What can you say about the prospect of video in the future?
For me, video now has become a replacement of film. From its principal, film and video has differences because of video is more close to the society, whereas its function, has replaced film, although in term of material, not changing the essential of film itself.
When you starts a work, where do you start from?
I make an example of my work, Jalan Tak Ada Ujung (The Endless Step), where I started it from a research. But furthermore, before I performing all of that stuff, there is an idea that preceded my experience. Especially as the that work was born because of the workshop from Forum Lenteng on video-poem, which is translating a poem to a series of images. After a long while of idea digging, finally that work come into view. This is also base on my personal experience. My everyday life is so close to the lives in the alleys. After a research for sometime, the work has expanded to the discussion of city architectural problem of Jakarta. Actually, the idea is very personal, because of that time, for me, video is something personal.
This work (Jalan Tak Ada Ujung) has achieve an award, right?
Yes, coincidently the work receive an award from the Asean New Media Art. First winner. Asean New Media Art is a competition on the new media. However, actually I’m a bit disappointed with the competition.
How could you be? Aren’t you receive the grand prize in that competition?
It is because of some people in that competition can’t really explain about what is the meaning of new media art. In my opinion, new media mean unproblematize the media anymore. It is how we articulate our vision with any medium, including video. The reason is, video is something that is really close with the society . low-priced but not at all cheap thing.
Meanings?
Well, with only a little money, the video camera, cassette, and computer, we can make a work. In my opinion, this is the concept of new media art. And for me, in that competition there was no real explanation about the concept.
What makes your work is different from the other works in that competition?
There are three winners they have chosen, all of them are from Indonesia and one from the Philippines. All three have different techniques and approaches. I make an example of the work of Akbar, from Bandung, he use the video medium also. His approach is more documentary and investigative. This work is great, from my point of view, it talk about the concept of video itself. He tries to manipulate images, and this is permissible, in my view, because of when a person appear in the frame the person won’t be that person anymore. The person became a series of codes which construct images in the video. When they’re connected, whether the person is come from Indonesia, public from Malaysia or the Philippines will agree that the images provide a same problem that is close to their everyday life. For me, images in video has eliminate the actual reality. And so with the other work of the competition winner. Although he use a 3D graphic animation, it is permissible as a work of video, for it was trying to manipulate images which the sequence is arrange through the computer.
So the image manipulation is the aesthetical essence of a videowork?
I am a person who believe that aesthetic is construct without having to build in enormous methods. The aesthetic will emerge if idea speak first. The aesthetic is number two, while the first is the things that we want to express.
What is art in the video for you?
When I started the Massroom Project with Forum Lenteng, last 2003, it never occurs to me that my work will be highlighted and with a fine art value. At that time, me and my friends advise to research to the personal perspective and pack together in the videowork, which sense is near to the society.
What impact do you expect from your videowork?
The problem of impact is something else. It emerge later. People who has empirical understanding at that place will sees different thing on certain works comparing to the work that bare a fine and enormous art merit in itself. I believe, with techniques, we can destroy the authenticity in the artworks or video that we make.
So the technique is one thing that can destroy authenticity?
Yes, because in essence the technique is something very useful for us. There come the excitement of making video. It can manipulate, it also can play different form of awareness. The democratic character of video together with its dualism can make further and at the same time approaching ourselves with the society, depend on the capacity of the person who made the videoworks very special. What is damaging, if the technique was made to manipulate something to taste as fine art.
Is the enormous distribution of technology nowadays become very threatening to the videoworkers?
In the contrary. It is something good, and I am please if more people can use video as weapons. Video is no longer an exclusive tool such as 35mm or 8mm film. It used to be that the 8mm film utilize for certain memorable event in the everyday life, like family life and sort. With video, they can trouble-free to make their own works. I wish that the video can be like that, something that people enjoy and cherish.
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