IO, Jakarta – Hanafi and Goenawan Mohamad artists hold a collaborative exhibition entitled “57 x 76”, a love-like collaboration that is fluid and unbridled between each artwork they create. They call it a warm, open, unhurried, comic and endless collaboration.
“57 and 76 are taken from Hanafi and Goenawan’s age,” said the curator Agung Hujatnikajennong during a media tour at the National Gallery on Friday (22/6). Their names are connected to the symbol “X” instead of “+”, because this collaboration has a deeper meaning, rather than an exhibition of collaborative work of two artists. “The intention is not just cooperation, but merging into one in a collaborative project,” he continued.
Hanafi first had an idea and invited Goenawan to collaborate after seeing the exhibition “Kata, Gambar” of Goenawan last year at DiaLoGue, Jakarta. Both knew each other before.
“This exhibition would not have materialized without confidence in each other, the proximity factor of both is very influential,” said Agung.
Goenawan Mohamad was once asked to write the introduction and open Hanafi’s “Of Spaces and Shadows” exhibition in 2009. For six months Hanafi and Goenawan created more than 200 artworks, though not all of them were on display due to space constraints. The exhibition also displays three installations that will show how the power of the two projects are mutually “destructive”.
“The word ‘broken’ to me is a gesture to make metamorphosis of the lines, plane and colors that it offers. Hanafi generally makes monochromatic works, and if not, his line of hints suggests themes: memories of Picasso, Max Ernst, erotic suggestions, and surrealistic forms. I welcome this ‘style’, follow it precisely by making a difference every time, “said Goenawan Mohamad.
Hanafi has previously done a lot of art collaborations, either with artists or interdisciplinary artists such as writers, musicians, and performing artists. Meanwhile, Goenawan Mohamad who has long been involved in the world of literature, culture and journalism began to develop interest in the world of fine art in the past few years. Fine art is a world he has always loved for a long time, Goenawan has been creative with Sanggar Bambu, an art studio where a group of young people from Yogyakarta are close to painting, sculpture, and craft.
“In this collaboration we do not talk much to each other. Hanafi – without a word, silently sends his works to me, I think with the creed creations it will not be bad if I add the lines, colors and shapes that I make, “said Goenawan Mohamad.
“There is no discussion of concepts, each of us plunging directly into the work at hand, responding, an intuitive dialogue takes place,” he added.
As a curator, Agung also said both work with unique methods.
“What they do is start drawing on paper or canvas, but unsolved, they ask others to finish it,” said Agung. There are times when paintings have to go back and forth from Goenawan to Hanafi, and vice versa. Some are done alone in their respective studios without much discussion so the result is full of surprises.
“By opening up to the responses and ‘interventions’ of other parties, both Hanafi and GM are actually exposing the boundaries of a solitary, subjective and particular area of personal ideas,” Agung said.
“The pattern of creation is not linear and ultimately aleatoric because each must begin to work from an unexpected initial reference, not fully understood or mastered. At some point they are also confused to determine the response, let alone to give a response as the image already appears ‘finished ‘, ” Agung concluded.
“Our work encourages viewers to continue to expect the beginning and end of the unreadable front page causes. But a canvas has many doors, more than a novel has, “Hanafi said.
Hanafi invites visitors to determine what kind of benchmarks the success of this collaboration can achieve, whether when their trademark merged, or when it is clear which parts are made by each artist. In the exhibition, visitors are also offered a new way to enjoy artwork. Instead of being displayed on the wall, the two rooms in this exhibition arranged framed paintings inside a “tub”
Hanafi also said, usually the shoulders will collide when people are busy watching the paintings on the wall. This time he arranged for visitors to meet face to face while enjoying the artwork.
“57 x 76” will also present a “Collaboration As Method” Workshop with Goenawan Mohamad, Hanafi and Agung Hujatnikajennong on June 24 at 14.00 WIB at the National Gallery of Indonesia. The exhibition “57 x 76” can be enjoyed at Gedung A Galeri Nasional Indonesia on until July 2, 2018. (aldo)