Monica Hapsari
GARBHA (WOMB)
“Garbha” is a term found in ancient Javanese, Indonesian, Vajrayana, and most East Asian Buddhist traditions. It is understood as the realm of the womb, a sacred feminine power that ultimately transcends gender. This artwork connects and assimilates the divine feminine energy and ritualistic aspects associated with Garbha in both Japan and Indonesia by utilizing Indonesian rice fiber (damen) paper and Benibana (safflower), a natural dye used to create the iconic red lip color worn by geisha.
Monica Hapsari is a Tangerang-based visual artist, illustrator and sound – vocal explorer. She is one of the finalist of UOB Painting of The Year 2018.
She learn various Ancient Wisdom practices from the tradition of various Nusantara’s Ancestors, as a learning process for her life and interpreted it with her visual art and sound works. She had join events such as Nusasonic Radio #4 : Quiet Riot 2021, “Thoughts and Ideas” Vol. 2 Radio Show, 2021, Mutant Radio Tbilisi, Georgia curated by Que Sakamoto, exhibited her humming work in H.A.H. Project with OmniSpace at Zeitraumexit, Mannhein, Germany, 2021, Situated Sound IV : Eulogies by Array Music Toronto, 2021, sound artist in residence for Ceramic Music Festival Terracotta Triennial Jatiwangi Art Factory 2021, “Resonansi” by Muara Suara (ID) x NewToy (UK) supported by British Council CTC (Connecting Through Culture) 2022 and Alur Bunyi Point(s) of Departure 2022 by Goethe Institut Indonesien, etc. She is also active in the field of performance art and had join event such as Undisclosed Territory #13 – Performing Distance, curated by Melati Suryodarmo, exhibited visual works and performed at “The Lost and The Remains”, curated by An Other Asian for Koppel Project, Holborn Viaduct, London, UK, 2022, performance art laboratory and workshop with Popop Performance Hub – Popop Art Nijmegen supported by HAN University of Applied Science Nijmegen, Netherland, 2023, Bienniale Jogja 2023, KEXP Live Session, Seattle, USA with Lair band, Art Jakarta Garden 2024.
Her multi-disciplinary fields of art make her has many point of view on the works. From visual art, multimedia, to sound, to performance art. Most of her works are focusing on the research of ancient wisdom from her Nusantara’s Ancestors, imperfection of vocal cord, the attempt to study the science-based research behind it and its effect towards human primordial sense and psychological area. She respected imperfection and failure the most and treats art, vocal and performances not as a tool of perfection, but for an on-progress trial and error exploration for her to respect the playful kindred spirit of human.
An attempt to combine science and mysticism approach, a “scientific sorcery”.
As a celebration for human imperfection and the attempt to implement her Ancestor’s wisdom to nowadays way of life, in search for a pathway for a more harmonious Life with The Nature and The Unseen Forces, literally and philosophically.
◆ATAMI ART RESIDENCE Special Curation Program
Curator: Seiha Kurosawa
Participating Artists: Miki Ishiyama, Koichi Sato, Monica Hapsari
Curatorial Assistant: Phiraya Ardwichai
Sponsors: Toho High School 31st Graduates Kichijoji Society, VOLOCITEE, Yuki Tokuhiro, Hanazono Alley, Kenji Hirasawa, Isukura
