|
TV Studies
2005
Dimensions vary
Installation (TV, digital print, chair)
Aming D Rahman and Bambang Subarnas
Aming D Rahman (born 1965 in Bandung) has been working as a curator and worked on several exhibitions, such as: “Kilas Balik Dokumentasi Budaya” (“A Looking Back on the Culture Documentations”) in 2002; and photography exhibition “Kota Kita” (“Our City”), art photography exhibition “Cinta” (“Love”), and “Silaturahmi Daun-Daun” (“Reunion of Leaves”) all in 2003.
Bambang Subarnas (born 1961 in Cilacap) graduated from the department of Arts in IKIP Bandung in 1987, and in 2001 earned his master's degree from the Bandung Institute of Technology. He has been working as a researcher, performance artist, and curator. Some of the exhibition he has curated are: “Modus and Media II” art project in Galeri Kita (2004); “Modus and Media I” art project in GSPI Bandung (2003); and Setiawan Sabana's solo exhibition, "WAAS" (2002).
If someone asks me which TVRI program I find most memorable and interesting, I will answer: “The program that appears as the TVRI closes all its program of the day and gradually disappears from sight.”
Just over midnight, when the eyes are half-opened between our waking and sleeping, the TV box smoothly sends out a hymn. Padamu Negri. To Thee My Country. The closure brings romantic memories.
The blue mountains reaching to the clouds in the vast sky, the green rice fields spreading like the nature's mosaics toward the horizon. Then, we hear the sound of the waves meeting the beaches; the silhouettes of the palm trees are seen against the red sky. Just like a painting of mooi indie in the time of Abdullah Suryo Subroto, or the landscapes by Jelekong sold along Jalan Braga, Bandung. The TV box frames the image and the history within the memory and heroism of the Indonesian Republic.
A moment later, a city life is seen. A network of roads with cars, domes of mosques side by side with church towers and Buddhist temples… and a line of people going to their respective religious places.
Still between waking and sleeping, we see a group of farmers smiling happily, carrying their harvests, walking toward the back of the screen, slipping into the back of our consciousness, and turning into questions. The delight turns into a waving Red-and-White flag. The choir concludes: “To thee my country, my body and my soul.”
And the TV shuts down.
The TV shuts down,
the TV shuts down,
and… the TV shuts down.
(Bambang Subarnas)
|
