Disability Murals and Public Spaces:

Cultivating Inclusion, Building Resilience

Disability art is a type of art that conceptually and contextually raises the themes of disability or related to disability. It takes various forms and any artist with or without disabilities can create such art. The practices and studies of disability art are continuously growing. It is getting more attention within the community practice, arts institutions, funding bodies, the world of research and academia. This concern escalates alongside the struggle for human rights and equality that remains a global issue. Reflecting on the issue of disability in Indonesia, for example, disability groups are often under-appreciated, facing stigmatisation and discrimination in the community and professional environment. Not to mention the lack of accessibility in public spaces and structures.

Those circumstances aspire to raise awareness about the importance of social justice for marginal groups, including those with disabilities. Art, in this case, is seen as a strategic as well as a sincere way to voice the ideas and rights of people with disabilities more freely, loudly, and equally. Disability art is a space for disabled and non-disabled artists to share perspectives, negotiate mainstream structures (normality), and expand access to art. This short essay will discuss the Netas/Incubate disability mural project conducted by Jogja Disability Arts (Indonesia) in collaboration with Disability Murals (UK) through the lens of participatory art in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Disability Arts: Looking for the ground to rooting

In the UK, the Disability Arts Movement was started in the late 1970s led by disability activists and disabled artists to campaign for disability rights and to fight against marginalization in the arts and culture. The movement has contributed to the passing of the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995, which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in relation to employment, provision of goods, facilities and services. It was then replaced in 2010 with the Equality Act. The Disability Arts Movement was a milestone in UK disability arts activism, leading to the creation of the National Disability Arts Collection & Archive (NDACA). Some well-known disability arts groups and organizations in the UK include DaDaFest, Deafinitely Theatre, DASH Arts, Graeae, Mind the Gap, Shape Arts, and many others.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, disability art has been exercised in communities and schools for many years. However, its practice is carried out sporadically and poorly documented, making the disability arts movement in Indonesia difficult to trace. In addition to that, disability art tends to be seen rather as a therapeutic or charity medium than as a work of art and advocacy. As a result, disability art is deemed excluded from the history of Indonesian art. Nevertheless, the disability arts movement and its positioning in the Indonesian art world have increasingly found their spark in the last decade. Communities and organizations focus on disability art continue to grow. In Jakarta, there is the Indonesian Disability Painter Community, the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artist (AMFPA). In Yogyakarta, there are Difabel and Friends Community (DiffCom), Deaf Art Community; Smile Motivator in Bandung, and many others. Several cultural arts programmes also specifically promote inclusion as themes, such as the Festival Bebas Batas/ Unlimited Festival (British Council), Ketemu Project, and the 100% Inclusive Festival (Village Innovation Center and Program Peduli).

While there is still a long way to go for Indonesian disability arts, the action towards inclusion seems to have a hopeful future after the enactment of Law Number 8 of 2016 concerning Disabilities. In the twelfth section on Cultural and Tourism Rights, Article 16 states, "Culture and Tourism Rights for Persons with Disabilities include the right: (a) To have equality and the opportunity to actively participate in arts and cultural activities". In this instance, supports from the government, funding agencies, and art institutions are essential in providing space, opportunity and access. The opportunity to participate in the arts is not merely a means to voice different perspectives in society but also a contribution to the art and culture itself.

Netas/Incubate disability mural: Cross-continental collaboration during a pandemic

As I did a little research on literature about disability art in the UK and Indonesia, I found that disability art forms have been widely explored, ranging from visual arts, crafts, dance, theatre, and music. However, there are not many evidence of disability artists using murals as media. DiffCom with Jogja Disability Arts in Indonesia and Disability Murals in the UK, are just a few of them. The lack of disability artists working on mural art should therefore provoke a reflection on disability art's relationship with public spaces.

Murals as an art form sited in public spaces have a specific role. That is to activate public spaces. Mural art facilitates negotiation and gives content or discourse to the environment in which it is located. For example, how the artist has a dialogue with the building owner, how technically the mural will be done, and who is involved. Including how people in the local area around the mural respond and internalize the mural's message. "Putting the work" in a bustling public space will be different from that in a sterile and exclusive gallery or exhibition space. Identity is not a priority, but rather the content and quality. So that anyone who sees it can say it is good artwork, just because it is, not because it was made by an artist with a disability.

