Imaginary Freedom Fighter

Indonesian artist Pius Sigit Kuncoro will unveil his solo exhibition at Ilham Gallery based on the fictitious characater JP Soetardjo which is also known as Mbah Tardjo, 

Entitled, JP Soetardjo Menjawab Semua Soalan ( or in English, JP Soetardjo Answers All Questions) , the exhibition was first shown at the Jogja Contemporary art fair in Yogyakarta in 2015. This unusual exhibition blends art and storytelling, history and fiction and brings to life the character of Mbah Tardjo.

Imagined as a retired freedom fighter, the character is said to have gone through various challenges in his life, becoming at various points a mechanic, radio presenter, music composer and cook.

 Almost like a "three-dimensional novel", the artist has meticulously created details in minutiae regarding the "life" of Mbah Tardjo – photographs, news articles, album covers, book covers – to imagine the life of an ordinary man doing extraordinary things. This exhibition pays tribute to Mbah Tardjo’s resilience and his ability to rise above difficulties. 

In the words of the character: “To win the battle, not only skilled fighting is required but most importantly, our ability to rise whenever we are defeated by our enemies”.

The exhibition opens with a talk and tour by the artist himself on Feb 18 at 5pm immediately after Eddin Khoo's Bloodlines-Poetry, Memory & The Family Album.