Just outside the O House Gallery, a tangle of orange wires runs from the lawn beside the pavement to the ceiling above the doorway -- so low that one has to duck around the artwork to enter the gallery. The sensation immediately brings attention to one's sense of space.

And this is exactly the aim of a new exhibition, titled "The History and The Floor That Comes Upward" opening this weekend at the gallery in South Jakarta.

"This is about our interpretation of space," said Radhar Panca Dahana, cultural observer for the exhibition. "Space is the basis for our understanding, our orientation to the future."

Space can be influenced by different factors, including politics, art or commercial interests, said Radhar. Often, in our day-to-day lives we overlook the relationships between these influences.

"So the works of art are to assist the public in understanding space," he said.

The show brings together six artists whose interpretations of the theme make for a dynamic visual experience.

As to be expected from a project that takes space as its central theme, the artists push the boundaries of where each artwork begins and ends, setting up some interesting moments in the exhibition.

One installation that dramatically demonstrates the show's willingness to play with space is that of artist Yani M. Sastranegara. Her artwork literally spans from the exterior of the gallery through a wall to the inside.

From a high sidewall outside the gallery, a web of white cords slants down toward the grass, enveloping a jago tree that still has a few red flowers on its branches.

From the grass, the cords rise again and connect to another wall on the side of the gallery. Then, from inside the gallery, the white cords continue from the wall to the ceiling and hang at different heights, clustered with knots at the bottom.

Another installation that moves from the outside to the inside are the orange wires of artist Made Wianta.

Made said he drew his inspiration from the behavior of ants, whose deeply collaborative behavior he sees as a contrast with modernization in Indonesian society.

"The problem is we started with agriculture and now we're more urban, more individualized, more egotistical," said Made. "How to live like before?"

Made said his work, which often draws on the rich Balinese culture, aimed to confront this question.

"In Indonesia we must learn how to make good relations with others," he said. "We must start with the heart."

Artist Firman Djamil spent years collecting the handprints of various people as he traveled through Indonesia and Australia. Now, those prints, small square tiles with dark red outlines of hands, are on display at the gallery.

"It's a very simple concept, really," he said. He used a blend of betel nut, lime and raw egg that he mixed in his mouth before painting the outline of different people's handprints as he traveled. The tiles, though of the same color and material, are diverse in their shapes and sizes.

"It's for peace," he said, pointing to his heart and then his belly. "It comes from deep inside."

Other artists included in the show are Eko Prawoto, Hardiman Radjab and Hanafi.

Each of the artists brings a unique vision to the concept of space and these perspectives are needed now, said Radhar.

Because space is often dominated by commercial and political interests, we are facing social and environmental problems, he said.

"Maybe with this exhibition we can offer the public a reinterpretation of space in our society," he said.

-- The writer is an intern with The Jakarta Post.

The exhibition will run through Nov. 18 at the O House Gallery, JL Widya Chandra No. 39, South Jakarta.

Popular

Tiny homes for young urbanites draw criticism over livability

Rare bird sightings highlight Jakarta Naturalist Walk exploration on urban biodiversity

Bali flights canceled after Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano eruption