The collaboration between Jogja Disability Arts and Disability Murals through the Netas/Incubate project, supported by the British Council, is an example of how disability art occupies public spaces. The roadside walls that were previously silent are now filled with interesting narratives. One is located in Panggungharjo Village, Yogyakarta, the other is in Cardiff City, Wales. Both regions may have different disability arts contexts. However, during this pandemic, there is one thing that unites them, it's the spirit of solidarity in adapting to the Covid-19 pandemic.

That spirit is therefore underlying the collaboration between Jogja Disability Arts and Disability Murals. Firstly, it could be seen from the main theme both sides agreed, that is the response to the pandemic situation. Anyone, no exception, is experiencing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in various aspects of life. Therefore, this joint project is an opportunity to share struggles and hopes, while also supporting each other. Secondly, how the technical collaboration of this mural-making is done differently than the usual. Mural art which is typically marked with the collective experience working on-site has to be altered with working individually at home, then being combined. Thirdly, adjustment to the online meetings, which have now become the new normal. The virtual platform offers an option for people to meet and have a discussion without limited by the distance which otherwise difficult to do considering the collaborators come from different provinces and countries.

Jogja Disability Arts involved 8 artists with disabilities coming from 5 cities in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Disability Murals collaborated with Ayla Halewood and students from Ty Gwyn's special school. The involvement of participants from various backgrounds in Netas/Incubate mural project is a form of participatory art, which according to Francois Matarasso, the framework of participatory art is based on three main goals: increasing access to art, creating social change, and promoting cultural democracy. In this regard, Netas/Incubate became a platform for disabled and non-disabled artists in various provinces in Indonesia, as well as special children in the UK to access art, talk about social issues, and contribute through art during the pandemic.

In an interview conducted by Jogja Disability Arts, Winda Karunadita, one of the artist collaborators from Bali, said that this was her first experience making murals and collaborating on an international scale project. For Winda, this opportunity gave her a new experience including on the technical issue. For instance, how she explored new strategies in overcoming her limitations to painting in a large medium. Netas/Incubate project allows mural media, which were previously unfamiliar for artists with disabilities, to be more accessible.

Another story is coming from Ayla Halewood, a teenager who participated in Netas/Incubate. She is the main figure for the mural in Cardiff, who appeared to be standing on a prosthetic leg and wearing a mask covering her nose and mouth. In June 2020, Alya was diagnosed with a rare type of bone cancer. Ayla's story has been widely spread in Wales and got a lot of attention. When the mural panel was finally being attached to the 20-feet-tall wall, Ayla told Disability Murals how she felt moved to see herself in a gigantic-looking form. It made her feel like she is somewhat powerful.

The mural becomes a physical medium that offers space for expression, but more than that, it builds opportunities for dialogue and mutual understanding, especially when done in a participatory manner. The shared experience in the creative process and decision making, in addition to the shared authorship, is the key to participatory art. The process is favourably more important rather than the outcome. However, this idea is not without criticism. As stated by Claire Bishop, that participatory art tends to be evaluated from an ethical aspect rather than an aesthetic one. As a result, many participatory art projects have good and sincere intentions but lack artistic discernment. This is where the role of Jogja Disability Arts represented by Butong Idar and Nano Warsono, as well as Disability Murals represented by Andrew Bolton and Lisa Marie Tann, - borrowing the term used by Tom Finkelpearl - to 'orchestrate' every element of participation into harmony (if not dialectical) while considering the ethical implications.

Working towards an inclusive mural within a participatory mode, Jogja Disability Arts together with Disability Murals have activated collaborations between disabled and non-disabled artists. Their works now exist at the corner of Jalan Palemsewu, Yogyakarta and Partridge Rd, Cardiff, adding new context to the area. Making a well-presented mural is necessary, but assembling it with social messages from the participants has its challenges, and it is well answered by Jogja Disability Arts and Disability Murals. Finally, once the mural is already there in the public space, the most appropriate one to evaluate the interaction of beauty and social message in the mural is the people who live in the area, who frequently pass the murals and interpret the message, whether as inspiration, affirmation, or discourse.

Netas/Incubate is a valuable exchange, both on knowledge and experience. Through the project, participants could share and learn from each other about disability arts, while at the same time gain experiences through engagement in the discussion, creative process, and production. This collaboration is significant in bridging the gap between disabled and non-disabled artists, fostering respect and compassion while continuing to reflect on cultivating inclusion.

