Natasha Tontey's 'Macho Mystic Meltdown: Substracted Anthology' at 1646, The Hague
In her solo exhibition titled 'Macho Mystic Meltdown: Substracted Anthology' at 1646 in The Hague, Natasha Tontey showcases three immersive film installations. The exhibition delves into the tension between reality and fiction, with an emphasis on parody. 'Chapter 4: In a Muscle Mood' portrays Beetje, a veteran of the Minahasa Permesta conflict, as he navigates themes of trauma and fragile masculinity in postcolonial Indonesia. Meanwhile, 'Chapter 2: Monster; She Wrote' offers a fresh perspective on a female fighter from the 1950s Minahasa, challenging notions of militarism and biological fate. Tontey believes that history is a 'living material' that evolves and influences the future through unresolved narratives. The display features deep-blue blacklight and orange film projections. The article is authored by Paoletta Holst, with photography by Tommy Smits.
Key facts
- Natasha Tontey's solo exhibition 'Macho Mystic Meltdown: Substracted Anthology' is on view at 1646 in The Hague.
- The exhibition features three immersive film installations.
- 'Chapter 4: In a Muscle Mood' centres on Beetje, a Minahasa Permesta war veteran, and explores trauma, care and vulnerable masculinity in postcolonial Indonesia.
- 'Chapter 2: Monster; She Wrote' reinterprets a notorious Minahasa female fighter from the 1950s who gave birth while in hiding during the Permesta war.
- Tontey describes the past as 'living material' that mutates, haunts, disguises itself and can return as a monster, a joke or a distorted image.
- The installations combine memory and myth, with humour shifting to sarcasm and tender gestures becoming monstrous rage.
- The exhibition contrasts objective archival documentation with subjective interpretation, fiction and speculation.
- Photographs of the exhibition are by Tommy Smits; the article was written by Paoletta Holst.
Entities
Artists
- Natasha Tontey
- Beetje
- Paoletta Holst
- Tommy Smits
- Boeng Dotulong
Institutions
- 1646
- Mister Motley
- Dinamo
Locations
- The Hague
- Netherlands
- Indonesia
- Minahasa
- Yogyakarta
- Jakarta