Pembukaan Pameran Garden of Earthly Delights: Menghempas Indra Mata, Telinga, dan Tubuh
Ketika berjalan ke Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik di Kota Tua pada Rabu (14/08) siang, mata dan kulitku dihajar oleh matahari.
Sedang ada apa di Kota Tua sehingga aku rela datang di siang-siang? Akan diadakan pembukaan Garden of Earthly Delights: The Exhibition sebagai bagian dari rangkaian ARKIPEL Garden of Earthly Delights – 11th Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival.
Cahaya matahari menyelip di antara pilar-pilar ikonik yang menghias eksterior museum. Sinar matahari jatuh di meja registrasi seolah Tuhan sendiri memberikan arahan untuk para tamu “Hey, ke sini kamu, registrasi dulu”.
Setelah menulis di buku tamu, para tamu dipersilahkan untuk duduk di salah satu kursi yang tersedia sambil menunggu acara dimulai. Kebanyakan memilih untuk duduk di belakang, antara tidak ingin mencolok jika duduk di depan atau karena dekat dengan kipas. Menahan panas dan berharap angin kipas kena punggungku, aku duduk di barisan tengah sambil menunggu rangkaian acara dimulai.
Pembina upacara pada hari itu adalah Yuki Aditya, Direktur Artistik ARKIPEL, yang mengundang para pembica ke depan.
Luthfan Nur Rochman, Direktur Festival ARKIPEL, menjelaskan tentang peran ARKIPEL yang bukan sekedar festival untuk memutarkan filem, tetapi untuk menyajikan wacana sinema dan menyoroti persoalan global saat ini dalam bentuk pemutaran filem dan diskusi (simposium).
Setelah itu, ada Hafiz Rancajale selaku Kurator pameran yang maju ke depan.
Apa itu Garden of Earthly Delights sendiri? Garden merujuk pada sebuah tempat, sedangkan Earthly Delights bisa diartikan sebagai kenikmatan duniawi, apakah Garden of Earthly Delights bisa dimaknakan sebagai surga? Tidak juga. Dalam pembicaraan Hafiz, ia mengaitkan karya lukisan Hieronymus Bosch dengan judul yang sama ini dengan simulasi aspek kemanusian atau sensori. Gagasan yang cocok bagi sebuah pameran audio-visual yang mempermainkan indra.
Terakhir yang maju adalah Sri Kusumawati, selaku Kepala Unit Pelaksana Museum Seni DKI Jakarta. Ia membawa sebuah pantun dan berterima kasih kepada para hadirin yang datang, terutama bagi seniman yang karyanya sedang dipamerkan saat itu.
Jika keadaan di luar terang dan panas, kondisi dalam ruangan sangat dingin dan redup. Momen di dalam ruangan itulah dimana penglihatan, pendengaran, dan sentuhanku seakan sedang diuji. Sumber cahaya minim dari lampu-lampu dekoratif, lampu sorot, dan proyektor yang mengganggu penglihatanku. Suara bercampur aduk antara hadirin yang bicara dan karya soundscape menarik menuntut perhatian pendengaranku. Sedangkan udara dingin dari AC menyiksa punggung terbukaku, membuat aku menyesal tidak menggunakan jaket.
Sebagai seorang yang sudah familiar dengan filem eksperimental dan seni kontemporer, karya yang dipamerkan tidak terasa “jijik” bagiku. Maka kaget aku ketika seorang Ibu berkomentar “ini dialognya kotor sekali” ketika menonton Suitcase of Love and Shame (2013) dan percakapan tentang menghisap penis muncul. Kebetulan ada Sri Kusumawati sendiri di sampingnya yang menjelaskan apa makna dari karya tersebut.
Aku penasaran bagaimana seorang Kepala Unit Pelaksana Museum Seni DKI Jakarta menangkap pameran ini. Sri Kusumawati sendiri menjelaskan ketertarikan dia ketika Forum Lenteng hadir dengan proposal pameran ini. Ini merupakan kesempatan untuk mengenalkan seni kontemporer, terutama bagaimana seniman luar berkomunikasi, pada pengunjung museum yang kebanyakan mahasiswa dan murid-murid sekolah.
Salah satu anak magang museum bernama Nabilah dari SMK 1 Perguruan Cikini mengatakan pameran ini unik dan baru pertama kali dia melihat pameran (seperti) ini. Ia rasa pameran ini ada potensi untuk menambahkan wawasan (kesenian). Mendengar komentar itu dari seorang murid, sepertinya Sri Kusumawati tidak sia-sia berharap Garden of Earthly Delights: The Exhibition bisa memberikan gagasan baru pada generasi muda.
