The Red Chair and the White Room Not a Fairytale

Exhibition Guide

A Collaborative Presentation

Dewi Dian Reich - ManButur Suantara - Ketut Kaprus Jaya

This is not a story about a boy and a girl.. Our portrait story is one of all of us. Each portrait takes us through a transformation. Transformations that are connected and represents a collective reality that we face as a traditional community.

Memory.. how do we remember who we are?

The uncertain focus of these portraits is a visual key to the psychological ambiguity. Ambiguity of the subject in this story, and the ambiguity of present social and cultural behaviour.

finding Confidence

Classical by subject and formal in presentation, the portraits of the Girl in the Legong Costume by clearly guides us into a formal portrait presentation. In portraits of old by the masters, every gesture, look and element and object within a composition, is a clue to unravelling the identity of the model.

Finding Confidence. A girl sits regally in a grand Red Chair. Dressed in the rich and iconic dress of Bali's Legong Dance. A dance first created to entertain kings. It is now a dance that entertains the world. A world that comes to Bali to enjoy its rich culture and beauty.

forbearance and Fortitude

The second portrait in our portrait narrative explores the subconsious or inner self that represents purity and truth. The changes occurring to the self in the Red Chair effects this inner White Room. They are two halves of the same whole.

'Forebearance' sits in a White Room. Still and patient, waiting to see what happens ahead.

Interest and Intrigue

The language of classical portraiture is still our platform. Changes in gestures and elements that change within a costume or background, tell their stories too.

The Red Chicken. Introduced into the portrait plays a significant role. A main protagonist in a psychological narrative. The 'Production Red' chicken should be looked at for what it is and what purpose it serves. It is bred to be the best for production. Mass production.

Calculation and Choice

The introduction of the White Duck and Red Chicken display the catalytic forces that effect this characters pyschological journey.

The White Duck in Balinese culture is synonymous with 'Suci' Holy and Sacred. An offering that is pure and untainted. The subject sits upon a glorious Red Chair with two elements that represent vastly different directions in their function in todays world.

Arrogance

With the many influences today, identities whether individual or collective are often in states of change. In these changing waters with no boundaries, arrogance and greed can creep up stealthily.

Obsession

At this stage of our narrative our subject has reached a state of semi undress. With foreign elements of dress coming into the composition.

Obsession is present here with the intent to mean excessive desire. Instances of excess can easily lead to loss of rationality and reason. Our desires when untempered can change your core identity.

appetite and Addiction

At this juncture, a change in tone and thematic input is deliberately emphasised. It marks a new phase of a changing identity. Themes from suspense and 'horror' are insinuated into our collection of portraits. This change in tone reinforces the fragmentation of mind.

In acquiring our desires, our appetites grow for this satisfaction. Without awareness we become addicts to our own desires.

Slaughter and confusion

Extreme gestures and expressions reflecting the extremity of disturbance and imbalance. Dramatic to the point of excessive? is not that how many things are in the world today?

A senseless wastage from untethered appetites and addictions. What will it leave behind? What does it destroy?

Departure

'Departure', simply one understands that something leaves. With something leaving something is left behind. As a Duck symbolises that which is pure and holy, this departure is our own deviation from ta purer simpler part of ourselves.

What are we when we lose an integral part of ourselves?

Vacant

We become husks, a shell, a vacant space.

Indulgence in being driven by wants and desires.. a behaviour of consumption.. can in turn consume you.

Undone

Leaving us in an unravelled state, not knowing who we are. And the loss of identity is no the same as simply changing.

How Do We remember who we are?

Inside an individual there are elements of our identities that are different. Some may say there are the conscious behaviours that we display to the world, then there may be our inner selves. As these portrait series represent a collective identity, what parts of our inner selves is not being heard and being neglected?

sadness

Messenger

The ignored, forgotten and neglected.. perhaps they are the messengers..

Creativity and Art often can show us how to be heard or seen again. That our voices whether soft or loud will reach distant ears.

Scream

Heart

Strength

Strength is not always about fighting. It can often be truest simply by keeping still. Fortitude throughout changes. The need for stillness, quiet and peace.

This last chapter of our portraits take us into the aftermath. The White Room is no longer white. Actions have impacts that leave marks and residues.

Grace

The abstract markings on the white curtains show that what choices we make on the outside inevitably affects us within. When there is damage on the outside, these wounds pierce through to the inside.

Truth

We need Grace to accept this Truth. There are Consequence to choices and actions.

Consequence

Keep posted for short film and behind the scenes of the Red Chair and the White Room. A storybook but not a fairytale.

Appreciate

Credits:

Sawidji Artist Collective