An army uniform troop dangled upon in an in-door art space, without any support of garment mannequins, just accompanied by exotic drumbeats, this is the representative work of Indonesian artist Jompet Kuswidananto. With his recent series"Jave's Machine", Jompet has received worldwide extensive attention from several major Biennales and Triennials around the world. In this August, Jompet's 7 new-born artworks of "On Alphalt"  series are going to meet audience.

Historical Background:

The Great Post Road built by Herman Willem Daendels in 1808 extends 1000 km along the north coast of Java. Rationally built from the boisterous European history that spilled on South East Asia, the road was intended to fulfill the need for military and trade traffics among colonists. 

Over 2 centuries, the road has not been only a mean for transporting goods, but also dissemination of culture. And Java after that is Java that was prepared in a rush for a new connected global structure.

Cities grow along the road, population multiplies and the battle to make ends meet hardens. Contact and exchange of cultures take place swiftly and keep changing the face of life within.

After the rambunctious colonization era, The Great Post Road locally named as 'Pantura', a given name referring the backbone of land transportation in Java that constantly changes and being changed and never enough. The name which also reflects a new boisterous era: Indonesia

The face of Indonesia after the Reformasi 1998 is more or less mirrored on all things happen on the asphalt of Pantura: A crowd on a lively road waiting for a vehicle to come and take them away; All kinds of competition over a piece of life; All kinds of negotiations among cultures; All festive of those who wins it; and all losing cries from the braves who have faced the world unaccompanied.

On asphalt, culture stranded and stays. Restless and endured.