To end this essay, allow me to express my highest appreciation to Jogja Disability Arts and Disability Murals, including all those involved in Netas/Incubate project, for their unstoppable hard work, creativity, and resiliency. Because amid a pandemic situation that makes everyone feels limited (disabled), Netas/Incubate is there to accompany, give hope and show new possibilities to move forward again.

London, June 2021

Vina Puspita

(Vina Puspita is an Indonesian visual artist and researcher focus on social practices and participatory arts. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta, and a master’s degree in Arts and Learning from Goldsmiths University of London. She is currently doing her Doctorate in Fine and Performing Arts at the University of Lincoln, UK.)

* This essay was written for Netas/Incubate Mural Project, Connection Through Arts, funded by British Council

References:

Bishop, C. (2012) Artificial hells : participatory art and the politics of spectatorship. London: London : Verso (Participatory art and the politics of spectatorship).

Finkelpearl, T. (2014) ‘Participatory Art’, Encyclopedia of Aesthetics. Available at: http://library.lincoln.ac.uk/items/eds/edsoro/oro.9780199747108.013.0552.

https://the-ndaca.org/the-story/the-archivists-corner/exploring-the-disability-arts-movement/
(Accessed: 10 June 2021).

Matarasso, F. (2019) A restless art : how participation won, and why it matters. London : Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, UK Branch.

Thohari, S. et al. (2017) Laporan Penelitian Pemetaan Kesenian dan Disabilitas di Indonesia. Pusat Studi dan Layanan Disabilitas Universitas Brawijaya dan British Council Indonesia. Available at: https://www.britishcouncil.id/uk-indonesia-2016-18/cerita-kami/laporan-kesenian-disabilitas (Accessed: 15 June 2021).

Mural Disabilitas dan Ruang Publik:

Menumbuhkan Inklusi, Membangun Resiliensi

Anchor 1

Bagi siapapun yang ruangnya terhimpit
oleh struktur-struktur sempit cara hidup mayoritas,
Seni adalah suaka yang merdeka nan setara
untuk saling berbagi kontribusi.

Seni disabilitas dipahami sebagai seni yang secara konseptual maupun kontekstual mengangkat tema-tema tentang disabilitas, atau different ability, kecakapan yang berbeda dalam melakukan sesuatu. Bentuknya beragam dan dilakukan oleh seniman dengan atau tanpa disabilitas. Di kalangan komunitas (grassroots), ruang-ruang seni, dunia riset maupun akademisi, praktik dan studi tentang seni disabilitas semakin berkembang dan mendapat perhatian. Perhatian ini bertumbuh seiring dengan perjuangan atas hak asasi manusia dan kesetaraan yang terus menjadi isu global. Berkaca pada isu disabilitas di Indonesia misalnya, tak jarang kelompok-kelompok disabilitas masih kurang diapresiasi, mendapat stigma dan diskriminasi di lingkungan masyarakat maupun profesional. Ditambah lagi aksesibilitas dalam struktur dan ruang publik yang sangat terbatas.

Kondisi keterabaian tersebut melatarbelakangi upaya-upaya penyadaran tentang pentingnya keadilan sosial bagi kelompok marginal, termasuk disabilitas. Seni, dalam hal ini, dipandang sebagai salah satu cara yang strategis dan humanis untuk menyuarakan pemikiran dan hak-hak disabilitas dengan lebih bebas, lantang, dan setara. Seni disabilitas menjadi ruang bagi seniman disabilitas maupun non-disabilitas untuk berbagi perspektif, menegosiasi konstruksi mayoritas (normalitas), serta memperluas akses terhadap seni. Esai singkat ini akan membahas tentang proyek mural disabilitas Netas/Incubate kolaborasi Jogja Disability Arts (Indonesia) dan Disability Murals (Inggris), melalui lensa seni partisipatoris dalam konteks pandemi Covid-19.

