Jompet Kuswidananto
Third Realm Venice Series #2
Third Realm grew out of artist Jompet Kuswidananto’s long-term research of Indonesia’s colonial history and the processes of modernization and urbanization that have taken place there. Kuswidananto describes the nation as perpetually in an “in-between” state of transition. Thus he has developed the concept of a third reality, third space, or third body—an identity specifically for Indonesia that reflects its spatial realities and national character. The uniforms and horse saddles in the installation are of the type used in festival parades. Instead of directly commenting on colonial military history, the ghostly and bodiless outfits hauntingly suggest something out of the past. The addition of video and sound exacerbates this effect. This highly theatrical work not only reenacts traditional mythology but also foregrounds its unstable nature. It is intended to represent a shifting and changing milieu of ideas, events, performances, and meanings.
Inspired by Indonesia’s complex social history, political identity, ideologies, and culture, as well as his training as a musician, Jompet Kuswidananto makes multimedia installations that often combine video, sound, and mechanized elements. His research-based practice has its own unique language. Kuswidananto is closely connected to local communities in Yogyakarta, and many of his projects are realized through in-depth collaborations. His work has been included in the 3rd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale (2005), the Yokohama Triennale (2008), the Jakarta Biennale XIII (2009), the 10th Biennale de Lyon (2009), and the Kuandu Biennale (2010).