K

emang 104 is not only an address in urban Jakarta, it is the name of a group of women pursuing creative ventures.

Twenty years ago, Eileen Widjaja, Gina Santoso, Listia Rahardjo, Lucy Wongso, Maya Suharnoko, Seemun Suparno, Tina Sutanto, and Wayan Handoko came together in Kemang 104 and decided to explore, experiment and make art together.

They were, and are, working women whose visions reach far. Venturing into the world of art and imagination, they took the bold step to get involved in art instead of being passive admirers.

Their 11th exhibition since 1999 perhaps shows they are well on their way to becoming professionals in their artistic creations.

The group opened their 11th show on Feb. 24, 2010, at Koi Restaurant on Jl. Mahakam, Jakarta. They invited Audrey Purwana and Taufan A.P., Cecilia Laurent, Dahlia Sardjono, Ina Utomo, Patricia Rubianti Chang, Regina Audrey Hartono, Sita Satar, and Win Selby to participate.

The exhibition, titled "Celebration of Friendship 3", denotes the importance of friendship in their artistic cooperation.

That night, each of the 17 artists entertained their fans and friends with their works, along with good food and drinks.

We started with only the basics, says Listia Rahardjo, whose daily occupation is managing her husband's gallery.

"We all loved art and wanted to create it."

Yet, becoming professional artists was far from their mind, she said.

Over the years, their talent grew and more people began collecting their art. A few members of the group also sought professional training with experienced artists such as sculptor Dolorosa Sinaga.

The exhibited sculptures touches upon a myriad of themes with Listia Rahardjo's cute, soft-colored and well-finished resin bags, alluding to women's fetish for handbags, Gina Santoso's Fly Me to the Moon evoking the desire to be free, Eileen Widjaja's Senor Pinacolada - which shows her interest in music, Lucy Wongso's hilarious Big Heart Big Shoes and Cecilia Laurent's works featuring dancers.

Yet, although there are many sculptures, the show focuses mainly on paintings.

Maya Suharnoko, for instance, who sculpted Kebyar, also created a wonderful triptych of flowers titled Purity. Using water colors, Maya seemingly poured all her emotions into her paintings. Meanwhile Dahlia Sardjono's artwork shows she is an experienced artist.

Of another genre are Wayan Handoko's works of art marked by strong strokes with a three-dimensional effect.

"We have had our ups and downs," states the press release. "But we remain committed to our art."

Although their ambition to become full-time artists is currently on the backburner, these women's skills continue to grow.

And for now, their full-time jobs still allow them to engage in art. Working full-time in business or management, they all know too well how to work hard and enjoy life.

This group differs from the women's art group Grup Sembilan, or the Group of Nine from the 1980s, whose members were educated in the arts, as well as being the wives of diplomats or high-ranking officials. The diplomats' wives needed to nurture their own talents in-between their spouse-supporting responsibilities.

In the 1980s, Ratmini Soedjatmoko, whose husband was a diplomat, gathered like-minded friends and spearheaded Grup Sembilan. They held regular exhibitions, periodically changing members. They made a mark in the history of Indonesian female artists. The enduring friendships the members formed over the years bring solace in their old age.

Similarly, Kemang 104 members are growing beyond the core group, and friendship is a major element in their artistic endeavors. Perhaps they too will at some point appear in the annals of Indonesian art.

And surely they too will cherish enduring friendships in their old age.

- Photos Courtesy of Kemang 104