Inaugurating Arahmaiani’s display at Tate Modern, this performance mourns the loss of lives due to racially motivated violence in Indonesia. Using voice and drum, Arahmaiani presents protest poetry against a backdrop of large paintings she has made in situ within the gallery. Arahmaiani sees her performances as healing rituals that nurture connectivity between individuals, communities and nature.
Arahmaiani’s installation and performance Burning Country refers to traumatic events witnessed by the artist in her home country of Indonesia in May 1998. During a period of economic crises, food shortages and unemployment, students began a series of demonstrations against the authoritarian regime of President Suharto. The killing of four students at a protest triggered three days of arson attacks and acts of racially motivated violence, mostly directed against the Chinese Indonesian population.
Arahmaiani rose to prominence in the 1980s and 90s as a pioneer of activist and performance art in Southeast Asia. She often works in an embedded and collaborative way with communities and uses her influence to draw attention to the injustices of violence against women and environmental challenges. She blends artistic disciplines – such as performance, painting, music, poetry and dance – with direct action that encourages transcultural and interreligious conversation.
The performance will be followed by a discussion with the artist, Rosalie Doubal (Senior Curator, International Art, Performance & Participation) and Dina Akhmadeeva, (Assistant Curator, International Art).
This event is organised by Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational in partnership with Hyundai Motor.
