Indonesian Vibes: Three Exhibitions in Fremantle

A screenprint show developed by the Yogyakarta printmaking collective Krack! should be enough to generate excitement among those of us interested in the international artworld. Since the Jakarta-based collective ruangrupa curated Documenta 15 in 2022 with a decentred system of horizontal curation, inviting art collectives to ask other art collectives into the show, Indonesia has become a focus for a collaborative model of art and exhibition making. It is difficult not to interpret Pasar Malam’s joyful collection of large screenprints after ruangrupa’s politics, as they celebrate the dancing, circus rides, tea and snacks at Indonesian night markets. There is also a spiritual dimension to these pictures that mingle Islamic and animist, Hindu and Javanese, Buddhist, Confucian, Hindu and Christian, in a mixing of soft pop styles with detailed linework.