Cemeti Art House & Alternate Roots

Ashley Hopkins

Cemeti Art House & Alternate Roots

Cemeti Art House | Traditional Art & Culture Program
Page 122

When & Where: Founded in 1988, based in Yogyakarta, 2007-2008 

Who: by artists Mella Jaarsma and Ninditiyo Adipurnomo.

What: Cemeti partnered with 10 NGOs of Yogyakarta after an earthquake in South Asia to build a relief program. Consisted of a series of carnivals, performances and workshops where residents could participate in parades and dances. There were collaborations between local, contemporary, and traditional artists. 

Why: To help revive the community after the earthquake. Artists are taking part in current changes by being active, change can extend past commentary and revolt on social and political circumstances

Alternate Roots | Uprooted: The Katrina Project
Page 105

When & Where: 2006-2008, Atlanta, Georgia.

Who: 10--12 artists of the nonprofit Alternate ROOTS and in collaboration with activist John O’Neal and founder, Jo Carsen.

What: An experimental theater production, written and perfomed by artists from the Gulf coast as a response of what they suffered/witnessed after Hurricane Katrina. The artists connected with the community of New Orleans by collaboration of different art forms like dance and storytelling which expressed what they went through

Why: After a disaster like Katrina, communities are vulnerable and poverty, racism, and government can destruct the dynamic within the community.  Jo and John wanted to achieve social change through the arts and better prepare communities for emotional recovery. 

Similarities 

-Social change through the arts.

-Both colloborations with different artists or artforms.

-Both created to revive communities, or better emotionally prepare them for recovery.

Differences

 -Cemeti was driven by the community, Roots was driven by the artists.

-Cemeti celebrated by being active, Roots raised awareness & self reflection.

“ The Land” vs. HAHA “Flood”

Katelyn Kang

Land Foundation “ The Land” fund-raising project (1998- )

Page 180

Who: Artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and Kamin Lertchaiprasert

When: Since 1998

Where: Sanpatong, 20 minutes outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Why: *Due to the levels 
of floods and high water level, some rice farmers are having difficult times in producing rice. Because of this, some rice fields in the area have been offered for development, as the rice farmers are looking to find better areas for the fields.

         *Foundation would like to develop its agricultural area and its alternative             energy source.

What: *Bought rice field, began cultivating, and experimenting the land with the idea of living socially responsible.

            *The land was initiated with anonymity and without the concept of ownership

            *Harnessing Bio-mass to generate power

            *Creating fishing ponds filled with purified water

            *Building kitchens modeled to support communal living

            *Installing meditation rooms

            *Growing rice once the ground was viable again, and donate the food to local villages (AIDS epidemic in the region)

Invited artists: *SUPERFLEX: from Copenhagen have been developing their idea of the                                                             Supergas

                       *Tobias Rehberger: with Kamin Lerdchaprasert, Superflex, and Rirkrit                                                             Tiravenija collaborated and developed “The kitchen”

                        *Philippe Parreno

                        *Francois Roche

HAHA “Flood” (1992-1995)

Page 168

Who: A group of twenty to thirty people initially organized by Haha

When: In 1992-1995

Where: In an empty north side of Chicago storefront

Why: For helping people with HIV

What: *Planted therapeutic herbs and leafy, green vegetables(including spicach, kale, arugula, and collard greens) in a hy-droponic garden for people with HIV

            *Distributed the produces to local AIDS and HIV patients in a weekly basis

            * Provided bi-weekly meals, educational activities, meeting space, public events, and information on alternative therapies, HIV/AIDS services in Chicago, nutrition and horticulture

Similarities:

*Involved in planting green

*Helping people with HIV

*Use of non-effective space/land for good

Differences:

*“The Land” is ongoing project while “Flood” closed in 1995

*“Flood” was commissioned work

*“The Land” operations are managed by an independent, anonymous group while “Flood” managed by Haha organization