Seni disabilitas: Mencari lahan untuk berakar

Di Inggris, Gerakan Seni Disabilitas (Disability Arts Movement) dimulai pada akhir 1970-an oleh aktivis dan seniman disabilitas untuk mengampanyekan hak-hak disabilitas serta berjuang melawan marginalisasi dalam dunia seni dan budaya. Pengaruh gerakan tersebut berkontribusi pada disahkannya undang-undang disabilitas pada tahun 1995, yang melarang diskriminasi terhadap penyandang disabilitas sehubungan dengan pekerjaan, penyediaan barang, fasilitas dan jasa, kemudian diganti pada tahun 2010 dengan Undang-Undang Kesetaraan. Gerakan Seni Disabilitas menjadi tonggak bersejarah dalam aktivisme seni disabilitas Inggris, yang mengarah pada pembentukan NDACA (National Disability Arts Collection & Archive), Koleksi dan Arsip Seni Disabilitas Nasional. Beberapa kelompok dan organisasi seni disabilitas di Inggris yang cukup dikenal antara lain DaDaFest, Deafinitely Theatre, DASH Arts, Graeae, Mind the Gap, Shape Arts, dan lain-lain.

Sementara itu, di Indonesia seni disabilitas juga sudah ada sejak lama. Hanya saja praktiknya dilakukan secara sporadis dan kurang terdokumentasi, sehingga membuat seni disabilitas di Indonesia sulit dilacak. Selain itu, pandangan terhadap seni disabilitas yang cenderung dilihat lebih sebagai media terapi atau karitatif (charity) daripada sebagai karya seni dan media advokasi, membuat seni disabilitas luput tercatat dalam sejarah arus utama seni Indonesia. Meskipun demikian, pergerakan seni disabilitas dan legitimasinya di dunia seni Indonesia semakin menemukan percikannya dalam satu dekade terakhir. Komunitas dan organisasi seni disabilitas terus bertumbuh. Di Jakarta ada Komunitas Komunitas Pelukis Disabilitas Indonesia, Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artist (AMFPA). Kemudian di Yogyakarta ada Difabel and Friends Community (DiffCom), Deaf Art Community; Smile Motivator di Bandung, dan masih banyak lainnya. Beberapa program seni budaya pun secara spesifik mempromosikan tema-tema inklusif, sebut saja Festival Bebas Batas (British Council), Ketemu Project, dan Festival Inklusif 100% (Sanggar Inovasi Desa dan Program Peduli).

Meski perjalanan masih panjang bagi seni disabilitas Indonesia, paling tidak ruang partisipasi semakin terbuka dan terjamin setelah disahkannya Undang-Undang Nomor 8 Tahun 2016 tentang Disabilitas. Pada bagian kedua belas Hak kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, Pasal 16 menyatakan, ‘Hak kebudayaan dan Pariwisata untuk Penyandang Disabilitas meliputi hak: (a) Memperoleh kesamaan dan kesempatan untuk berpartisipasi secara aktif dalam kegiatan seni dan budaya’. Dukungan dari pemerintah, badan-badan pendanaan, serta institusi seni memiliki peranan penting dalam menyediakan ruang, kesempatan dan akses. Kesempatan partisipasi dalam seni tidak hanya menjadi sarana juang menyuarakan perspektif yang berbeda dalam kehidupan bersama, namun juga memberi kontribusi pada kesenian dan kebudayaan itu sendiri.

Mural disabilitas Netas/Incubate: Kolaborasi lintas benua di masa pandemi

Ketika melakukan penelusuran sederhana pada literatur seni disabilitas Inggris dan Indonesia, saya menemukan beragam eksplorasi bentuk kesenian disabilitas mulai dari seni rupa, kriya, pertunjukan tari, teater, musik dan medium lainnya. Namun, catatan tentang seni disabilitas dengan media mural sangat terbatas. DiffCom bersama Jogja Disability Arts di Indonesia dan Disability Murals di Inggris, hanyalah beberapa di antaranya. Minimnya pelaku seni disabilitas yang bergerak melalui seni mural kemudian patut menjadi refleksi, tentang bagaimana seni disabilitas berelasi dengan ruang publik.

Mural sebagai bentuk seni di ruang publik punya peran yang spesifik, yaitu mengaktivasi ruang publik. Seni mural memfasilitasi negosiasi dan memberi konten atau wacana pada lingkungan dimana ia berada. Misalnya, bagaimana seniman berdialog dengan pemilik bangunan tentang apa yang akan digambar di tembok rumahnya, bagaimana teknis pengerjaannya, siapa saja yang dilibatkan. Termasuk bagaimana orang di lingkungan sekitar mural merespon dan menginternalisasi pesan mural tersebut. "Meletakkan karya" di ruang publik yang hiruk pikuk akan berbeda dengan di ruang galeri atau pameran yang steril dan eksklusif. Identitas tidak menjadi prioritas, melainkan suar konten dan kualitas. Sehingga siapa pun yang melihat bisa menilai sebuah karya yang bagus dan menyentuh sebagaimana adanya, bukan menjadi bagus dan menyentuh karena dibuat oleh seniman disabilitas.

