Menatap Sang Liyan Exhibition
Credit: Komunitas Salihara/Witjak Widhi Cahya
“Menatap Sang Liyan”, Dissecting Orientalism in Performance Art and Dance

As once scholar Edward Said have dissected in his book called “Orientalism”, Orientalism is a term that was made by European invaders to call their colonized lands which was mainly located in India and the Middle East. From the discourse, Said uttered that the term was often associated with romanticism, pleasure, and often times a sensual portrayal of the “Others”. In short, their culture which was vastly different than Europeans was deemed as something barbaric. Thereafter, as a part of their colonization process, Westerners felt the need to frame them as a threat to justify their action to rule over them. During those 18 – 19 century period, several pictures and paintings emerged, showing the situation in a harem in those Orient lands with many girls performing the art of dance to their master. In an exhibition and discussion held by Komunitas Salihara called “Menatap Sang Liyan” (Observing the Others), it aims to reconsider Orientalism discourse from the historical aspect of dance (performance art) and it is then displayed through an exhibition, discussion and performance. The discourse within this event includes greater area of colonized lands, and touches the subject of “Orientalism” during European invasion in Indonesia.

Menatap Sang Liyan Exhibition
Credit: Komunitas Salihara/Witjak Widhi Cahya

Orientalisme, Tubuh Tari dan Mitos-Mitos Eksotisme Diri is the title of the exhibition which shows several archives collected from libraries and museums from all over the world. The institutions are New York Performing Arts Library, French National Library, The Eye Museum (Amsterdam), Dansmuseet (Stockholm), Gaumont Pathe (Paris), Arsip Nasional Republik Indonesia, Perpustakaan Nasional (Jakarta) and Visual Art Archive (Yogyakarta). The history of dance and performance art that they display including Javanese dancer who performed at Dutch East Indies (Hindia Belanda) pavilion that were shown during French Colonial Exhibition (1889). There is also “Radha”, a choreography routine created by Ruth St. Denis from United States which combined erotica and mysticism that were always intangible with Orientalism discourse. Early period of ballet modernism by dance collective established by Ruth St. Denis and her partner, Ted Shawn during 1920s is also displayed. Performance art from an art collective from Desa Peliatan, Ubud, Bali was also one of the collection that you could see there. Another archives are divided by three periods from “world exhibiton” – an era during the colonization period, “world fair” – an era after World War II and “expo” forum which shows the present time.

Menatap Sang Liyan Exhibition
Curator Helly Minarti
Credit: Komunitas Salihara/Witjak Widhi Cahya

The discussion conducted by Helly Minarti who is also the curator of this event offers some interesting topics. She provokes us to think further about who the “Others” really are. Whether the Others are always about observing someone or something that is from nowhere land. How about if the observation is re-produced by the ones who were initially observed and how the “Others” view themselves after they are being observed. All of these intriguing and unsettling questions will be dissected during a session held on 25 February 2017 called “Membaca Arsip, Tari dan Menulis (Kembali) Sang Modern” along with Afrizal Malna and Brigita Isabella as the speakers. On 26 February 2017, the event will be concluded with a dance performance from Zan Yamashita, a conceptual choreographer from Japan. In a dance number called “Road to Evil Spirit”, he will follow the words from an unseen person from above the stage and perform it through a movement. An evil spirit will reside within him as he is possessed to do various spectacular dance moves. The exhibition has been opened for public from 5 February 2017 to 28 February 2017. It will give you more insights about post-colonialism perspective on performance art and the history of dance.

Schedule :

  • Exhibition

Exhibition: 05 February-28 February 2017

Galeri Salihara

  • Discussion

Saturday, 25 February 2017, at 16:00 WIB

Serambi Salihara

  • Performance

Sunday, 26 February 2017, at 16:00 WIB

Galeri Salihara