Perspectives on the history of ruangrupa from the year 2000 until documenta 15
When the artist collective ruangrupa was announced as artistic directors for the documenta 15 in February 2019, this came as a surprise even for many insiders: For the first time a collective curates the largest art exhibition in the world, for the first time the curators come from Asia. While German artists and the media had to google the name ruangrupa, the art scene in Indonesia was already celebrating their peers for this coup. In early November 2019, ruangrupa landed as a newcomer at No. 10 of the highly regarded Power-100 list of the international Art Review.
To understand how ruangrupa has managed to reach this international top level, it is necessary to look at the collective’s history. ruangrupa was founded in 2000 with the aim of providing a critical view of current urban issues in Indonesia through interdisciplinary art projects, including social sciences, politics, technology or the media. Over the years, ruangrupa has evolved into a contemporary artists collective and, together with Serrum and Huru Hara Graphic, initiated the project GUDSKUL: an ecosystem of contemporary art that enables collective studies – a public learning space that values equality, sharing, solidarity, friendship and promotes togetherness.
In their presentation ruangrupa members Ade Darmawan, Ajeng Nurul Aini and Narpati Awangga (Oomleo) will talk about their artistic journey and collective space as well as comment on their program for documenta 15. They will also discuss whether the Indonesian art scene will receive more international attention due to their success.
In the press release on the appointment of ruangrupa as artistic directors of documenta 15, Farid Rakun and Ade Darmawan formulated the collective's goal for the exhibition in 2022 as follows:
"We want to create a globally oriented, cooperative, interdisciplinary art and culture platform that will have an impact beyond the 100 days of documenta 15. Our curatorial approach aims at a different community-oriented model of resource usage – economical, but also taking ideas, knowledge, programs and innovations into account.”
Path to documenta
is presented by Inkubator Inisiatif, Jogja Interkultur and Goethe-Institut Indonesien with the support of ruangrupa and Langgeng Art Foundation. The event is part of the Cropping Class series by Inkubator Inisatif, which focuses on space, collectivity and knowledge on contemporary art.
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