Pasar Badung Market
Denpasar to become an open-air gallery for global art project Micro Galleries
AUGUST 31, 2015: From October 2nd the bustling Pasar Badung
Market in Denpasar and its surrounding back lanes will come to life as an
open-air art gallery when international art project Micro Galleries: Changing the World...in small and creative ways comes
to Indonesia for the first time. Over
40 local Indonesian and international artists will come together for Micro
Galleries Denpasar to display their creative works alongside the fresh produce
and arts and crafts stalls that fill the vibrant traditional market.
Micro
Galleries is an international art project with the goal of bringing art, in
many forms, into the community and more importantly, Micro Galleries aims to
show that a community can have ownership and involvement in the creation and
appreciation of art work and that art can change how people perceive social
issues or their environment in a positive way – even if it simply changes
someone’s day for the better. Micro Galleries Artistic Director and founder Kat
Roma Greer explains, “Art is for everyone
but can sometimes feel off limits to some sectors of the community. Micro
Galleries wants to break art and artists out of these spaces and ingrain itself
into a community, not only giving the community the chance to experience great
art, but also artists the opportunity to exhibit their works in a new and
dynamic environment”.
Denpasar
is the first Indonesian city to host Micro Galleries, having recently appeared
in the regional city of Nowra, Australia, the township of Langa, Cape Town, and
Tai Hang and Wan Chai in Hong Kong. Kat explained how Denpasar was selected as
the first Indonesian location. “Denpasar doesn’t get on the radar of the masses of
tourists who flood Bali but we think this place is a diamond in the rough.
Badung Market is a huge traditional market in the middle of Denpasar and the
majority people who work there are women and children. It’s open 24 hours/day
and is centered on hard work. We want to change its landscape and brighten up
the day of all those who work and shop there in a positive and fun way”.
The
roll call of local Indonesian artists sits at 13 and they were selected after
submitting an expression of interest to the Micro Galleries crew in July this
year. There are also 30 international artists, including Finnish artist
Iiris-Lilja Kuosmanen. Kuosmanen
works with photography and installation. Environment and the elements of the
place are important to her work and themes about how people change their
environment. Lately Kuosmanen has been working in Tunisia and France with some
other artists in collaborational projects such as a residency in Kairouan.
Iiris-Lilja
Kuosmanen will be exhibiting alongside artists such as Capiche from Australia,
US based photographer Chuck Scalin, Finnish street provocateur Elissa Eriksson,
Italian creative interventionists Ollla At Work, New York based initiative
Slideluck, and cartoonist Kianoush
Ramezani, an exiled Iranian in Paris.
Local
artist and a key member of the Micro Galleries Denpasar team Arum has already
stepped onto Micro Galleries’ international stage having had her artwork
featured in Australia, and she is looking forward to Micro Galleries coming to
her country: “From the second I met Kat
and heard about Micro Galleries, I knew Indonesia would love it. We have so
many great artists to showcase and we want to make a difference in people’s
lives through our art. I hope this is the start of many Micro Galleries in
Indonesia”
The
event will kick off with a huge opening weekend (2-4 October) with activities
ranging from projection works, a floating installation, workshops for the
community, artist chats, video art night, guided walking tours of the artworks,
and a huge opening night with live music and art in the market place. It’s all
free, so head online now to http://microgalleries.org/events/denpasar/ to find out more or sign up for one of tours, find out
more about the artists, or just grab a map and meander through the
market.
This
project is supported by the Australian
Consulate General, Bali, Antida Sound Garden and Lingkara Laboratorium.
Micro
Galleries currently has a crowd funding campaign in place to assist with this
project: www.pozible.com/MGdenpasar
END
Images are available upon request.
Micro
Galleries and participating artists are available for interviews. For more
details please contact Zena Churchill at media@microgalleries.org
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