Indonesia LAB

The six partners of the Frankfurt LAB – the Ensemble Modern, Künstlerhaus Mousonturm, Städelschule and Portikus, the Hessian Theatre Academy, the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and the Forsythe Company – collaborated on an extraordinary project called the Indonesia LAB. These prestigious cultural institutions teamed up with the Goethe-Institut Indonesia and the KfW Stiftung and initiated projects in the areas of music, dance, performance and the fine arts featuring outstanding artists from Indonesia and Germany. Composers, musicians, dancers and fine artists from both countries had been involved in intensive dialogue since autumn 2014. They developed joint concerts, dance performances, exhibitions and interventions which premiered prior and during the Frankfurt Book Fair as part of a two-week festival. These were followed by the presentation of selected projects at the GERMAN SEASON in Indonesia.

The Indonesia LAB aimed to focus attention on the fourth-largest nation in the world and one of the most dynamic art scenes in Asia. As an Islamic democracy, Indonesia is undergoing processes of transformation which are gaining global relevance. It is a place where new forms of expression and working methods are constantly being developed. In their works, Indonesian artists make reference to regional practices and global impulses, and thereby address the central issues of our time. This project invited audiences to become acquainted with outstanding artists from Indonesia and Germany whose works offer new perspectives on the relationship of contemporary art and society in a global context.

The Ensemble Modern and the artists’ collective Ruangroupa were among the many artists participating in this project. In close cooperation with Indonesian musicians and composers, the Ensemble Modern produced new compositions for joint performance with Indonesian musicians. Ruangroupa, a collective of numerous artists from the areas of film, video art, design and performing arts, has become well-known for its interventions in public areas in Jakarta. Ruangoupa opened a temporary ArtLAB in Frankfurt and developed various actions and interventions in the city of Frankfurt together with students from the HTW and the Städelschule. The project brought Ioannis Mandafounis, Tian Rotteveel, Darlane Litaay and Agus Mbendhol together – four of the most talented young choreographers from Germany and Indonesia.

The Indonesia LAB began in summer 2014 in Indonesia and Germany and concluded in autumn 2015 with festivals in Jakarta and Frankfurt. The concluding festival in Frankfurt took place shortly before the Frankfurt Book Fair, which featured Indonesia as its “Guest of Honour” in 2015.

Artistic directors: Fabian Schöneich (Portikus), Roland Diry (Ensemble Modern), Anna Wagner (Mousonturm)
Artists: Ade Darmawan (ID), ruangrupa Art Lab (ID), Ensemble Modern (D), Darlane Litaay (ID), Ioannis Mandafounis (GR/ CH), Agus Margiyanto (ID), Tian Rotteveel (NL/D), Fitri Setyaningsih (ID), Nicola Mascia (IL/D), Eko Supriyanto (ID), Jecko Siompo (ID), Melati Suryodarmo (ID), contact Gonzo ( JP), Josh Johnsons (US/ DE), Gatot Danar Sulistiyanto (ID), Gema Swaratyagit (ID), I Dewa Ketut Alit (ID), Joko Winarko (ID), Muhamad Arham Aryadi (ID), Muhamad Taufik, Risydul Pahman (ID), Stevie Jonathan Sutanto (ID)