Octora's 'Menamai | Naming' at Gajah Gallery Jakarta

'Menamai | Naming,' a solo exhibition by Indonesian artist Octora, is currently on display at Gajah Gallery Jakarta. This showcase delves into the influence of colonial knowledge systems on modern perspectives. Through various mediums, including photography, weaving, sculpture, and installation, the exhibition explores how naming and representation shape the understanding of Indonesian cultural identity. Octora's work is deeply influenced by her initial exposure to images from the May 1998 anti-Chinese riots in Indonesia, which remains a central theme in her art. She treats photographs as both historical artifacts and crafted visuals, skillfully cutting, weaving, and reconfiguring archival images and ethnographic documents to challenge their authoritative narratives.