We strongly believe in the 'banning' of artist Yos Suprapto's work at the National Gallery

JAKARTA- The National Gallery of Indonesia is suspected of banning the work and solo exhibition of artist Yos Suprapto. As a result, Yos Suprapto's solo exhibition titled “Awakening: Land for Food Sovereignty”, which was scheduled to open at the National Gallery on December 19, 2024, has been cancelled.

The cancellation of Yos Suprapto's solo exhibition was interpreted differently by the National Gallery and by the artist. The National Gallery, a public institution overseen by the Culture Ministry, said there was no ban on Yos Suprapto's works and stressed that the exhibition was postponed due to disagreements among curators.

However, there is too much perception among artists as well as the general public that the state, through the National Gallery, has implemented a ban, thereby silencing artistic expression.

The National Gallery, through the Chairman of the Indonesian Heritage Agency (IHA) Museums and Galleries Team, Zamrud Setya Negara, denied that it does not ban artists' works. The delay was due to the fact that the curator withdrew from the exhibition due to differences of opinion with the artist.

“To postpone is not to prohibit, not to suppress, not to prohibit, to delay the opening of the exhibition. Please improve communication with curator first, update it. “Because the concept has been like this from the beginning,” Zamrud said at the National Gallery in Central Jakarta last Friday (20/12).

It was stated that the curator refused to display 5 paintings in the exhibition because they were deemed irrelevant to the theme “Awakening: A Land for Food Sovereignty”. The five works in question feature characters similar to Joko Widodo in various critical depictions of politics, people and power.

According to the photos received Valid news On Saturday (12/21), some of Yos Suprapto's works in question contained characters similar to Joko Widodo. For example, “Konoha 1”, which depicts a Jokowi-like character sitting in a chair, his legs resting on the shoulders of small people who appear to be grimacing. This character is depicted against a background of armed forces ready to fire.

Another painting, “2019,” depicts a figure resembling Jokowi leading cows to the palace. Three other works titled “Konoha 2”, “Farmers Feeding Dogs” and “Niscaya” do not feature characters similar to Jokowi, but seem to strongly resonate with the previous two works. For example, “Konoha 2” depicts the figures of two naked people, like people in power, with their backs to a group of people licking their butts. This subject is depicted with the background of the IKN State Palace.

Ban on calling artists
A different perspective emerges if you listen to artist Yos Suprapto's statement. Simply put, Yos admitted to receiving instructions from the curator as well as the National Gallery to remove five of his works.

This public art institution wishes to censor a certain number of works so that they are not accessible to the public. However, Yos refused and chose to let the exhibition be postponed or canceled.

“I'm a little bit sorry because the people who prevented this are people who should really understand art and culture,” Yos said, referring to the curator and several National Gallery figures, during a press conference at the National Gallery office. Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation, Central Jakarta, last Saturday (12/21).

No censorship, Yos Suprapto firmly stated that what he experienced was a ban from the National Gallery. In addition to attempting to implement censorship, the institution also unilaterally closed the artist's access to the room where his works were already on display. From December 19 to 21, according to Yos, he was unable to access his works.

“How can this not be prohibited, even if I am an artist, I cannot enter the room where I put my work, where my works have been previously exhibited, I cannot”, he underlines.

The National Gallery's banning of Yos Suprapto sets a bad precedent for how the country responds to art and freedom of expression, which appears to lead to abuse of power. So, not wanting to remain silent, he was determined to fight. Including if necessary, Yos admitted that he would use a legal approach to regain access to his work and bring all his work back to Yogyakarta.

Yos also denied the curator's opinion that the five works were vulgar and unrelated to the theme of the exhibition, namely “Resurrection: A Land for Food Sovereignty.” These five works actually provide solid context on the journey of the Indonesian people to arrive at the current food situation, a situation that Yos believes relies on food colonization by foreigners and capital, which is the result of poor power management.

“Can food sovereignty survive on its own without electricity? “If we talk about food sovereignty but deny the context of power, it makes no sense,” Yos said.

