The text describes the exhibition “Names in Our Veins,” curated by Jo-Lene Ong at Buro Stedelijk in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. This exhibition features the works of two artists from the Chinese-Indonesian diaspora: FX Harsono and Vincent Ruijters.
Key Highlights:
-
Artists:
- FX Harsono: An influential Indonesian artist born in 1949, whose work addresses issues like discrimination and state politics through a personal lens.
- Vincent Ruijters: A contemporary multimedia artist born in 1988 in The Hague, he approaches themes of ancestral memory from a double-diaspora perspective.
-
Themes:
- The exhibition explores honest clarity regarding identity and humanity within the Chinese-Indonesian experience.
- Harsono’s work reflects on erased identities and historical violence, while Ruijters examines memory and displacement.
-
Featured Works:
- Harsono’s pieces include:
- “Writing in the Rain” (2011): A metaphor for the erasure of Chinese culture in Indonesia.
- “Writing in the Dark Rain” (2025): Represents resilience as Harsono unveils his name by wiping away paint on glass.
- “Rewriting on the Tomb” and “Pilgrimage to History”.
- Harsono’s pieces include:
Overall, the exhibition aims to confront complex histories and identities, focusing on the personal and collective narratives of the Chinese-Indonesian community.
