ABSTRACT Art Medium In Indonesian Contemporary Art A.

Rikrik Kusmara 2011

In the beginning of the millennium, development in Indonesian contemporary art has shown new phenomena regarding artists exploitation various of art media. In parallel, development in art world components supports plenty of exhibitions and presentation various art media in local, national and international context. Such phenomena have encouraged the researcher to investigate significance of presenting art media and development of medium concept in contemporary art field. Upon the question of Are phenomena of exploitation various art media in Indonesian contemporary art field displaying new art medium concept? this research applies qualitative method with inductive analysis. Through approaches of aesthetic discipline approach, art and history sociology, this research traces concept of art medium and applies contemporary art world as its context. Corelational analysis research shows paradigm of artwork presentation in purposive sample cases; paradigm of solo exhibition presenting three approaches that are paintings, instalations or objects, and new media. Presentation paradigm occurrs as consequences from the development of actors in art world and also serves in determiniting media presentation in intention of art market. Researcher denominates the term as politic representation indication of art media. Politic representation indication is a shift of medium concept originated from aesthetic approach turning into politic representation of media. Research then analyzes these phenomena as the change of medium concept as aesthetic and politic function of medium. This aesthetic-political medium subsequently becomes one of finding of medium concept in development of Indonesian contemporary art world. In summary, this research presents a paradigmatic model of approaches of art medium conception in Indonesian contemporary art. Artists are privileged of choosing their media therefore the choices enable them to no longer consider the principles of media ideology convention. Contemporary art practices have tendency to apply politic representation; media presentation in exhibitions is contextual and strategic collective purpose of art producer (artists, gallery promoter and curator) with same intention to non-aesthetic interests. Overall, the phenomena shows significant shift in art appreciation, in which artists role is not now as formerly as central figure of art producer, and sociological aspects has dominated the aesthetics aspects.

Keyword: medium, media, art world, contemporary art, politic representation.

ii