It is not often for one to have the opportunity to learn more about the artistic style of different countries. It is, of course, understandable that each artist will have his/her own style with regards to the artistic expression of his/her art. While much of this expression is fueled and influenced by personal experience and preference, it is also inevitable that part of it will be determined by the cultural exposure that the artist has been growing up with. This is usually easily seen from the colourful and starkly different national attire that a country has when compared to another. In a more subtle way, this can also be seen by the artistic rendition of a local artist. This is where the goal of Project 11 and RMIT University align through SIGHT and PRESENT MEASURES.
SIGHT and PRESENT MEASURES both became the title of the year’s exhibition. Held on the 2nd of May 2019 from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Building 94 Level 2, 23 – 27 Cardigan Street Carlton, this year, Project 11 and RMIT University brought together two Indonesian residency artists, Yaya Sung and Erika Ernawan, to Melbourne in order to allow the Melbournian public a glimpse of the Indonesian contemporary art industry. For the members of the public who have an interest in the artistic world, the committee also hoped that the exhibition had helped them open their eyes and grow their interest in delving into the world of art. By inviting both Yaya Sung and Erika Ernawan to showcasing their art in Melbourne, the committee also hoped that they could be role models for Australian women to gain inspiration from. The world of artistic creativity does not differentiate between men and women, it is open to anyone who is interested in being a part of the journey. As the curtain opened for the opening night ceremony and the gallery slowly filled with people coming into the gallery, you could see the excitement and amazement in their smiles.
We also managed to reach out to Resika Tikoalu, the Public Relations Officer of Project 11 to enquire more about her motivation in being a part of SIGHT and PRESENT MEASURES. Born in Jakarta on the 3rd of August 1973, she is an Indonesian citizen with an Australian PR currently residing in Melbourne. Her interest in the artistic world started back when she was young. Her involvement in the Balinese and Indonesian contemporary dances piqued her interest and she had continued to nurture her artistic soul since. She expressed that she loves how art is able to paint and condense intense emotion in every piece, even when the emotion itself is sad or tragic. She was also glad to see that the public took keen interest during the exhibition and shared that there was an elderly lady who asked her more about how she could get into the world of art of her own during the exhibition. She believed that this itself speaks volume of the exhibition’s success.
So ladies and gentlemen, the next time you are around for the exhibition, be sure to drop by and feast your eyes on some of Indonesia’s most renowned work of contemporary arts. Be sure to keep a lookout on Project 11’s next event lining and pencil the date down for future reference.
Text: Edward Tanoto
Photos: Resika Tikoalu
