Solo Exhibition Ade Darmawan – Water Resistance

Ade Darmawan’s extensive research spanning over two decades investigates the enduring interplay between production and consumption within the context of political-historical narratives in Indonesia. Commencing with Supply and Demand (2003) and progressing through Human Resource Development (2012), Magic Centre (2015), and Doing Business with the Dutch (2018), Darmawan’s scholarly pursuit has transitioned into a new phase. His methodological approach involves dissecting the concept of production-consumption into constituent elements, thereby paving the way for an alternative interpretation of Indonesia’s historical trajectory, emphasizing historical violence from the pre-colonial era to the vicissitudes of the New Order regime. This evolutionary research approach represents a notable progression in Darmawan’s scholarly oeuvre.

Throughout each exhibition, Darmawan led the audience through his artistic research, engaging their senses and immersing them in his thoughts, which took on a poetic yet approachable form. Often, each exhibition was interconnected with others as the themes themselves were connected. The exhibition Water Resistance marked a new stage, using Pramoedya Ananta Toer’s book Arus Balik (1995) as a starting point to explore the relationship between human production and consumption.

Water Resistance signifies a new phase in Darmawan’s artistic journey following a 12-year hiatus from solo exhibitions in Indonesia.  The solo exhibition was presented simultaneously at two sites: Cemeti – Institute for Art and Society in Yogyakarta and ROH in Jakarta. The exhibition also marks the inception of Cemeti’s inaugural chapter, which we refer to as the “Learning Nearby” chapter. This prelude, “Learning Nearby,” aims to foster collaborative learning and mutual growth, with plans to materialize through various programs, including public talks, discussions, screenings, artist residencies, group exhibitions, and solo exhibitions.

Page : 20 pages
Language: English