Obstacles: Jakarta’s Soft Corp Play art movement after the 2018 Asian Games
Blockolage
What is Soft Corp Play Art? Well, before we look at this growing genre, it is important to understand what is commonly considered its predecessor, 'Blockolage'. Put simply, it is the art of the urban barricade, popularised in Jakarta. In modern times this has taken the role of ensuring the ‘Prevention of Pedestrians on Pavements’ as put forward by one of its biggest patrons, the Toyota family. Conversely, traditional Blockolage intended to prevent cars from intruding people spaces. In today's culture, such intentions are less apparent, as we will briefly study...
Historically, Blockolage in Jakarta has overlaps with the School of East Asian Makeshift Walls; whose earliest practitioners were recorded in China and whose aesthetic style has been a dominant market force this Century. An obvious Chinese characterisation would be the bamboo stick, a recurring motif in Jakartan Blockolage. But this is a superficial one and Indonesia carries its own distinctions. A common characteristic then is the use of ‘urbanganic’ materials; objects that belong to the daily workings of urban life: bricks, sandbags, cones, pipes, plastic, ladders and the like. The materials are usually distincitve to their cities and are accumulated together to form a rectangular or self-contained shape. These materials reveal and often maintain their intended functions whilst expressing the unified mechanism of the Blockolage. A makeshift aesthetic that also speaks the language of the ‘Orang Kecil’ (the little every man) seeking his own refuge within the flows of capital. Let’s take a look at one example:
What is Soft Corp Play Art? Well, before we look at this growing genre, it is important to understand what is commonly considered its predecessor, 'Blockolage'. Put simply, it is the art of the urban barricade, popularised in Jakarta. In modern times this has taken the role of ensuring the ‘Prevention of Pedestrians on Pavements’ as put forward by one of its biggest patrons, the Toyota family. Conversely, traditional Blockolage intended to prevent cars from intruding people spaces. In today's culture, such intentions are less apparent, as we will briefly study...
Historically, Blockolage in Jakarta has overlaps with the School of East Asian Makeshift Walls; whose earliest practitioners were recorded in China and whose aesthetic style has been a dominant market force this Century. An obvious Chinese characterisation would be the bamboo stick, a recurring motif in Jakartan Blockolage. But this is a superficial one and Indonesia carries its own distinctions. A common characteristic then is the use of ‘urbanganic’ materials; objects that belong to the daily workings of urban life: bricks, sandbags, cones, pipes, plastic, ladders and the like. The materials are usually distincitve to their cities and are accumulated together to form a rectangular or self-contained shape. These materials reveal and often maintain their intended functions whilst expressing the unified mechanism of the Blockolage. A makeshift aesthetic that also speaks the language of the ‘Orang Kecil’ (the little every man) seeking his own refuge within the flows of capital. Let’s take a look at one example:
‘Skeletol Ribbed Cage Where The Soul Has Turned To Steel’ 2015-18 South Jakarta
A wired-up ladder, side positioned to support the horizontally challenged rusty gate and a bamboo stick penetrating a famished bush. Typically animals are often imitated in Indo Blockolage art. This one is a crocodile. Beneath this a trolley wheel offers support and manouvrability. The wheel became prevailant after the fall of President General Suharto and mirrors the mobilisation of people who sought mass individualism, but no longer walk. Except for car free Sundays when they jog on the roads.
A wired-up ladder, side positioned to support the horizontally challenged rusty gate and a bamboo stick penetrating a famished bush. Typically animals are often imitated in Indo Blockolage art. This one is a crocodile. Beneath this a trolley wheel offers support and manouvrability. The wheel became prevailant after the fall of President General Suharto and mirrors the mobilisation of people who sought mass individualism, but no longer walk. Except for car free Sundays when they jog on the roads.
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left: a Blockolage work in progress, South Jakarta |
‘Soft Corp Play Movement’
In recent years we have seen a move away from the urbanganic form in Blockolage to a preoccupation with domestication of materials and minimalist application. A sense of irony can be found linking these new styles which has come under alternative names. These include; the ‘Soft Corp Play Movement’, ‘Post-Blockolage’, ‘Neo Blockolage’, ‘Bore-core’, ‘New Kids On The Block’ and even ‘Bollockalage’. I will prefer to use ‘Soft Corp Play Movement’, for reasons outlined below. (Although, it must be noted that whilst this new generation recognise they are within a movement, many argue that this is not a conscious act but ‘just the way things are right now’). Established practitioners include Grand Indonesia, Plaza Senayan Mall, Lippo Mall, Pullman and non-native The Shangri-La. They are also recognised as part of a wider ‘International Style’.
