AROC, Bambang Toko, Bangkit/Arise, Harind Arvati, Nano Warsono, Ucup, Vina Puspita, Wedhar Riyadi, Clarion Alley, Mission District, San Francisco, 2018
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 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 199 (to date) Palestinians killed by the State of Israel since the beginning of 2018, the year that marks the anniversary of 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.
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.
SEMANGAT!