Renowned Indonesian political artist at MIT

Friday, 07 September 2007

Renowned Indonesian political artist takes up residence at MIT

Renowned political artist Dadang Christanto brings his compassion for human suffering, past horrors and present dangers to Counties Manukau as part of the Manukau School of Visual Arts (MSVA) artist in residence project.

During Dadang’s residency at MSVA he will be participating in News from Islands – a major exhibition at Campbelltown, Sydney – alongside influential New Zealand artists Lonnie Hutchinson, Reuben Paterson, John Pule, Yuk King Tan, Sofia Tekela-Smith, Michel Tuffery and other international artists from the Pacific. Dadang’s contribution is a performance which he conducted at MSVA with the help of students and then webcast live to Sydney for the exhibition’s opening event.

Dadang will be working at MSVA on Unrecognised Victims from 1 August to 25 September and will be participating in a symposium at MSVA on 15-16 September. He will also give lectures at Massey University, Canterbury University and Otago Polytechnic as part of his residency commitments.

Through an intense compassion and empathy for human suffering born from the disappearance of many Indonesian political dissidents and events during the 60s purges along with political repression and conflict in his home country, Dadang’s art practice over the last decade has been poeticised reminders of past horrors and present dangers. His concerns are the social and political issues of human rights, peace, and social justice, explored through a combination of installation, sculpture, painting, and powerful performance.

Born in Central Java, Indonesia, Dadang was known as a radical student in Indonesia during the 80s and is now an influential and well known artist in his home country. He has exhibited widely throughout Asia, Europe, Australia, and the Americas. In 2003 he represented Indonesia at the “Olympics of contemporary art” the Venice Biennale, Italy. Today he lives in Brisbane, Australia, after having taught at both the: Northern Territory University, Darwin and University of New South Wales, Sydney.

ENDS

About MIT

Manukau Institute of Technology is one New Zealand’s largest polytechnics. It offers more than 100 formal programmes at degree, diploma and certificate level and has a student population of around 32,000. Established in 1970 as the country’s first purpose built polytechnic, MIT delivers vocational education and training. With a workforce of 900, MIT is one of the biggest employers in the Counties Manukau region. Manukau City is New Zealand’s fastest growing metropolis.

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