Altje Ully is one of the few female artists in Indonesia, especially in sculpting. In the last five years, many of Altje Ully's works has been depicting the many problems related to female issues. She, however, refused to be categorized as a feminist artist. For Altje, her concerns about female matters do not necessarily have to be interpreted as a form of feminism.

Altje sees the female figure more as a human being. As with other human beings--male or female--the female figure has a corporeal aspect, as well as a spirit and soul. In the spirit, all matters about the character, personality, and other psychological aspects of a human being find a place; while the soul houses the religious aspects of the human being. Altje, however, is more interested to explore the corporeal problems. The body discussed in her works not only represented the physical aspects and forms, but also the non-physical aspects inherent with it. Altje believes that the body has the potential to express many things.

In this biennale Altje interprets the body through the figures of mannequins and urge to question the mannequins' existence. Mannequins are familiar objects in our lives, easy to find everywhere. However, we never really pay attention to them. They are nothing more than complimentary objects, a decorative piece, a "place" where consumptive things are displayed on. People care more about what the mannequins wear, not on the mannequins themselves. Mannequins--which generally represent female figures--also give the stereotypical image of an ideal woman: tall, slender, and beautiful. But however good the mannequins appear, at the end they are still merely decorative objects. The same thing can be said about most women today, as they are still dominated by social constructions: they are seen more as wives, carrying their husbands' names (so that their own names are often forgotten), or as mothers to their children. They seldom appear as subjects, as autonomous one.

In Altje's work, mannequins are presented according to Altje's interpretations and some of their parts are thus altered. The feet, for example, were "perfected" by using Altje's own feet as the model. The curatorial frame work of the visual art territory, inspire her to explore more about the visual medium, and she represents the mannequins using wood. The design and the making of the mannequins involve designers and carpenters, and Altje herself as an artist. This collaborative works mingles some hallmarks of design product, such as resemblances as the logical consequence of the repetitions, craft work qualities such as the uniqueness (however much the resemblances the mannequins bear with other similar objects), variations, and the tendency to use materials and tools skillfully. Here mannequins no longer become anonymous figures dominated by their functions. Mannequins in Altje's hands are able to speak about many things: the female problems, craft, designs, the problems of the systems, constructions, etc. Things that have been a hidden discourse.

Irma Damayanti

Born on June 19, 1958 in Tarutung.
Studied at Jakarta Institute of the Arts (IKJ), Jakarta (1977).

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2000 "Pangaradeon ni Oroan" (The Batak Tribe Bride Preparations), Lontar Gallery, Jakarta.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1998 Indonesia Contemporary Sculpture, Jakarta Triennale of Sculpture II", Ismail Marzuki Cultural Centre (TIM), Jakarta; "Woman In The Realm of Spirituality", National Gallery, Jakarta and Pontificial University, Gregoriana, Rome, Italy; Indonesia Sculpture Exhibition, TIM, Jakarta; "Through the Discipline of Sculptures", Plaza Senayan, Jakarta.
1999 "Dialogue in the Middle of the Field", Erasmus Huis, Jakarta.
2000 TIAF (Toronto International Art Fair), Toronto, Canada; "Reading Frida", Nadi Gallery, Jakarta; "Not I. Am I?", Nadi Gallery, Jakarta; Jakarta 2001 Sculptors Exhibition, TIM, Jakarta.
2001 Group Exhibition, Nu Art Sculpture Park, Bandung; "Unity in Sense", Edwin Gallery, Jakarta; "patung@eg.com" Sculpture Exhibition, Edwin Gallery, Jakarta.

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