S. TEDDY DARMAWAN

 
"Love Tank" S. Teddy Darmawan at the National Museum of Singapore
01 May,2009 - 04 Oct,2009





Witness how East meets West in this one-of-a-kind art installation by Indonesian artist S. Teddy D at the National Museum of Singapore. Consisting of seven military tanks stacked to form a pagoda, Love Tank illustrates the interaction between cultures of the East and West, and plays on stereotypes. Contrary to being killing machines and symbols of western supremacy, the ‘love tanks’ in this installation bear a camouflage of red lotuses commonly found on pagodas and believed to be the seats of gods and goddesses. In addition, parallels can be drawn between the seven tanks and seven-storeyed pagodas symbolic of pure love in Asian cultures.

This work was developed based on S. Teddy’s previous work, the Love Tank, created as a wedding gift. Like a good wedding gift should be, Love Tank brings a message and hope on love and peace. In The Temple S. Teddy brings the concept of Love Tank further by creating 7 Love Tanks, arranged with one on top of another, forming a tall structure resembling a Pagoda.

This work is an investigation over ideas shaped in modern times: capitalism, militarism, industrialization, and free trade politics. These ideas in their practices had ruined and destroyed the values in human life. Instead of carrying slogans of anti-capitalism, anti-militarism, anti-free trade, etc, for S. Teddy, a work of art should be able to say more, possessing extra values without being burdened. An art work should be able to find a new and sharp sensibility, free of judgment, and directly related to the clarity of perception. The Temple is S. Teddy’s language of expression, his proposition on the ideas of today's modernity.

Date: 1 May – 4 October 2009
Time: 10am – 8pm
Venue: Rotunda, National Museum of Singapore
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
  13 Aug,2011 - 06 Nov,2011 "Beyond the Self: Contemporary Portraiture from Asia" 06 Feb,2010 - 07 Mar,2010 S. Teddy Darmawan at group exhibition - “Transubstantiation”, in Bali Indonesia 31 Oct,2009 - 20 Nov,2009 Solo show of S Teddy D. at ARK Gallery, Jakarta 24 Jun,2009 - 04 Jul,2009 "Hi June" duo art exhibition by Bob Sick Yudhita and S Teddy D at Taman Budaya Yogyakarta 01 May,2009 - 04 Oct,2009 "Love Tank" S. Teddy Darmawan at the National Museum of Singapore