Bangkit/Arise is an international arts exchange and residency between artists from the San Francisco/Bay Area, USA and Yogyakarta Indonesia. The lead sponsoring organization for Bangkit/Arise is Clarion Alley Mural Project, based in San Francisco in collaboration with the Asian Art Museum Chong Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture. The projects partners in Yogyakarta Indonesia are Desa Panggungharjo and the Institut Seni Indonesia, Yogyakarta.
In July/August 2018 five of the artists from the SF/Bay Area – Kelly Ording, Jet Martinez, Jose Guerra, Christopher Statton and Megan Wilson arrived in Yogyakarta to spend 5 – 7 weeks as part of the residency exchange. Unfortunately because of greater geopolitical circumstances, two of the Bay Area artists – Shaghayegh Cyrous and Keyvan Shovir were unable travel and to be a part of the first phase of the exchange; however, they are still very much a part of the exchange and will be traveling to Yogyakarta as soon as it is possible.
On September 3rd six of the Yogyakarta artists – Nano Warsono, Bambang Toko, Ucup, Wedhar Riyadi, Vina Puspita and Harind Ndarvati arrived in San Francisco to spend 8 weeks in the Bay Area getting to work with our communities here. Sadly, one of the Indonesian artists – Codit – was unable to be a part of the current residency in San Francisco due to greater geopolitics; however, he too is still part of the exchange and will travel to San Francisco when possible.
Bangkit/Arise is designed to foster discussions, understanding, and action on critical social/political issues facing our global and local communities today using art as a point of departure. Subjects being addressed include:
- Community development and the role of art in supporting Civic Design through:
- Creating a culture of creativity;
- Placemaking;
- Community building and networking;
- The engagement of residents and visitors/tourists; and
- Economic growth and livelihood – the creative economy;
- The role of the public commons;
- Environmentalism and the critical need for a call to action;
- Current geopolitical divisions, xenophobia and how we envision a world rooted in social justice, equity, and collaboration;
- The need for radical inclusion and understanding differences and similarities as a means of strength and the goal of collectively dismantling local and global inequities/oppression.
In San Francisco, like the work with Yogyakarta the project is focusing on community building and addressing issues that are currently critical to our communities. As with Yogyakarta, the project will focus on neighborhoods within the city; in San Francisco these will include the Civic Center Commons (Tenderloin/Mid-Market/SoMa) and Mission District neighborhoods. In addition to CAMP and the Asian Art Museum, organizations that Bangkit/Arise San Francisco will be partnering with include: AROC (Arab Resource Organizing Center), SOMCAN (South of Market Community Action Network), Coalition On Homelessness, and the Poster Syndicate.
Specific Issues we are addressing include: the role of the community commons, support for organizations serving folks experiencing homelessness, immigration, and public space.
HO
The first Bangkit/Arise mural to be painted in San Francisco was the result of an unexpected and unfortunate incident on Clarion Alley. Two weeks before the Indonesian artists arrived in San Francisco, a young naive artist from out-of-town showed up on Clarion Alley and painted over a mural space that had belonged to a CAMP artist for almost two years. Within one week someone bombed her mural with black spray paint. As a result CAMP needed to install a new mural in the space quickly. Therefore, Nano Warsono offered to help CAMP with the situation. Nano created an entire new mural based on dualities, disagreements, and resolution. He titled the work Ho.
HO is the first letter in the Javanese alphabet. HO means the beginning of everything; the beginning of being. In Wayang Javanese shadow puppet theater the beginning of the universe is represented by two characters – Semar and Togog. These two gods live in the world as ordinary men – one is the guide of humans in the north; the other in the south. Semar represents good and Togog evil – and they are in constant dialogue. The banana tree represents the philosophy that life must be used to its fullest. All parts of the banana tree are in full use in Javanese culture, from leaf, flower, stalk, and fruit, working in harmony. The two characters Semar and Togog on the mural were created from characters in both the Arabic and the Javanese alphabets to become a mantra and talisman for protection, strength, and good fortune.
While Nano and Megan were on the alley as Nano was painting the mural a becak unexpectedly showed up on Clarion Alley. Becaks are the bicycle and motorbike rickshaws that are a form of transportation in Indonesia. Even stranger was that the becak had been painted by artist Arie Dyanto in Yogyakarta Indonesia. Arie was one of the artists who was a part of CAMP’s first international exchange between SF/Bay Area and Yogyakarta in 2003 – Sama-Sama/Together.
