Presented as part of:
Art Basel OVR: Pioneers
25 – 27 Mar 2021
www.artbasel.com
Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela features paintings and sculptures by the innovative Indonesian art collective: Handiwirman Saputra, Jumaldi Alfi, Rudi Mantofani, Yunizar, and Yusra Martunus presented through OVR by Gajah Gallery.
Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela (KSR Jendela) made their first impression on the regional art scene in 2005, with their exhibition Biasa (Ordinary), which marked the beginning of their indelible influence on the Indonesian art scene.
The group was founded on a simple premise: to act as a sanctuary for young artists and an incubator for their ideas. At a time when the Indonesian art world was rampant with the chaotic discourse of socio-political messaging and the struggle to find a post-colonial identity, KSR Jendela offered an alternative view, where sensory play and collaboration lay at the heart of the creative process and the purpose of art.
Ahmad Mashadi wrote:
Excerpt from ‘Jendela: Aspects of Debates and Art History’ (2009).
“[KSR Jendela]’s multi-varied practices are not underlined by manifestos and declaration. Their practices are defined by individuated approaches unencumbered by common philosophical perspective that allows for critical examination in ways that are direct and overt. What is apparent is the artists’ distinct focus on formal constituents of their art, their clinical approach to materials, processes and physical outcomes. The result is works that are distinct in their poetic gestures yet ambivalent in the manner of content.”
In the years since, KSR Jendela has continued to garner the interest of museums, galleries and private collectors across the region, and influence generations of artists.
Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela: On Origins, Individual, and Collective Identity
In this video made exclusively for Art Basel OVR: Pioneers, Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela artists Handiwirman Saputra, Jumaldi Alfi, Rudi Mantofani, and Yunizar discuss the founding of the collective, and their shared philosophical approach to art-making. KSR Jendela rose to prominence in the early 2000s, during a time when socio-political messaging flooded the Indonesian art market.
By contrast, their work presented an alternative visual language rooted in freedom of expression and sensory play, informed by a process of constant exploration and re-definition of individual and collective identity. Now, 28 years since the formation of Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela, the words of these four artists provide insight into what remains one of the most exciting contemporary art groups in Indonesia today.
Translation note: Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela translates to ‘Jendela Art Group’.
Dialogue is in Bahasa Indonesia, with subtitles in English.
The video premieres online on 24 March 2021, 12AM (SGT).
KSR Jendela: Past and Present Perspectives
7PM – 8PM | Thursday, 25 March 2021
Join Gajah Gallery and guest speaker Aminudin TH Siregar for a brief introduction to KSR Jendela, with insights from one of Indonesia’s most prominent art curators and critics.
This session will explore the work and practices of the Yogyakarta-based art group known as Kelompok Seni Rupa Jendela (KSR Jendela), comprised of Handiwirman Saputra, Jumaldi Alfi, Rudi Mantofani, Yunizar, and Yusra Martunus. Looking at artwork and exhibition archives from 1996 to the present, we will consider the significant factors around the emergence of KSR Jendela in the early 2000s, and their impact on contemporary Indonesian art today.
KSR Jendela: Past and Present Perspectives will be held on Zoom, and a short Q&A session will be offered to attendees at the end of the dialogue.
Please register here to receive the Room ID and Password details.
