MaMA 

With works by: Caetano, Oana Clițan, Irineu Destourelles, Agan Harahap, Sandim Mendes, L.C. von Sukmeister, Adison and Sekan.

Programmed by: Maria Lamslag

Campaign image: Agan Harahap, Childhood Memories #2 – Notorious B.I.G., 2018

Remixes, emoticons, and GIFs make up the ingredients of this universal visual language. But, how well do we actually understand each other? Do we transcend the original local context with these new visual languages, or are we falling short? And how new is this remix culture?

For the exhibition Apa kabar?, programme maker Maria Lamslag selected artists and DJs whose practices establish exchanges between mainstream culture and local contexts. They mix recognisable images from online media with personal visual languages or subtly respond to dominant cultures. In doing so, they often draw inspiration from their multilayered cultural identity. As such, the exhibition connects themes such as online culture, mestizo cultures, global citizenship and cultural ownership.

The interior of Apa kabar? also plays with contrasts between the personal and specific on one side, and a global mainstream on the other. Interactive installations in a living-room-meets-record-store vibe are set against a more traditional exhibition space showing a selection of photo, video, online and mixed media works. A supplementary programme of live music, DJ sets and panel discussions focuses on the parallels between artists and musicians and their relationship to mainstream culture.

During Apa kabar? (What’s new?) MAMA’s showroom becomes an accessible research space where you can check for yourself whether cultural exchange and the remixing of mainstream culture is problematic or liberating.

The Indonesian ‘apa kabar?’ means ‘what’s the news?’ but is used to ask ‘how are you?’ In Indonesia this expression rarely gives rise to confusion: everyone answers, ‘good’ or ‘not so good.’ The English exhibition subtitle ‘What’s new?’ is a nod to the common mistranslation of ‘Apa kabar?’ and refers to how ‘what’s new’ and ‘how are things’ seem to be interchangeable online too.

For most projects we – just like many other art institutes – write and print neat little handouts, which serve as an additional source of information. These handouts usually contain background texts about the artists and the works that are being shown. Within the framework of Apa kabar? (What’s new?) it seemed only fitting for programme maker Maria Lamslag to ask designer Oana Clitan to spice things up a bit. The result is a remix of this traditional form of communication; a classic newspaper mixed with new forms of media. Come pick up your physical copy at the showroom or read an online version here.

In the context of  Apa kabar? (What’s new?) the following stories were shared on our Universe.

• Story: Record Hop/Swing It Up [Dutch] by Molly baas
• Feature: Hallo, halo, hello. Hallo, Bandung! [Dutch] by MAMA
• Dialogue: MAMA & MOMO – a Whatsapp conversation by MAMA
• Feature: Apa kabar? (What’s newspaper?) by Oana Clitan
• Story: Een samenleving van de toekomst [Dutch] by Myrthe Groot & Romée Mulder
• Feature: Slow Fashion – Hello Guave [Dutch] by Lucid Belle

Review by Metropolis M – in Dutch.