(Business Lounge Journal – Art)
BL: Business Lounge Journal
RP: Bima Rio Febrianus Pasaribu
BL: Describe your feelings toward art.
RP: Art is really personal. Different artwork brings different feelings. So, what i feel towards art really depends on the art piece itself.
BL: What’s your favourite genre of art?
RP: Contemporary art always gets me. It might not always be aesthetically beautiful. Sometimes it might even be odd. But my favourite would be art that is more than just how it looks or the aesthetic side of it. For me, most of the time, the message that implies is more fun to be discussed.
BL: What art exhibitions that no one should miss?
RP: Not because our gallery is the exhibitor, but everyone (especially Indonesians) should come and see the current solo exhibition of Julian Abraham “Togar” curated by Grace Samboh and Arief Yudi Rahman at RUCI Art Space titled Ulah Tanah (Mischievous Earth). The artist, curators, and us managed to completely turn the gallery into a fitness centre – with weights made of clay roof tiles.
BL: Any artworks that you’re wishing for?
RP: Too many to mention, but it would be great if I could get all of Nasirun’s collection of Umi Dachlan.
BL: Tell us more about your role to help preserve and protect our national arts.
RP: I believe small things matter and every big action should start from a small gesture.
To help preserve and protect Indonesia’s national arts is a very difficult job. It takes a lot of support, not only from the private sectors and collectors, but also (maybe most importantly) from the government. This would be a long journey that will take consistency and commitment.
But yes, as I said earlier, we start small, by giving platform for the young artists to show their exhibition to further support them to be acknowledged by the society.
BL: How did the idea to open RUCI come about?
RP: Long story short, 3 young crazy kids had an idea to save the world. And instead, RUCI art space was born.
BL: Is there anyone who you’re looking up to, as a mentor in art business?
RP: Honestly I don’t know many people in art business. But those I know and who had also become friends, mentors me in their own unique way
BL: Did you built your Art Space as a reflection of you?
RP: Maybe as a reflection of what the 3 founders desire.
BL: What kind of artists that you would like to work with?
RP: The ones who does not only believe in beauty or context, but the ones who has the capability to seamlessly merge those two
BL: From the information pool that we gathered, we assume that most of your visitors are hailing from the millennial generation, is it true? And if it is, can you describe Indonesian millennial affinity towards art – your gallery in particular?
RP: Yes, if the age range you mean by millennials is the ones born from early 1980s as starting birth years and the mid-1990s to early 2000s as ending birth years.
But the issue is not only on the millennials, but the general public in Indonesia, or at least people in Jakarta, need more education on what contemporary art is and how to appreciate one. We strive to not only provide the platform for new and up and coming artists, but on the other hand, we also try to educate the our audience and the public. Social media is a great tool to reach that goal. I personally think everyone should do that.
Business Lounge Journal/VMN/BLJ