RISE FOR CLIMATE
Bangkit/Arise participated in the Climate March in San Francisco on September 8, 2018 with the SF Poster Syndicate, printing posters for the march.
RISE is a powerful movement of Indigenous people, frontline communities, immigrants, people of color, people of faith, young people, elders, Californians, and people from across the world. Together, we are demanding real climate leadership: a swift transition to a just, equitable, and resilient 100% renewable energy economy that protects vulnerable communities, workers, and future generations. March forth with 350 Bay Area and allies to RISE for Climate Jobs, Justice and Leadership.
We are at a tipping point. 2020 is a threshold for meeting global targets to tackle the climate crisis. We are fast running out of time to act, but meaningful action from national governments has been slow at best. With climate impacts escalating — we don’t have the luxury to wait to see what bureaucratic negotiations have to offer. We need our local leaders to step up and do everything they can right now to stop the fossil fuel industry and build 100% renewable energy for all. We believe that the Global Climate Action Summit, being held in California on September 12-14 presents a unique opportunity to pressure local governments and institutions to raise their ambition and do more for climate action. Every city and local leader has been invited to make a commitment around the summit. (from www.350bayarea.org/)
PLANNING MEETING
BANGKIT PALESTINA – In honor of Palestinians killed by Israel in the Great March of Return, Gaza
In collaboration with AROC (Arab Resource Organizing Center) Bangkit/Arise Indonesian artists completed a memorial mural in honor of the 166 (to date) Palestinians killed by the State of Israel since The Great March of Return protests began on March 30, 2018 in the Gaza Strip. Bangkit/Arise stands in solidarity with Palestinians for peace, justice, and the right of return and claim to their land.
Relations between Indonesia and Palestine have been very close and friendly. Indonesia has refused to recognize the State of Israel until a peace agreement is reached between Israel and the Palestinians. Indonesia has strongly stood up for the rights and freedoms of the Palestinians and has supported the struggles of the Palestinians. In 1940s, Palestine had a prominent relationship with Indonesia. Through the Palestinian Grand Mufti Amin al-Husseini, Palestine is the first country that officially recognized the Independence of Indonesia. Indonesia was very hostile towards relations with Israel from the very beginning. Indonesian Presidents Sukarno strongly supported the Arab States’ aggression and struggle against Israel. Even after the fall of Sukarno and the rise to power of General Suharto, Indonesia strongly supported the cause of the Palestinians.
During the 2008-2009 Gaza War, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the Indonesian government remained consistent in supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people to maintain their rights and sovereignty. He said that “Israel`s unproportionally all-out war on Hamas with a great number of fatalities is an unforgettable human tragedy. We invite all parties to help stop the Israeli attacks and we will continue to support the Palestinian struggle. Indonesia finds it necessary for the UN Security Council to make a formal meeting and issue a resolution to force Israel halt its aggression.” After the 31 May 2010, Gaza flotilla raid, Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned Israeli action. Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa also condemned the action and said that the Israeli blockade in Gaza is a violation of international law. During the 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, Indonesian government condemned the ongoing Israeli military aggression in Palestine’s Gaza area, saying such an onslaught may ruin conditions towards creation of peace between Palestine and Israel. “Israel’s move needs to be opposed. A military aggression that worsens the suffering that has been suffered by Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank until today due to siege which is actually a’ collective punishment’ against Palestine people,” Said Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa. Also Joko Widodo condemned the Israel attack on Gaza in 2014. (Wikipedia)
The quote on the mural is taken from the speech given by Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno on April 18, 1955 at the Bandung Conference with 29 African and Asian countries in attendance, it reads:
Let us remember that the stature of all humankind is diminished so long as nations or parts of nations are still unfree.
The full speech can be read here.
Bangkit Palestina! honors the names of all 199 martyrs and features portraits of the following six martyrs:
June 1, 2018: Razan Ashraf Najjar, 22, was a female volunteer medic who was shot and killed by Israeli forces while helping treat wounded protesters at a ‘Great Return March’ protest on Friday June 1st, 2018. On the same day, Israeli forces injured 100 Palestinians, including 40 who were shot with live fire. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the soldiers resorted to the excessive use of force against Palestinian protesters, participating in the Great Return March, and marching for breaking the ongoing deadly Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip.
