Mother Tongue Are You There?

Exhibition Manager
Curator
Artistic Director
Write up by Dimas

ISA Art Gallery presents 'Mother Tongue – Are You There?' featuring three generations of
Bandung artists with diverse backgrounds and media. This exhibition highlights how Bandung
artists blend their mother tongue with contemporary influences to create innovative and hybrid
artworks that merge tradition and modernity. The show opens on September 16th, 2023 at ISA
Art Gallery in Jakarta.
Bandung has a rich history of artistic creativity, dating back to the Dutch East Indies era, when
European tourists and colonists brought their skills and artistic passions to the city. The Bandung
School of Art emerged in the mid-20th century, fostering a community of artists who exchanged
ideas and developed the city's fine arts scene. Language barriers between Indonesians and
European expats led to exchanging words and art, inspiring artists to create hybrid expressions.