Courtesy of Wiyu WahonoEddy Susanto, The Java of Dürer, 2011, acrylic and drawing pens on canvas 200x280 cm Eddy Susanto’s Java of Dürer is one of the 24 works that were selected out of 475 applications for the second BaCAA awards. It is one of four pieces that earned a prize.

Another piece worthy of note is a video by Yusuf Ismail, entitled Eat Like Andy, which is a TV installation that mimics Andy Warhol’s (1928-1987) Eating a Hamburger (1982).

“I push the method of adapting or even copying further to the surface, and I use it as a form of criticism regarding contemporary art itself,” said Yusuf. Looking at the two videos side by side (the original and the appropriated) may at first not evoke strong feelings, but gradually the clue of the work dawns upon viewer. While Warhol’s work is fairly simple, the act of Yusuf mimicry presents a distinct complexity and it’s the tension between the original Warhol and mimicry in the original video of Yusuf’s that fascinates the viewer.

Meanwhile, the two works tackle the issue of alienation in our contemporary world. Octora Chan’s Laura in Paradise, featuring a static doll with a live-pumping heart, speaks of how each of us tends to play different roles in life, or put on different masks in order to conform to situations and avoid conflicts with the external world. Octora sees such patterns of role playing in order to be liked and be accepted as ultimately leading to an alienation of the authentic self.  Bagus Pandega’s Autism Spectrum, featuring an interactive work using various recording and sensory equipment, which one can play, also points to the human alienation from his social environment.

There are many other works that draw our attention to a new trend in contemporary art. Prilla Tania for instance, uses cut out techniques and paper to express her concerns of consumerism. Taking the appearance of a large coaster, usually seen for cakes, the cut-outs reveal a food chain diagram of life in traditional society compared to modern life. “Traditional life that is often considered outdated tends to produce circular forms that we can read as sustainable life, while modern life with its convenience forms a spiral that ends at an ever increasing point of piled up, non-degradable waste,” said Prilla.

These few examples denote an increasing tendency in art to hold hidden surprises, or hidden provocations, something that evokes a new way of looking at art, while challenging the viewer’s wider scope of vision and intelligence.

Courtesy of Wiyu WahonoEddy Susanto, The Java of Dürer, 2011. When Dr. Andonowati, the director of ArtSociates in 2009, announced her initiative of a competition of art work by artists under 40-years-old, it was considered a brave and risky undertaking. But she insisted that something had to be done to push the development of young emerging artists, and she went on to appoint a Board of Jurors, deviating from the usual format of curators only, and consisting of a mix of artists, curators, collectors and a journalist. The inaugural BaCAA attracted over 400 applicants, from which four were considered worthy of the BaCAA awards. The success of these awards can be measured by the success that the awardees have subsequently enjoyed.

The work of 24 finalists of the second BaCAA will be auctioned on April 18, at 7 p.m. at Ciputra Marketing Gallery, Jl. Prof Dr Satrio, kav 11, Kuningan, South Jakarta, with a preview starting on April 17 between 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. All proceeds will be used for the continuation of the award. The auction will be conducted by Ms Deborah Carr Iskandar, and will be preceded by an Art Talk on the work, with Wiyu Wahono and Tom Tandio, two collectors of Indonesian contemporary art.

For more information, contact +6281322851171
(Isnataini Rahmadillah)