Singer Challenges Perspectives on Gender Equality Through Art
Jakarta. Singer Kartika Jahja spotlighted the importance of achieving equality for Indonesian women through her artwork featured at the "Wani Ditata Project" exhibition, which was staged in Taman Ismail Marzuki's Galeri Cipta III on Sunday.
"Wani Ditata," a Javanese phrase meaning "dare to be ordered" and said to be the main inspiration behind the Indonesian word for women ("wanita"), features artworks by eight female artists; Kartika Jayja, Aprilia Apsari, Julia Sarisetati, Keke Tumbuan, Marishka Soekarna, Otty Widasari, Tita Salina and Yaya Sung.
Each artist explores their take on the issues facing Indonesian women in the social, political and cultural realms in Indonesia.
"It is unfortunate that women are often treated unfairly when in fact they are more than able to match their male colleagues in the workplace," Kartika said, as quoted by Antara news agency.
In her artwork "Titik Titik Titiek," Kartika suspended white pillows from transparent pieces of string to illustrate the shift from childhood to womanhood, including a typical name-changing moment for women as they take one the role of a wife.
For Kartika, it represents how women are often treated as a supporting role in both their family and social lives.
"I wanted to show to people that this is the process most women go through in their lives and that they have very limited space to be themselves," she said.
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