Otty Widasari

Ones Who Looked at The Presence

Ones Who Looked at The Presence by Otty Widasari is a multimedia artwork that delves into the complexities of memory, history, and identity. The work integrates video, photography, and narrative elements to capture moments of everyday life while simultaneously reflecting on the broader socio-political context of Indonesia. Reflecting on the colonial history of Indonesia under Dutch rule and questioning the viewpoint from which images of that period were produced, the work highlights such structures of power and violence. Widasari employs a documentary style to create a tapestry of visual and auditory fragments that evoke a sense of time and place. She also questions how an emancipated artist can avoid a position of decolonised victim. In response, the work develops a possibility of image liberation from the perspective inscribed by the colonial lens. In the video, a light sweeps the walls of an industrial room and the artist is seen putting fire to a projected image. Re-territorialisation of the image seems to be condemned by the artist and is substituted by its ephemeral appearance and subsequent ignition. The recurring theme of presence, as indicated by the title, is explored through the lens of individuals who bear witness to their surroundings, suggesting a deeper connection to the land and its history. Drawing attention to the intersections of personal and collective memory, Widasari invites us to reflect on our own roles as observers and participants in the continuum of history, encouraging a dialogue about identity, place, and the act of witnessing.