Tanah / Impian
Tanah / Impian (Dream / Land)
our dream, their dream, one hundred years
June 5 – July 6
Freedom. Heaven. Democracy. Winning the Lottery. A big house. Career. Celebrity. Sex. Smartphone. We are defined by what we dream.
Tanah/Impian (Dream/Land) explores the aspirations of Indonesia over 100 years, as reflected through popular culture. The exhibition highlights the often stark difference between ‘Dream’ and ‘Reality’, and, as an election approaches, challenges us to think critically about the values that define us as individuals, as a community and as a nation.
Tanah / Impian (Dream / Land)
impian kita, impian mereka, seratus tahun
Kemerdekaan. Surga. Demokrasi. Menang lotre. Rumah besar. Karir. Selebritas. Seks. Smartphone. Kita ditentukan oleh apa yang kita impikan.
Tanah/Impian menjelajahi aspirasi Indonesia sepanjang 100 tahun, yang tercermin dalam budaya popular. Pameran ini menyoroti perbedaan—yang acap kali mencolok—antara “Mimpi” dan “Kenyataan”, dan, seperti halnya Pemilu yang menjelang, ia menantang kita untuk berpikir kritis tentang nilai-nilai yang membentuk kita sebagai pribadi, sebagai komunitas, dan sebagai bangsa.
photos of opening night, many thanks to Dito Yuwono
Photos of the show
For this exhibition, the accompanying texts are kinda important, to understand the context of the work in terms of how the ‘dream’ presented in the images contrasts with the reality.
1942
Club Bali
Club Bali adalah tempat nongkrong popular (dan kasino ilegal) di Florida 1940-an. Tempat nongkrong eksotik seperti ini popular pada 1940-1950-an, ditujukan bagi orang-orang yang mungkin sama sekali tak pernah meninggalkan negerinya. Tempat macam ini mempengaruhi bagaimana cara Indonesian diimpikan oleh masyarakat dunia.
“Club Bali”
Club Bali was a popular nightspot (and illegal casino) in Florida in the 1940’s. Tiki Lounges were a mish-mash of South East Asian, Polynesian and Hawaiian exotica that were popular in the 1940’s and 50’s, built by people who had probably never left their home state. And yet their exotic appeal persisted and continues to influence the way Indonesia is dreamed of internationally.
Originally published: Matchbox cover Reprinted: http://www.arkivatropika.com/cgi-bin/item.cgi?item_id=528
1953
Kuat! Tahan Latihan
Pada masa awal berdirinya Republik, untuk pertama kalinya, dan mungkin sekali itu saja, mimpi dan kenyataan menjadi satu.
“Be Strong! Be Fit! 3 Swords Wine. Increases your blood. Makes your body stronger. Makes you fatter. Makes you smarter. Good for bones. Never feel tired. Makes women get pregnant faster”
At the dawn of the Republic, the Indonesian dream and the reality finally became one. For the first time and maybe the only time.
Originally published: Anggur 3 Pendakar’, from Madjalah Star 1953 Reprinted: “Pikat – Pameran Iklan Cetak Generasi ke-2” Bentara budaya 2006
1950
Petji Melati
Soekarno mulai mempopularkan peci sebagai “lambang kepribadian Indonesia” pada awal 1920-an. Sejak saat itu hubungan simbolis antara peci, nasionalisme Indonesia, dan massa menjadi tidak terpisahkan.
“Petji Melati, Famous all over Indonesia”
Petji is the small velvet hat famously worn by Soekarno, who deliberately popularised it as the new ‘Symbol of Indonesian Identity’. Since then there has always been a symbolic relationship between Peci, Nationalism and the masses.
Originally published: Eticket 1950 Reprinted: “Pikat – Pameran Iklan Cetak Generasi ke-2” Bentara budaya 2006
1975
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
Mimpi Ibu Negara Tien Soeharto pada 1970 tentang “Indonesia Indah”. Mimpi ini diwujudkan menjadi Taman Mini Indonesia Indah di Jakarta, dibuka pada 1975.
“The Mini Garden of Beautiful Indonesia.”
At Taman Mini, a theme park in East Jakarta, you can visit every province of Indonesia (in miniature) in one day. Or at least; Indonesia as re-imagined by the New Order. Plus, inexplicably, a Disneyland castle. Taman Mini was the dream of Ibu Tien Soeharto, wife of the president, and opened in 1975.
Reconstruction based on images from various sources
1990
Ilmu Pengetahuan Social
Buku pelajaran Ilmu Pengetahuan Sosial terbitan pemerintah Orde Baru, yang mengajarkan kepada anak-anak Indonesia tentang apa yang harus mereka impikan, bagaimana cara mereka bermimpi, dan bagaimana mereka harus menggapai mimpi.
“Social Sciences 2. Department of Education and Culture. Do not copy.”
Basically, this schoolbook told children what they should dream, how they should dream, and how they should realise their dreams. It followed the ‘Pembangunan’ (development) agenda of the New Order: which stated you can do whatever you want… er… as long as it’s in the interests of ‘Bapak Pembangunan’ aka Soeharto.
Originally published: Book cover ‘Ilmu Pengetahuan Social’ published by Departemen Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia (1985-ish)
2010
Sabun Cream Ponsel
Telepon genggam adalah mimpi Indonesia masa kini. Ia adalah sorga loka abad ke-21.
“HANDPHONE washing liquid. Smells nice and last longer. Soft on hands, Cleans better. Instantly removes stains!!!”
The impact of telecommunication in terms of redefining the notion of ‘community’ and in the past decade has been huge. If ‘Sorga Loka’ was the dream of female consumers in 1965, today it is the ‘Ponsel’
Originally published: soap powder packaging Reprinted: http://fotofamilyku.blogspot.com/2012/07/gallery-nama-merk-sabun-indonesia-yg.html