Baroque Archipelago proposes to bring contemporary art and fashion in conversation with one another, to illuminate parallel approaches in creation and exploration of current issues. It shines a spotlight on Indonesian creatives reinterpreting and reworking traditions, and on Indonesia as an exemplar of the region’s syncretic culture, borrowing and adapting from diverse sources and cultures to evolve a distinct and unique identity. The notion of a syncretic identity, as opposed to a monolithic one, is also explored through contemporary art, as a strategy of resistance against essentialist nationalism. In addition, the art and fashion creations on display question social and cultural norms and their evolution, especially as they relate to notions of identity, gender and power. In Indonesia, artists and designers often collaborate with each other and form a supportive, close-knit community; this exhibition is in many ways a celebration of these creative synergies and relationships.

Baroque Archipelago is a group exhibition curated by Tan Siuli featuring Agan Harahap, Budi Agung Kuswara, LULULUTFILABIBI, Mella Jaarsma, Octora, and TOTON. The exhibition will take place at Mizuma Gallery from 22 January – 21 February 2021.

Image courtesy of Lulu Lutfi Labibi and Mizuma Gallery. Photography by Ig Raditya Bramantya.