Curator Rizki A. Zaelani revealed here, Thursday, that the exhibition aimed to express the artists rising concern over false news (hoax) circulating through the social media.
"During this triennial sculpture art exhibition, some artists, including Awan P Simatupang and Amrizal Salayan, highlighted the dangers of using the social media indiscriminately. For example, through his artworks, Simatupang explains how people could turn into terrorists, because of some radical information posted online. Meanwhile, Salayan, through his sculpture, has portrayed how the social media has transformed into a new power, or the (online) access has affected the lives of many people," Zaelani said in Jakarta, ahead of the launch of the exhibition, Thursday.
The vast amount of information provided online, Simatupang, who created the "Eat, Shit, and Die" installation, explained has proved to be a dangerous weapon for people.
"Although our civilization flourished because of technology, I believe that smart phones, as well as the social media, could be a weapon for some people to instigate others, make hate speeches, and as a result, endanger the harmonious relation in the society," Simatupang noted, while showcasing his installation, which comprised 60 "AK-47" or Kalashnikov rifle miniatures, sculptured from keyboards.
The Kalashnikov was selected, Simatupang stressed, because the rifle represented a low-priced weapon that had a dreadful effect during war.
"Similar to the rifle, the social media has also turned into a new terror weapon for people, because now the threats are not only caused by the weapon itself, but through the provocations, false news and hate speeches circulated online. I want to warn people that we are poised for a new cyber war, and it will turn the social media user into a new kind of terrorist," he pointed out.
Meanwhile, senior artist Salayan, who created the sculpture of a man carrying a laptop, highlighted that people were living in a new age of technology.
Under the title New Disclosure #cyber Athlete, Salayan also portrayed the "hidden," but great power of the social media.
Apart from the theme of technology , the exhibition also showcased a number of issues, varying from environment to social critics.
The exhibition showcased a Savage Orchid digital sculpture created by Nus Salomo.
"I made this installation from carbon fibre and 3D printed carbon," Salomo explained.
Despite the many diverse artworks that were showcased, the curators only featured two women artists in this years triennial exhibition.
"Apart from Rita Widagdo and Itsnaini Rahmadillah, most women appear to be more interested in graphic design or painting. Hence, featuring more sculptures by women artists remain a challenge to the curators," Zaelani remarked during the press tour, Thursday.
On a similar occasion, Tubagus Sukmana, head of the gallery, noted that public appreciation toward the art gallery had significantly increased in the past years.
"We noticed that people are more appreciative of the art gallery and the artworks showcased here. For the presidential palaces painting collections exhibition, the number of visitors reached some 35,675 people, or more than thousands per day," Sukmana remarked, while hoping the triennial would attract more appreciation from the public.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
