Layering Gang Kelinci: Symbiosis of Culture and Plastic Consciousness

July 2023

Layering Gang Kelinci: Symbiosis of Culture and Plastic Consciousness
Gudskul, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2023

 

Curatorial Perspective by Anna Cuomo
28 August 2023

Layering Gang Kelinci represent the way of absorbing the very local environment of the village close to Gudskul area. Gang Kelinci means rabbit alley as entering in the rabbit hole is always related to unexpected discoveries in an unknown place: jumping in a site where you can find new realities and ways to express it. The tour around the Gudskul area in the village brought Amir to absorb a new cultural hints such as thinking to the big amount of plastic trash that occupy public areas. Collecting plastic trash became a way to be connected more with a rich culture made up of different layer of many histories, from the very past till the contemporary society’s leftovers, such as plastic bags as documents of everyday life. The plastic foils have been combined with pictures taken around and then silk-printed on the bags to create the artworks. The works are then made by layers of plastic that also contain that hints, made up of all this layered existences. Layering is also the process in the whereby the branch of a three produces roots separated from the original plant becoming a new propagating desiderable plants. If the tree is Gudskul, all the contributions of the community and the technics learned here give new life to a plant derived from a mix of new experiences and of putting together people and materials.

-Dr. Anna Cuomo is a curator and researcher currently working at the Madre Museum in Naples.

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Layering Gang Kelinci: Symbiosis of Culture and Plastic Consciousness

Gudskul, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2023

This exhibition merges environmental consciousness with cultural exploration, transforming discarded plastics into artworks through silkscreen and heat-pressing techniques. Inspired by a village excursion near Gudskul, the project reflects on sustainability, community, and collective learning. By aligning with Gudskul’s ethos of collaboration, it invites audiences to engage with the textures, narratives, and dialogues that emerge when art, culture, and ecology intersect.

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 About this Work

"Layering Gang Kelinci: Symbiosis of Culture and Plastic Consciousness" transcends typical artistic boundaries, offering an immersive and transformative experience at Gudskul. This exhibition intricately merges environmental consciousness with cultural exploration, enriching the ongoing discourse on the interplay between art, culture, and environmental responsibility. It targets art enthusiasts, environmental activists, the local community, and cultural scholars.

During a memorable motorcycle excursion with Adi, a Gudskul guard, I was invited into his village residence near Gudskul. As we journeyed through the village, we embarked on a collection of discarded plastics. These plastics, once considered waste, became the foundation of my art. Through innovative techniques like silk screening mixed with heat pressing, these salvaged plastics metamorphosed into captivating artworks showcased at the Gudskul exhibition space.

The exhibition features interactive installations and sensory experiences, engaging the audience in a dialogue about environmental sustainability and cultural narratives. Visitors can touch and feel the textures of the transformed plastics, participate in interactive displays, and immerse themselves in the sensory elements of the exhibition.

"Layering Gang Kelinci" aligns harmoniously with Gudskul's ethos—a collaborative learning hub and contemporary art ecosystem spearheaded by Jakarta's art collectives: ruangrupa, Serrum, and Grafis Huru Hara (GHH). Since the early 2000s, these collectives have championed collective and collaborative practices in contemporary art. United by values like equity, sharing, solidarity, friendship, and unity, these collectives established a shared space in 2015 to advance the vibrancy of art and culture, igniting creative initiatives within the wider community.

In tandem with this cooperative outlook, an inventive platform emerged through festival organization and seminar curations, notably showcased in the immersive event series dubbed Stateless Mind by Jambatan collective, which I co-founded in Copenhagen. This initiative resonates with my personal artistic practice while mirroring Gudskul’s collaborative ethos. Tailored for diaspora artists in the Nordic regions, this thoughtful initiative underscores a commitment to nurturing artistic interaction, cultural dialogues, and creative empowerment across diverse artistic spheres.

By intertwining environmental advocacy, cultural exploration, and community engagement, "Layering Gang Kelinci" bridges with Gudskul to shape a cultural environment steeped in inclusivity, collaboration, and artistic resonance.

-Amir Z, 2024

Installation view at  gudskul, Jakarta

with support from Danish Art Foundation