Kolaborasi Jogja Disability Arts dan Disability Murals melalui proyek Netas/Incubate yang didukung oleh British Council, merupakan salah satu contoh bagaimana seni mural disabilitas hadir di ruang publik. Tembok tepi jalan yang tadinya polos diam hening, kini terisi narasi yang menarik untuk dibicarakan. Yang satu berlokasi di Desa Panggungharjo, Yogyakarta, yang satunya lagi berada di Kota Cardiff, Wales. Pada dasarnya, kedua daerah tersebut memiliki konteks seni disabilitas yang berbeda. Namun dalam masa pandemi ini ada hal yang mempersatukan, yaitu bahwa semua terdampak ancaman yang sama dan punya satu semangat global untuk beradaptasi menghadapi pandemi Covid-19. Disabilitas sebagai kelompok yang terlatih untuk menemukan cara lain yang berbeda dari mayoritas punya potensi lebih adaptif terhadap perubahan.

Semangat inilah yang kemudian mewarnai kolaborasi antara Jogja Disability Arts dan Disability Murals. Pertama-tama, berawal dari tema besar yang sepakat diangkat yaitu respon terhadap situasi pandemi. Siapa pun, tak terkecuali, merasakan dampak pandemi Covid-19 di berbagai aspek kehidupan. Maka itu, proyek bersama ini menjadi kesempatan untuk berbagi emosi, berbagi harapan dan saling menguatkan. Kedua, bagaimana teknis kolaborasi mural ini dilakukan di luar dari cara biasanya. Seni mural yang khas dengan kebersamaan "nggarap" di lokasi, jadi harus mencari alternatif teknis, yaitu dengan dikerjakan di studio masing-masing, baru kemudian digabungkan. Ketiga, dilakukannya pertemuan-pertemuan daring yang kini sudah menjadi new normal. Ruang virtual ini menawarkan pilihan untuk bertemu dan berdiskusi tanpa terhambat jarak. Hal yang mungkin tidak mudah dilakukan secara luring mengingat para kolaborator berasal dari provinsi dan negara berbeda-beda.

Jogja Disability Arts melibatkan 8 seniman disabilitas dari 5 kota di Indonesia. Sementara itu, Disability Murals melibatkan Ayla Halewood dan siswa dari sekolah luar biasa Ty Gwyn. Pelibatan partisipan dari beragam latar belakang dalam proyek mural Netas/Incubate ini merupakan sebuah wujud seni partisipatoris, yang menurut Francois Matarasso, kerangka seni partisipatoris dilandaskan pada tiga tujuan utama, yaitu: meningkatkan akses terhadap seni, menciptakan perubahan sosial, dan mempromosikan demokrasi budaya. Dalam hal ini, Netas/Incubate menjadi wadah bagi seniman-seniman disabilitas dan non-disabilitas di berbagai provinsi di Indonesia, serta anak-anak luar biasa di Inggris untuk mengakses seni, membicarakan isu-isu sosial, dan berkontribusi melalui seni di masa pandemi.

Dalam wawancara yang dilakukan oleh Jogja Disability Arts, Winda Karunadita, salah satu kolaborator seniman asal Bali, menyampaikan bahwa ini merupakan pengalaman pertamanya membuat mural dan melakukan kolaborasi berskala internasional. Bagi Winda, kesempatan ini memberinya pengalaman baru, termasuk dalam hal teknis, yaitu bagaimana ia mengeksplorasi strategi-strategi baru dalam mengatasi keterbatasannya untuk melukis di media yang besar. Proyek Netas/Incubate membuat media mural yang tadinya asing bagi seniman disabilitas, jadi memungkinkan untuk diakses.

Cerita lainnya datang dari Inggris, Ayla Halewood, seorang remaja yang ikut berpartisipasi dalam Netas/Incubate menjadi figur utama pada mural di Cardiff. Dalam mural tersebut, ia berdiri dengan kaki prostetik dan mengenakan masker menutupi hidung dan mulut. Juni 2020, Alya didiagnosis mengidap sebuah jenis kanker tulang yang tergolong langka. Kisah Ayla cukup tersiar di Wales dan mendapat banyak perhatian. Ketika panel mural selesai terpasang pada tembok rumah yang tinggi, Ayla menyampaikan kepada Disability Murals bagaimana ini merasa tergerak melihat foto dirinya yang tampak gigantik. Hal itu membuatnya merasa seperti memiliki daya yang luar biasa.

