Building > Historiography

”Selasar Sunaryo Art Space” was born under the name of "Selasar Seni Sunaryo" and has been built and developed since 1994, on the site of the area coverage of approximately 5000 m sq., as a realization of the never-ending dream of Sunaryo, in order to actualize his contribution to the infra-structural development of fine arts in Indonesia.

The basic form of the building, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, as a whole is inspired by the form of "kuda lumping" which is one of the traditional Indonesian cultural artifacts. The word "Selasar" is then selected to represent the concept of open space that bridges, relates one space with another; and bridges one building to another. The ultimate concept of "Selasar", in this case, implies to relate artworks with the appreciators or audience which is at the same time bridges one culture to another. Selasar is not only very opened to the public who wants to enjoy, investigate and study the cultural art works being selected but also representing the developmental dynamics of art works in Indonesia and those of other countries’ as well.

The opening of Selasar Seni Sunaryo in September, 1998 is signified by Solo Exhibition of Sunaryo’s works entitled "Titik Nadir" which is a reflection of the artist concerning the Indonesian socio-political situation at those days which was in chaos and covered by hopelessness: economical crisis, revealing of reformation, the Soeharto regime got collapsed and people suffering from starvation. Instead of launching his museum of art works, created for a longtime with his perspiration and hardworking, the artist had decided to conceal all his artworks and parts of the buildings with black cloths. He was mirroring his shaken creativity condition, and even had come to the “Lowest Point”, i.e. the “Nadir Point”. The concealed and wrapped works which should have been exhibited in that opening event had in fact become a new configuration of artworks with a newborn reinterpretation. On one of the gates, on a piece of black cloth Sunaryo had written his subtle sensitive statement:

“The catastrophe in our country has insisted me to conceal and cover all these works. As I have mentioned, from the beginning of 1998 I have lost my energy to create artworks as I used to be. Rage, sadness, anxiety have made everything frozen being depressed by “to the lowest point”. In the process of concealing, I found out that there is an interaction, as though I created new artworks on my covered works. Binding, folding, embroidering. I never know when I would make myself numb and my artworks got concealed. I only wait and wait for the country that begins to smile”.

From its inauguration in 1998 to 2002 “Selasar Sunaryo Art Space” has executed a number of renovation as well as development of its physical structure including some additional facilities to support fine art exhibitions. A number of exhibitions and arts performances in big scale have been executed although some of Sunaryo’s sculptures have still been concealed; and corners of the buildings are still covered by black cloths. The black cloths that get faded and decayed.

The building has a long story and fight.