On a warm and sunny day, ARTSUBS — the first major contemporary art exhibition in Surabaya — opened at Pos Bloc, a cultural venue in the old city. Themed Ways of Dreaming, the large-scale exhibition features 152 artists from across the nation, presenting aspirational, fantastical artworks that imaginatively interpret various aspects of life in Indonesia.
Curated by Asmudjo J. Irianto and Nirwan Dewanto, ARTSUBS (26 October – 24 November 2024) comprises eleven platforms spread across five different zones, covering themes such as abstraction, photography, pop, and the intersection of architecture and art. Under the direction of Rambat, founder of Jakarta’s Jagad Gallery, the selection includes both emerging and established artists based in cities across East Java (like Surabaya, Malang, and Tuban), as well as Bali, Jakarta, Jogjakarta, and more.
For those considering visiting ARTSUBS before it closes this Sunday, here are some works from the five zones that caught our attention.
Five zones of artistic contributions
Navigating through the exhibition, you’ll find the first zone filled with paintings, sculptures, and installations. Here, there’s a work by Balinese painter Ni Nyoman Sani (b. 1975), who won the UOB Painting of the Year Indonesia award in 2023. The Current is a large white canvas, three-dimensionally textured through the careful application of paint.
Entang Wiharso (b. 1967), who practices in both the United States and Indonesia, brought two sculptures to ARTSUBS. Family Tree (2004) draws upon personal experiences of racism, identity, belonging, and social conditioning. Members of the same family may share certain views, while also having different goals and dreams.
Next, you can take the stairs to the second zone and check out a room where artists, architects, and graphic designers address themes of landscape, place, time, and imagination. In his practice, Asmoadji (b. 1995) turns sketches into rickety-looking, three-dimensional architectural constructions made of both new and repurposed materials.
His captivating work Lingkaran Strategis #2 (Strategic Circle #2) was inspired by common objects in his surroundings, first captured through sketches and then through 3D artworks using found objects such as scrap zinc, plywood pieces, stickers, and more. This artwork specifically reminds me of familiar sights around Indonesian cities.
In the third zone, Indonesian culture is brought to the fore through batik, wayang (Javanese puppet theatre), folklore, and historical events. Through this zone, I learned different viewpoints about Indonesian cultures and histories from the artists.
A couple, Agus Ismoyo and Nia Fliam of the Brahma Tirta Sari batik studio (est. 1985), present Grompol (2024): a batik installation dominated by shades of white and blue with video footage. The grompol motif symbolises a close relationship with nature and the compassion given by the universe to any form of life. The work is also related to a cultural narrative from Javanese mythology that features Kamajaya and Kamaratih, Hindu gods of love and beauty.
The fourth zone contains collectives like Jatiwangi Art Factory (est. 2005) and Hysteria (est. 2004), as well as individual artists I.G. Sukarya, Septian Harriyoga, and Cecilia Patricia Untario. This zone refers to multiple aspects of modernisation — social, political, and economic — that can bring about development but also destruction.
I Gede Sukarya’s (b. 1995) work Suling-suling (Flutes) is captivating because the artist uses cow skin, a major commodity from his hometown in Bulian Village, Buleleng Regency, Bali. The cylindrical shapes in the installation refer to his village’s irrigation system, which required 10 kilometres of pipes to get water from the mountains of Kintamani.
Suling-suling also resembles a previous work shown at the Indonesia Bertutur festival in August this year, entitled Tembuku. Says the artist: “Both titles have similar meanings as a place or tool for dividing water — the only difference is its shape. The one in ARTSUBS is a smaller version that looks more like flutes.”
Semarang-based collective Hysteria showcases DITAMPART LEBIH KERAS (2024), featuring a three-wheel motorcycle that can be modified into a stage of 6 x 4 metres for exhibition and performance. Having travelled across Central Java, the project represents endurance, flexibility, and adaptation in every ecosystem.
In the fifth and last zone, artists like Ninus Anusapati, Cecil Mariani, Agung “Tato” Suryanto, and Eko Nugroho present eye-catching installations about politics, human beings, history, and imagination.
Anusapati’s (b. 1957) Burning Landscape sculpture features burnt and carved wooden blocks, combined into the jagged shape of a mountain. Cecil’s (b. 1978) work using gumoil printing processes resembles double-exposure photographs. Tato (b. 1970) tells a story of reproduction, with mirrored walls providing different points of view. These diverse works offer multiple experimental lenses through which human beings can see the world.
Finally, Eko Nugroho’s (b. 1977) Republik Berhantu (Haunted Republic) is a gigantic 180-cubic-metre installation painted with a black-and-white mural. The initial concept for this work came from the haunted house, a common sight at Indonesian night markets. The cube contains Eko’s sociopolitical criticism, acknowledging the complex relationships between the nation, power, and politics.
Looking ahead
During their curatorial talks on 27 October, curators Asmudjo and Nirwan hoped that ARTSUBS would remain the largest annual art event in Surabaya, gaining huge attention from art enthusiasts in Surabaya and beyond. “We hope that our programmed workshops and talks for the first edition of ARTSUBS will expand to more amusing themes in the future,” said Nirwan.
ARTSUBS’ programmes and paid workshops are updated weekly on their official Instagram. These include selected artist talks, public discussions, curatorial tours, and more. As a resident of Surabaya, I appreciate that ARTSUBS provides new opportunities for Indonesian artists, especially for those living in the eastern regions — Sulawesi, Molucca, Nusa Tenggara, and Papua — where access to art programmes is limited and often requires long hours of travel.
Overall, the first edition of ARTSUBS is a good start to introducing contemporary art to citizens in Surabaya. Viewers, especially art geeks, may even visit more than once to see the hundreds of artworks installed. With Jogja, Jakarta, Bandung, and Bali already hosting competitive art scenes, ARTSUBS allows even more East Javanese artists to showcase work in their home provinces.
As the second largest city in Indonesia, Surabaya has potential to be a new centre of creativity for art enthusiasts — artists, collectors, curators, and audiences — to produce, discover, and preserve diverse Indonesian contemporary art.
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ARTSUBS takes place at Pos Bloc, Surabaya, till 24 November 2024. Tickets are available online and on-site. Find out more at artsubs.co.
Header image: Exhibition view of ARTSUBS 2024 (Eko Nugruho’s Republik Berhantu is in the centre). Image by author.
