Iwan Wijono Jogjakarta, Java

Presented by LIVE in collaboration with Centre A, Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art
Centre A, 2 West Hastings St.http://www.centrea.org

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25

8 PM

Location: Centre A

While studying international law in Jogjakarta Wijono became active in the pro-democracy movement against the Suharto regime. The student movement which opposed inequality brought Wijono to look for a form which was efficient in delivering political messages. In the 1990’s he became known as a pro-democracy street performer with (or without) political demonstration. Besides a political awareness, Wijono gained an aesthetic understanding that performance art was a milieu that could be undertaken anywhere and was not restricted by exhibition space,
public or even the time of the activity. His early performance art interventions evolved to include arts events both locally and internationally throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. Since the 2006 earthquake in Java, Iwan has been working with the people of Gemblangan towards building a traditional healing facility and new cultural centre in the devastated zone.

“PUBLIC! I think public is dead! The public is dependant on the market that is controlled by multinational corporations, IMF, World Bank, and includes United Nations, Stock Exchange, TVs, political issues/rumors, etc! Public have no power anymore, all controlled by market and weapon, in other way- controlled by fear and consume!” Iwan Wijono

Iwan Wijono has participated in several important art events, including: In The Context Of Art/The Differences, Warsaw, TIPALive í05 / Taiwan International Performance Art Festival, FOI / Future Of Imagination - AIM Singapore 2000, ASIATOPIA Performance Art Festival, NIPAF / Nippon International Performance Art Festival, 7a*11d International Performance Art Festival, RIAP, Novena Muestra Internacional de Performance, Mexico. ARTISTS A-Z