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Davy Linggar: Public has freedom to interpret art photography
Back to more than a decade ago, collaborative work displayed at the Biennial Exhibition titled ‘Pink Swing Park’ in Jakarta caused an uproar as it showcased half-naked models
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Back to more than a decade ago, collaborative work displayed at the Biennial Exhibition titled ‘Pink Swing Park’ in Jakarta caused an uproar as it showcased half-naked models.
Even though the images of nudes in the controversial 2005 installation were self-censored, with large white circles hiding the genitals of all figures, protesters from a hard-line Muslim organization interpreted them differently, especially following a live TV broadcast, which led to the exhibition being closed earlier than scheduled.
In a later development, the uproar gave birth to the Pornography Law, which was passed by the House of Representatives in 2009 despite opposition from other organizations.
Irrespective of whether or not the work could be categorized as pornographic, the controversy has, to some extent, boosted the popularity of the photographer and another artist as the then frequently talked-about event would not have existed without their creations.
The professional photographer involved in the exhibition is currently brand ambassador of Leica Camera, which recently launched its latest M series, Leica M10 in Jakarta. In 2006, he won the Nokia Award, Fashion Photographer of the Year, the same award that he received in 2004.
The photographer is no other than Davy Linggar. The 42-year-old photographer-artist took center stage recently during the launch at De Luca restaurant, half of the wall of which was filled with his photography works.
When asked whether the Biennial Exhibition themed ‘Urban Culture’, involving him and painter and installation artist Agus Suwage, had boosted his popularity, he shrugged it off with, “Popularity?”
“No. I never seek fame or popularity through my work. The public has the freedom to interpret it,” said the soft-spoken photographer.
He acknowledged that every work “that I create is an expression of what I feel. Sure, it has a message, but not directly,” he said, while not necessarily agreeing with how his work is interpreted.
The Biennale Exhibition was just one of his exhibitions. His first solo exhibition was at Gallery Cahaya, Jakarta, in 1999, followed by “Objectify,” at Ark Gallery, Jakarta, in 2008.
He also participated in a photography exhibition for Olympic Culture 2004 in Athens, Greece; Nokia City Stories book, Singapore, in 2004; 11th Asian art Biennale in Bangladesh in 2005 and in 2007; and in group exhibition Indonesian Contemporary Art, Langgeng Galery, Magelang.
Photography is closest to art
Born in Jakarta in 1974, Davy took up photography as a hobby when he was a toddler, stirred much by the art-friendly environment in which his parents, especially his father, were immersed, particularly photography and painting.
When he grew up, Davy pursued an education in painting at the Painting Studio, the School of Fine Arts and Design, the Bandung Institute of Technology, from 1993 to 1995 and studied photography at Universitaet Gesamthochschule Essen, Fachbereich Fotografie, Germany, from 1995 to 1997.
Following his photography studies in Germany, where he spent much time on taking photographs while traveling to different cities, he returned to Jakarta and worked at Fotomedia Magazine as staff editor from 1997 to 1999, followed immediately by one-year job experience as master printer at I-Print, Professional B&W Lab.
“I became a professional photographer in the 2000s and I’m still in the profession,” said the father of two.
“Actually, before I became a professional photographer, I dreamed of becoming a painter and I sometimes still spend time painting even though painting is not my main profession,” he said.
Why photography?
Davy has his reasons for this. “That, perhaps, photography is an area that is closest to art. It is more instant. Because if I paint, I need more time […] I would have to first drop my schedule for photography before painting. But I can do photography at any time,” he said.
Photography can be viewed as having a commercial or personal goal but “to me, as both it is a pleasurable activity. I do photography work for commercial purposes because of an order from a client, which means I have to do it according to what the client wants,” he said.
“Photography work for personal purposes gives personal satisfaction and I have a passion for that.”
As a professional photographer who receives many photography orders, he says he is now more selective in accepting orders due to his growing awareness about the need to maintain the quality of his work.
“I only accept orders for photography that really fit my style because this way, I can do it maximally,” he reasoned.
Initially, “never reject any order for photography” was his job motto as a professional photographer, but “over the last several years, I have only accepted orders for photography that I believe I can really do maximally.
“If I accept a photography order that does not conform to my style, then I will not be able to do it maximally, which would not meet the client’s tastes and expectations,” he said.
Davy knows how to reject a job without offending a client. He will say, “Sorry, there must be someone else more suitable for it.
“What I mean by doing it maximally is that I take a photo according to my skill and capability as quality matters to me,” he said.
Describing his photography style, he says, “I like something that is natural. Digital imaging does not necessarily mean exaggerating something. For commercial photos, I also try to make them as natural as possible.”
Davy said that the subjects of his photography were widely diversified. “Not only people. I also take photos of architecture, interior, food, etc. […] so as not to be doing boring work. Basically, subjects that fit my style,” he said.
When it comes to taking photos, he says that each subject has its own character and “I let the character of a subject come out. And I never force myself to alter the character,” he said.
After 12 years of taking photos, Davy knows how to satisfy clients.
“I follow the direction that the creative director gives in a photo session. This is important to prevent the risk of not meeting a client’s tastes and expectations,” he said.
“But it is different from taking a photograph for personal purposes. I have my own tastes. But above all, it is important to maintain the quality of images,” he advises.
He says that he does not confine himself in terms of medium of expression, be it photo taking, painting or making an installation. Aside from photography and painting, Davy also sometimes makes an installation.
“To me, the medium of expression should not be limited. This will entirely depend on which form of medium is more suitable to embody the idea. If photography is more suitable to express the idea, then I will use a camera as the medium. But when an installation or video is more suitable, I will make an installation or video,” he concluded.