For this reason, Yos believes that the issue of curatorial evaluation is just a pretext for the management of the National Gallery and the Ministry of Culture to “roll the ball,” after banning artistic expression.

Sensor indication
The sharp point of view of the artist Yos Suprapto has become a reference for the public to evaluate this incident on social networks. Many Internet users believe that freedom of expression is under threat in our time.

But is it true that the National Gallery, meaning in this case the government or the state, bans works of art? The answer may be ambiguous. Several points in the press release from the National Gallery and the Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, concerning the controversy surrounding the postponement of the casting, are worth noting.

Valid news summarizes several statements that indicate the National Gallery's view of art as a public institution, as well as the government's view of “good” and “bad” works of art.

The National Gallery said there had been no intervention in the curatorial work of the exhibition, but rather fully assumed the authority of the curator based on dialogue with the artists. Zamrud Setya Negara of the IHA therefore pointed out that the disagreement between the curators that led to the postponement of the exhibition was entirely a result of the creative dynamic between the curator and the artist.

However, there is some evidence that the National Gallery is taking a secondary position in what is referred to as the creative conflict above.

Zamrud said one of the curators' arguments for rejecting the five works was probably also in line with the spirit of the National Gallery, namely to display “good” and “appropriate” artwork for the public. In this case, five paintings by Yos Suprapto, one of which represents a nude figure, were deemed unfit for exhibition.

“This institution is a public institution that also educates. There are perhaps strong arguments, strong reasons from the curator which could also be a message from the National Gallery of Indonesia, this is a public institution which is of course making progress in education through art. “Of course there’s a propriety there,” Zamrud said.

“We know it, together we will ensure that Galnas continues to function well, it belongs to everyone, ownership is something that is one of the choices of the conservatives regarding the big theme,” he added. declared.

From the above statement, it appears that the National Gallery has the same attitude as the curator towards the “vulgar” works of Yos Suprapto. If this is the case, doesn't that mean that this institution has an interest in censoring works of art exhibited to the public?

On the other hand, as we know, the Minister of Culture, Fadli Zon, also responded to this controversy. He said he had received a report regarding Yos Suprapto's paintings which were considered too vulgar and may even violate SARA.

Like Zamrud, Fadli refers this controversy to the artist versus curator dynamic and shows no effort to intervene in the situation so that the exhibition can continue and thus demonstrate a guarantee of artistic freedom.

Considered a violation of human rights
Regardless of whether or not there was a ban and who did it, what is clear is that artist Yos Suprapto feels like he has become a victim. The incident that happened to this artist sparked many reactions, including from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, the National Human Rights Commission and Komnas HAM.

Komnas HAM has also responded, in the meantime, by officially writing to the management of the National Gallery to request information on the controversy that has taken place.

Meanwhile, LBH Jakarta Public Advocate Alif Fauzi Nurwidiastomo said Yos Suprapto was a victim of human rights violations and had the right to receive compensation for all losses he suffered.

Alif said artistic freedom is a form of freedom of expression guaranteed by law. In democratic countries, freedom of expression is a fundamental right of every member of society, including artists. He therefore considers that there have been human rights violations involving the State.

“Human rights violations occur because the state bears obligations in the context of human rights, as stipulated in Article 28, paragraph 4 of the Indonesian Constitution of 1945, which states that the protection, promotion, enforcement and realization of human rights are the responsibility of the state,” Alif explained at the YLBHI office, Jakarta, on Saturday.

“The government should use its positive rights to ensure that Yos Suprapto's personal exhibition can take place,” he added.

So far, there is no certainty about the fate of Yos Suprapto's solo exhibition, “Awakening: Land for Food Sovereignty”, which was originally scheduled to take place from December 20, 2024 to January 20, 2025. Yos is ready to exhibit dozens of works. are on display, but they are not accessible to the public.

The positive point is that the five works that became controversial were widely disseminated on social networks and mass media. It is now up to the public to judge whether the paintings are simply “vulgar” or whether they actually reveal important and meaningful things.