Lot 39: BUDI KUSTARTO

BUDI KUSTARTO B. 1972 ADALAH SESUATU (DEFINITION) SIGNED AND DATED 2005 LOWER RIGHT; SIGNED, TITLED ADALAH SESUATU AND DATED 2005 ON THE REVERSE OIL ON CANVAS 200 by 200 cm.; 78 3/4 by 78 3/4 in.

Yogyakarta, Di Sini dan Kini, Biennale Jogja VIII , Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, December 2 - 20, 2005

Adalah Sesuatu (Definition), with the green self-portrait and a warped sense of scale, is quintessentially Budi Kustarto. Presenting himself standing gracefully with hands folded at his abdomen, he takes the place of a Doric pillar of Fort Vredeburg in Yogyakarta, also known as the "fortress of peace". A historical monument whose roles have changed over the ages, it was first built in 1760 at the request of the Dutch. Even though the land was owned by the Sultanate of Yogyakarta, the fort was under Dutch jurisdiction. It was supposed to be used for the Sultan's security but the Dutch's actual intention was to monitor the Sultan's military activity. For decades, it stood for the power and mischievousness of colonial domination. The fort was named "Fort Vredeburg" after a devastating earthquake in 1867 destroyed the original fort, after the cease fire was reached between the Sultanate and the Dutch to rebuild the ruins. Since 1987, "Fort Vredeburg" has become a museum chronicling the Indonesian national struggle.



Fort Vredeburg's changing role pushes the boundaries of its existence and even its very form. In this context, its character is defined by its initiator, its occupant and the passage of time. Whether these elements are limitations or liberations is subjective. Perhaps Budi's position as the building's structural support is symbolic. Even though peace and independence was achieved, the struggle has not ceased. His struggle to hold up the Fort of Peace parallels the present generation's efforts to remember the history on which the nation was established upon, to maintain peace, and to build a legacy for the generations to come.