Into the Future: Indonesian Women Artists

by Carla Bianpoen (Cemara Enam Foundation)

Cemara 6 Galeri Museum was established in 1993 by Dr Toeti Heraty N-Roosseno, who was an early actor in the 1998 protests that overthrew President Suharto. With an explicitly feminist agenda, the gallery has held women-only exhibitions over the years and is continuing to move forward in promoting Indonesian women artists, particularly of the younger generation. This book is the accompanying volume to a 2019 exhibition of the same title, which featured 21 contemporary female artists whose work affirms the curatorial statement that ‘Technology is thriving, new findings in science are life-enriching and the female spirit is making a breakthrough, all of which are opening up new challenges, new possibilities and a new way'.

The work includes seven critical essays by figures from government, arts and academia, and profiles of all artists included in the exhibition. Representative works are accompanied by explicatory essays and biographical information. From moody photography to bright mixed-media riffs on pop culture, the volume is an intriguing sample of the country's art production — and the fact that it represents the historically under-represented only adds to its appeal.