Garden of Earthly Delights: The Exhibition berjalan dari 14 – 27 Agustus, dan bisa dikunjungi selama jam operasional Museum Seni Rupa dan Keramik. Saksikan berbagai bentuk karya audio-visual dari seniman dan komunitas dalam negeri maupun luar negeri, seperti: Aldhila Pamungkas dan Wildan Iltizam, Muarasa dan Komunitas Pasir Putih, Sigisora, S. Soedjojono, Soedibio, Nashar, Rastika, Jane Gillooly (Amerika), Felix Blume (Prancis), Oleksandr Isaienko (Ukraina), Nguyen Trinh Thi (Vietnam), Suk-Jun Kim (Korea Selatan), Zbynek Baladran (Ceko).
Garden of Earthly Delights Exhibition Opening: Imposing the Eyes, Ears, and Body
When walking to the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramic at Kota Tua on Wednesday (14/08) afternoon, my eyes and skin were battered by the sun.
What’s going on at Kota Tua that made me want to come there in the afternoon? There was the opening of Garden of Earthly Delights: The Exhibition as part of the ARKIPEL Garden of Earthly Delights – 11th Jakarta International Documentary and Experimental Film Festival.
Sun rays shone between the iconic pillars which decorate the museum’s exteriors. Rays of sunlight fell on the registration desk as if God was giving instructions to the guests “Hey, come here, register first”.
After writing in the guest book, the guests were welcomed to sit on chairs while waiting for the ceremony to start. Most chose to sit at the back, either to avoid standing out if they sat in the front or because it was closer to the fan. Enduring the heat and hoping the fan’s wind would hit my back, I sat in the middle row while waiting for the ceremony to start.
The master of ceremonies for the day was Yuki Aditya, Artistic Director of ARKIPEL, who invited the rest of the speakers to the front.
Lufthan Nur Rochman as the Festival Director of ARKIPEL explains the the festival’s role , not just to screen films, but also to provide a conversation about cinema and highlight current global issues through screenings and discussions (symposiums).
After that, Hafiz Rancajale as the exhibition curator stepped forward.
What does the Garden of Earthly Delights mean? Garden refers to a place, while Earthly Delights can be interpreted as worldly pleasures, can Garden of Earthly Delights be interpreted as heaven? Not really. During his talk, he linked Hieronymus Bosch‘s painting with the same title to the simulation of the human or sensory aspect. A fitting theme for an audio-visual exhibition that plays with the senses.
Finally, the last one to speak was Sri Kusumawati, as the Head of the Museum’s Implementation Unit. She began with a pantun and thanked the audience who came, especially to the artists whose works were being exhibited at that time.
Outside was bright and hot, inside the room was chilly and dim. The moment I stepped inside the room, it felt like my senses were on trial. The limited light provided from the decorative lights, spotlights, and projectors disturbed my vision. The arrays of noises from the attendees talking and the soundscape work demanded my auditory attention. Meanwhile, the cold air from the AC pierced through my open back, making me regret not wearing a jacket.
As someone who is already familiar with experimental films and contemporary art, the works exhibited did not feel “disgusting” to me. So I was surprised when a lady commented “this dialogue is very dirty” when watching Suitcase of Love and Shame (2013) and a conversation about oral sex came up during the film. Fortunately, Sri Kusumawati was nearby, she explained the meaning behind the work.
I was curious as to how the Head of the Museum’s Implementation Unit felt about this exhibition. Sri Kusumawati expressed interest when Forum Lenteng came with the proposal for this exhibition. This was an opportunity to introduce contemporary art, especially how international artists communicate this concept, to museum visitors who are mostly students.
One of the museum interns, Nabilah from SMK 1 Perguruan Cikini said this exhibition was unique and it’s the first time she had seen an exhibition like this. She felt that this exhibition had the potential to bring new understanding (about art). Hearing that comment from a student, it seems that Sri Kusumawati was right to hope that Garden of Earthly Delights: The Exhibition could provide new insights to the younger generation.
Garden of Earthly Delights: The Exhibition runs from August 14 – 27, and can be visited during the operational hours of the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics. See various forms of audio-visual works from domestic and international artists and communities, such as: Aldhila Pamungkas and Wildan Iltizam, Muarasa and Pasir Putih Community, Sigisora, S. Soedjojono, Soedibio, Nashar, Rastika, Jane Gillooly (America), Felix Blume (France), Oleksandr Isaienko (Ukraine), Nguyen Trinh Thi (Vietnam), Suk-Jun Kim (South Korea), Zbynek Baladran (Czech).