Tembok mural menjadi satu media fisik yang tidak hanya menawarkan ruang untuk berekspresi, tapi lebih dari itu, membangun kesempatan berdialog dan saling memahami, khususnya ketika dilakukan secara partisipatoris. Pengalaman berdinamika bersama dalam proses kreatif, pengambilan keputusan secara setara, dan pengakuan atas kepengarangan (authorship) secara merata, pada hakikatnya adalah kunci dari seni partisipatoris, bukan hasil yang menjadi tujuan utama. Namun demikian, pemikiran tersebut tidak luput dari kritik. Sebagaimana diutarakan oleh Claire Bishop, bahwa seni partisipatoris cenderung dinilai dari aspek etika dibanding estetika. Alhasil, banyak proyek seni partisipatoris memiliki intensi yang baik dan tulus, namun tidak dibarengi dengan kualitas seni yang mumpuni. Disinilah peran Jogja Disability Arts yang diwakili oleh Butong Idar dan Nano Warsono, serta Disability Murals yang diwakili oleh Andrew Bolton dan Lisa Marie Tann, - meminjam istilah yang digunakan Tom Finkelpearl - untuk 'mengorkestrasi' setiap elemen partisipasi menjadi harmonis (pun bisa dialektis), estetis, dengan tetap mempertimbangkan implikasi etis.

Bergerak ke arah mural yang inklusif, Jogja Disability Arts mengisi pojok tembok Jalan Palemsewu dengan keindahan yang terpadu dari karya beberapa artis. Membuat pojok tembok tampak keindahan adalah satu hal penting, namun merangkainya dengan pesan sosial dari para partisipan mempunyai tantangan tersendiri, dan itu dijawab dengan baik oleh Jogja Disability Arts. Begitu pula dengan Disability Murals di Cardiff. Bagaimanapun, ketika karya mural sudah hadir di ruang publik, yang paling tepat menilai interaksi keindahan dan pesan sosial pada mural tersebut tentunya adalah masyarakat yang tinggal dan berlalu lalang di sekitarnya, yang kemudian menangkap emosinya, entah sebagai sebagai inspirasi, afirmasi, atau bahkan bahan diskusi.

Netas/Incubate merupakan ajang pertukaran yang berharga. Tak hanya pertukaran tentang pengetahuan, tapi juga pertukaran pengalaman. Melalui proyek ini, para peserta dapat saling berbagi dan belajar tentang seni disabilitas. Selain itu, keterlibatan dalam diskusi, proses kreatif, dan produksi pun menjadi suatu pengalaman baru. Kolaborasi semacam ini menjadi langkah yang penting untuk melebur jarak antara seniman disabilitas dan non-disabilitas, menumbuhkan respek dan kasih sayang terhadap sesama manusia maupun lingkungan, sambil terus merefleksikan nilai-nilai inklusif yang sudah selayaknya menjadi bagian dari kehidupan dan kesenian.

Untuk mengakhiri esai ini, izinkanlah saya untuk menyampaikan apresiasi setinggi-tingginya kepada Jogja Disability Arts dan Disability Murals, termasuk semua yang terlibat dalam proyek Netas/Incubate, atas kerja keras, kreativitas, dan resiliensi mereka. Sebab di tengah situasi pandemi yang membuat gerak semua orang menjadi terbatas (disabled), Netas/Incubate hadir menemani, memberi harapan dan menunjukkan kemungkinan-kemungkinan baru untuk kembali bergerak maju.

London, Juni 2021

Vina Puspita

(Vina Puspita adalah seniman dan peneliti seni asal Indonesia yang fokus pada praktik-praktik sosial seni komunitas dan seni partisipatoris. Ia menyelesaikan pendidikan Seni Rupa di Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Yogyakarta, dan Arts and Learning di Goldsmiths University of London. Saat ini Vina sedang menempuh pendidikan Doktor Fine and Performing Arts di University of Lincoln, Inggris.)

* Esai ini ditulis untuk Proyek Mural Netas/Incubate, Connection Through Arts, yang didanai oleh British Council

Sumber: