Thailand as Somporn<br />

would point out. But this is not true of Ind<strong>on</strong>esia, except<br />

perhaps in <strong>the</strong> case of Supangkat, with Asmudjo Irianto<br />

and Rizki Zaelani, and Effendy; and perhaps at Cemeti,<br />

with Mella Jaarsma and Nindityo Adipurnomo coding<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir artistic tastes as curatorial benchmarks from which<br />

internati<strong>on</strong>al curators took <strong>the</strong>ir signal. Speaking of<br />

mediati<strong>on</strong>, <strong>the</strong> type of space in which curators work<br />

determines to a large extent <strong>the</strong> kind of curati<strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong>y<br />

undertake; and we realize, possessing spaces or having<br />

access means power to produce art-world schemes, indeed<br />

to c<strong>on</strong>figure artscapes.<br />

Type of Space Ind<strong>on</strong>esia �ailand<br />

State-run Nati<strong>on</strong>al Gallery<br />

Taman Budaya (Provincial Art Councils)<br />

Taman Ismail Marzuki<br />

Galerikita<br />

Nati<strong>on</strong>al Gallery<br />

School-based Galeri Soemardja Silpakorn<br />

ISI Chulal<strong>on</strong>gkorn<br />

Bangkok University<br />

Chiang Mai University<br />

Commercial Gallery Edwin Numth<strong>on</strong>g<br />

Cemara Galeri 6 Surap<strong>on</strong><br />

Nadi Thavibu<br />

Canna Tang<br />

Neka<br />

Oktag<strong>on</strong><br />

T<strong>on</strong>s<strong>on</strong><br />

Foundati<strong>on</strong>-supported Cemeti Art House Queen’s Gallery<br />

Bentara Budaya About Art and Related<br />

Antara Activities<br />

Galeri L<strong>on</strong>tar Tadu<br />

CP Art Space<br />

Seniwati<br />

Jim Thomps<strong>on</strong> House<br />

C<strong>on</strong>crete House<br />

The Land<br />

Artist-initiated Ruangrupa<br />

Mes 56<br />

Taring Padi<br />

Rumah Proses<br />

If<br />

Comm<strong>on</strong> Room<br />

By <strong>the</strong> Way<br />

357/Eat<br />

Klinik Seni Taxu<br />

Um<strong>on</strong>g Sippdhamma<br />

Artist’s Museum-funded Sunaryo<br />

Popo RefIskandar lecti<strong>on</strong>s Museum <strong>on</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Human</strong> C<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>: Change, C<strong>on</strong>flict and Modernity<br />

Pintu Merah (Sanggar Luhur)<br />

Widayat Museum<br />

The Work of <strong>the</strong> 2004/2005 API Fellows<br />

Mall/Restaurantoperated<br />

Kedai Kebun Playground<br />

15

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