May 14, 2018: Laila Ghandour, 8 months old,died from suffocation from tear gas near the protest. She was in a tent, one one of many which were known to contain families, medical teams, and injured protesters. She was one of sixty Palestinians killed during a protest against the U.S. moving its Embassy to Jerusalem on Monday May 14th, 2018.
January 3, 2018: Mos’ab Firas Tamimi, 17, was killed by Israeli soldiers who shot him with a live round in his neck during a protest march in his village of Deir Nitham village, north of the central West Bank city of Ramallah. Palestinian medical sources said the soldiers shot Mos’ab Firas Tamimi, 17, in his neck, causing very serious wounds, before he was moved to the Istishari Hospital, in Ramallah, where he succumbed to his injuries.
March 30, 2018, Palestinian Gaza-based artist, Mohammed Abu Amr, 19, was killed by Israeli forces as he protested with thousands of Palestinians near the Gaza border. The theme of their protest has been the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees.
He was killed a day after sculpting the words “I will return” on Gaza Beach.
April 6, 2018: Yasser Mortaja, 31, a photojournalist, was killed by Israeli forces who shot him in his abdomen – below his ‘PRESS’ flack jacket, while he was out covering a border protest. Dr. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesperson of the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza, said that photojournalist Yasser Mortaja, 31, died of a gunshot wound he sustained on Friday while documenting the protest. He was wearing a Press vest and was clearly performing his duty as a journalist when he was targeted by the Israeli sharpshooters stationed at the military base on the Gaza border.
May 14, 2018: Fadi Hassan Abu Salah, 30, in a wheelchair was one of 60 Palestinians killed during a protest against the U.S. moving its Embassy to Jerusalem on Monday May 14th, 2018. The protest also focused on commemorating the 70thanniversary of the Nakba (Catastrophe), when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced from their homes for the creation of the state of Israel – creating the largest refugee population on earth, many of whom remain in exile generations later.
Fadi was hit with a live bullet to the chest, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. He was a wheelchair user who lost both of his legs during the Israeli war on Gaza in 2008.
The full list of names and information on each individual who has been killed in 2018 (both Palestinian and Israeli) can be found here.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEYVAN!
END APARTHEID B.D.S
As part of Bangkit/Arise CAMP co-director Megan Wilson replaced her most recent mural on Clarion Alley (Stop The Corporatocracy) with one also in solidarity with Palestinians for peace, justice, and the right of return and claim to their land. She had lots of help/support from partner and CAMP co-director Christopher Statton, as well as Bangkit/Arise Yogya artists Vina Puspita, Nano Warsono, Harind Arvati, and Ucup.
These hate crimes were covered in the following publications:
CAMP’s community has come out in full force to help with the restoration of the murals and to make donations. As CAMP Co-Director Megan Wilson noted to The Guardian’s Julia Carrie Wong: “They want to silence us, and they’re not going to,” Wilson said. “Because we are fierce and we don’t back down. If anything, we just get stronger through this.” And in fact,
TRUST YOUR STRUGGLE
Trust Your Struggle members Cece Carpio, T, and Priya met up with Bangkit/Arise to share their work and learn more about the exchange project.
Trust Your Struggle™ (TYS) is an artist collective of visual artists, educators, and cultural workers dedicated to social justice and community activism through the medium of art. Our work includes, but is not limited to: graphic design, printmaking, photography, illustration, graffiti, multimedia installations and mural painting.
Based in California and New York, we have produced over 100 gallery exhibitions, large scale murals, and arts education workshops with youth and community organizations since 2003. Our art continues the legacy of visual language as contemporary storytellers influenced by graffiti art, comic books, political posters, cultural icons, and our own indigenous traditions.
Trust Your Struggle (TYS) is an artist collective of visual artists, educators, and cultural workers dedicated to social justice and community activism through the medium of art. Our work includes but is not limited to graphic design, printmaking, silk screening, photography, illustration, graffiti writing, and mural painting. Based in California and New York, we have produced gallery installations, live paintings, murals and arts education workshops with youth and community organizations since 2003. Our art continues the legacy of visual language, as we are contemporary storytellers influenced by graffiti art, comic books, political posters, religious spiritual icons, and our own indigenous traditions. (https://www.trustyourstruggle.com/a/about/)
SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE
Bangkit/Arise artists Ucup, Nano Warsono, Bambang Toko, Vina Puspita, Harind Ndvarti, and Wedhar Riyadi presented their work at SFAI in Art Hazelwood’s relief print class.
SEMANGAT!