The Soft Corp Players recognise firstly - and this is an important distinction - that the blockade no longer needs to be physically preventative. A gestural sign is equally powerful and accpetabed as the surrounding environment becomes more impersonal and car friendly. Some have taken this theory to greater lengths. Lippo Mall is one such pioneer, whose car park entrance in Kuming, South Jakarta pushes the boundaries of citizen compliance. A plant suggestively sandwiched between pillars, leaves out-stretched, it says, ‘do not pass’.
In the ‘Soft Corp Play’ movement the viewer is asked to look at its position of power as its position of power. Do not ask what this means. Questions are redundant in Soft Corp Play, only playful gestures are encouraged. Playing with classical notions of femininity and function with urban furniture, closer inspection reveals that these seemingly conventional pillars are cross-dressed in metallic shell-like shapes that jingle when you rattle them.
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Top and Right:
'Fancy Meeting You Here?' Lippo Mall, 2018, Jakarta |
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'Princely Haram Gold' 2018 Kuming, Jakarta
Here a plant is again used as a pretense to softening a more design-led Soft Corp Play piece near Lippo Mall. Although more practical in design, its golden facade looks superlative for its small stature, mocking itself. Revealing an outward disguise that doesn't attempt to hide anything. This recalls the Ẓāhir/Batin Islamic Indo frame of mind, the idea that the innate beauty or truth of Islam is revealed to those who look more closely. Conveniently, it can be said that the beauty of Capitalist consumerism that emerges within Jakarta doesn't interfere with Islamic principles in this perfectly arranged marriage. In fact the two things that have no barriers to movement in this city are the call to prayer and money.
Soft Corp Play In The Asian Games
As previously stated (in the title) during and following on from the the Asian Games, the government have especially commissioned Soft Corp Play and Blockolage inspired works in the downtown areas of Jakarta, in the hope of encouraging locals to participate and visitors to visit these often overlooked places. These are less conceptual in practice and have a sporting element, as emphasised in their titles. They can be found dotted around pavements in the city and are expected to be left there well after the games have finished. Here are some Examples below:
Here a plant is again used as a pretense to softening a more design-led Soft Corp Play piece near Lippo Mall. Although more practical in design, its golden facade looks superlative for its small stature, mocking itself. Revealing an outward disguise that doesn't attempt to hide anything. This recalls the Ẓāhir/Batin Islamic Indo frame of mind, the idea that the innate beauty or truth of Islam is revealed to those who look more closely. Conveniently, it can be said that the beauty of Capitalist consumerism that emerges within Jakarta doesn't interfere with Islamic principles in this perfectly arranged marriage. In fact the two things that have no barriers to movement in this city are the call to prayer and money.
Soft Corp Play In The Asian Games
As previously stated (in the title) during and following on from the the Asian Games, the government have especially commissioned Soft Corp Play and Blockolage inspired works in the downtown areas of Jakarta, in the hope of encouraging locals to participate and visitors to visit these often overlooked places. These are less conceptual in practice and have a sporting element, as emphasised in their titles. They can be found dotted around pavements in the city and are expected to be left there well after the games have finished. Here are some Examples below:
' The Manhole Lunge'
'The Curb Dive'
'Completely Taking The Risk'
The Hard Edge
And finally.... The growing popularisation of Soft Corp Play into the mainstream and its widening appeal since the Asian Games has led to more commercially-led large scale works for private collecting. These commissions are part of what's affectionately termed a ‘Hard Edge’ turn. They are usually minimal in design and accompanied by performances from security avant guards. They seek to strip away the decorative in search for a pure barrier whilst incorporating the viewer into forced participation. They are definitely not playful. These can be found outside micro-suburban residential housing, often situated within or near lower income residential areas that feature Blockolage.
An entire road will often be barricaded off at certain times for the benefit of this small neighbourhood. Other residents that don’t belong in this enclosure cannot pass through. The houses here costing upwards of 5 million rupiah, reportedly 5x their original price 10 years ago. This style will be featured as Indonesia's representative in a World Expo next year, alongside a selection of Hard Edge genres from other Countries. The reason for this popularity is simple; now their cars can have their own blockolages, with plenty of free space without the inconvenience of pedestrians.
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Left: inside the Hard Edge |
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Left: another example of a Hard Edge style titled, 'Fuck You Jack-arta... So Long As I'm Alright'
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2018
