#INSTAIDIOTS RAPING ART? IF THERE IS A LIBERAL EXPRESSION, THERE SHOULD BE A LIBERTY ON CONSUMPTION.
First of all, i don't justify people who did any act of intervention on preserved artwork whether it is just as simple as touching or crossing the line that shud not be crossed as well. And there shud be strict regulation and evaluation on the visual signs especially for our people, who tend too lazy to read signs.
Human behavior and paradigm were changing from time to time, especially due to technological advancement that affecting the way of people enjoying art. The artists have their freedom to express what they want to express, but it seems there is no freedom on how the audience consume the art. If the nature of art is always about freedom, then truly there is no freedom on art, and this is unfair. Why selfie is having a bad reputation?
Looking at this issue, i feel that art people dont want to adapt to the current human's behavior (or maybe havent realized), where other industries trying to catch up. Today, we are living in an experience economy, which many people in service industries simply wrap experience around their traditional offerings to sell them better. Eko Nugroho and Yayoi Kusuma seems to adapt on today's people behavior by not only offering their traditional artwork, but also wrapping it with experential art where people enjoy the whole room experience which paying the admission. And of course, selfie is allowed, and for me it is surely embraced.
If they say art is merely decorative background, isn't art is multi-interpreted? if they think that art is decorative background, well it is. There is called freedom, and you can't force one to think like what you think, and do what you want them to do. And isn't it clear enough that sometimes contemporary artists might just want to create a new sensory experience to the audience? Of course, it is free to take a photo, if it is the way people appreciating offered experience. For me, it is wrong to say that they use the art only for decoration, it is actually precious and luxurious enough so we don't want to miss the moment with the art. What i'm trying to say is, selfie is not that bad. Selfie is just another way of consuming art, and for them, it is a self expression and modern visual langangue. They are trying to capture a meaning, a speech act that contains of depiction and explanation, a thought, location, or moment to convey something to people around them. Jenna Wortham said "Selfie is strongly suggest the world we observe thru social media is more interesting when people insert themselves in to it". Who's to blame?
From this issue, we must understand that human's behavior has been shifted. Sherry Turkle said, "Technology doesn't just do things for us, it does things to us, it changes not only what we do, but who we are". "The selfie makes us accustomed to putting ourselves and those around us on pause in order to document our lives" said Mike Rugnetta. Photography and social media is for everyone, it is easy, and reachable medium expression. If photography is an artistic medium why selfie is not? and what is so much hated? when actually selfie isn't really new, long before photography was born called "self-potrait".
It is wise to see this issue from a different perspective instead of bullying them (the general art selfier - not the vandal and idiotic selfie girl). Does selfie is really destroying art or is it a good long term investment? Many of us complaining the low enthusiast on art in Indonesia, and complaining there is just a little number of people who wants to go to an art exhibition. But now, when the audience is emerging, we are still complaining, especially with the selfie. I assure you, we need them. Who else will replace the role of the oldest generation of art collector? It could be started from them. For me, this is just a PROCESS for these new audiences to go through and ive been called this as A STAGES IN ART CONSUMER's ADOPTION based on my academic research, until eventually they are able to interpret and act properly AS YOU WISH regarding the art, and buy the art.
1. Went to the hype art exhibition 2. Stigmatize selfie 3. Attending various art exhibiton (not only because society's trend) 4. Following the artist's updates 5. Starting to learn to decrypt meaning of art 6. Understand the meaning of art 7. Instead of selfie maybe they will start to only capture the art (If they do selfie, its not that bad tho) 8. Into art 9. Buy the art
The best thing is when they are already into art, there is a higher probability they will buy the art, and maybe, become an art collector, so we dont need to depend on the international buyers anymore. And all of that are started from that filthy selfie. This is what a good investment really is. Many of us Indonesian, was provoked by other people that is not truly understand these 2 perspectives, and claiming that selfie as a declaration of stupidity. What is the output? It was only the pessimistic and aroused resentment on our own people. Again, we shud see this issue from a deeper and different perspective to understand, that this is not all wrong! Or maybe it is you wanting the art can be enjoyed by only certain and chosen people? Isn't it art shud be enjoyed by everyone?
As a response to: http://www.pipeaway.com/selfies-raping-art-galleries/ by Pipeway Project (Ivan Kralj)
