Indomitable Beings by Dian Dewi Reich

Indomitable Beings by Dian Dewi Reich for “Manus, a Conscious Journey”

Australian-Indonesian painter and photographer, Dian Dewi Reich, the founder of the Sawidji Artist Collective, finds herself at the very cross-section of Manus, a Conscious Journey’s creative process. As she claims to be equally attracted to the bizarre world depicted by Hieronymus Bosch and the visuals demonstrating philosophical narratives of Balinese religion, we can say that she embodies the spirit of this collective exhibition through her work Indomitable Beings. Presented in three separate themes all interconnected: plants, animals, and humans. Three categories of living creatures on planet Earth, are separated by biological classifications but united in destiny.

Behind Indomitable Beings

Her section of the exhibition titled Indomitable Beings, aims to highlight the deep and intricate interrelations between them, emphasizing their shared existence and mutual dependence. Having studied art in Australia, her technical knowledge in the field is largely based on Western method and values. However, having spent a significant part of her childhood in Java, she admits to being deeply influenced by Asian aesthetics. “I find myself oscillating between these two cultures, but it doesn’t cause any conflict,” she elaborates. She has long accepted the gap between them. Endowed with her Javanese grandmother’s spirit and an undeniable sense of connection, Dian Dewi Reich emphasizes the strong bond that has shaped her understanding of her relationship with her Javanese ancestors as a result.

This connection or bond has been instrumental in shaping her appreciation of herself and her place in the world. As a result, it’s clear that these ancestral ties have had a profound impact on her. Influencing her perspectives, beliefs, and artistic expression. She explains that the concept for “Manus, a Conscious Journey” is a tangible manifestation of these intercultural values and her strong connection to her foregoers.

The idea, which was conceived at the start of 2023, led to the first installation being set up just a few weeks later in March. However, she notes that there were early aspects of such a project when Sawidji Gallery was still located in Ubud. Working collectively is something they had experienced a few times before, albeit on a different scale (such as Red Chair and the White Room and Kala and the Guardians).

How Manus, a Conscious Journey Began

Early discussions with Tjandra Hutama and ManButur Suantara, but particularly with Made Kaek, paved the way for the actual concept of the exhibition. His renown work on “creatures,” whether as a painter or a sculptor, explores aspects of another dimension: the subconscious. However, what his “creatures” are truly expressing is a commentary on human behavior, human psychology, and human society.

Creating a series of conceptual portraits around this idea, using photography with him as the protagonist, was a different journey, explains Dian Dewi. From these initial experiments with Made Kaek, the idea evolved and matured into the concept presented today.

Soulful Beginnings

At the core of the project are also references borrowed from Plato and Aristotle, such as the question, “What is the soul?” Over 2000 years ago, they had already identified three levels of consciousness. With the highest level being the soul, she notes. This provides a transition to Dian Dewi Reich’s personal, artistic realization for this project, as she created three series of photographs featuring plants, animals, and humans.

The Process behind Indomitable Beings, Dian Dewi Reich

The process required a certain level of crafting skills. Patience is also key, as Dian Dewi Reich never rushed the construction of her sculptures. “One day, the feeling is right,” she explains, and the composition intuitively falls into place. In her creative process, she anticipates that things will happen, but she never plans the exact creation or the components she will use. The processing time can vary significantly, ranging from days to weeks. “It gets built in my head sometimes,” she describes, “but not technically, more visually.” There are definitely two different aspects of her psychology involved in her creative process: waiting for the right mood and feeling the urge to finally complete it. While seemingly contradictory, these two aspects colliding together actually fuel her creativity.

The Elusive Nature of Creativity

Creative energy is very hard to categorize in a definite way.  Every artist has their own method. Aware of her own duality, she believes that the concept of “Manus, a Conscious Journey” holds meaning despite the apparent contradiction between the notions of “manus” and “consciousness”. The story of humanity could be seen as a hand imbued with consciousness, or perhaps it’s the other way around: a consciousness equipped with hands. This is the natural order of things, or more likely, the natural “disorder” of things, especially when we consider the miserable state of our world in the 21st century, beset by environmental disasters, chronic poverty, and escalating conflicts due to the dwindling supply of natural resources.

Simple tools like a smartphone torch, coupled with other creative tricks, are used here. It’s about having fun, Dian Dewi Reich asserts. Then editing, where the “painter in her” takes over. Her photographs become a world unto themselves, inviting viewers to discover and venture into them. Zoom in and explore the details is a must to any viewers!

Plants, Indomitable ReGeneration

Plants were the first conquerors of our planet, transitioning from water to land. They are Earth’s first children, our eldest siblings, as she notes. They were indeed the first beings. In Balinese philosophy, plants are associated with “breath” or “wind”, rather than primarily with “soil”, as is commonly done. It is then accurate to say that the wind, in a conquering manner, disperses seeds and deploys life.

Dian Dewi Reich perceives a certain ferocity in this undeniable fact, which is reflected in the somewhat intimidating aspect of her plant sculptures upon closer inspection. She further adds that they are the finest children, maintaining an unsevered umbilical cord with mother Earth. Of all beings, they are the most connected to the earth and are the closest to understanding it in essence.

Animals, Indomitable MoMentum

Moving now to her second series, which focuses on animals, the first word that comes to her artistic mind is “direction”. Unlike plants, animals are not tethered by an umbilical cord, allowing them the freedom to move. Consequently, they can select the environment in which their species can thrive and prosper. A place where they can find sustenance and flourish. An animal has the ability to alter its context, to choose and adapt, at a pace much faster than plants.

Just as her plant sculptures were crafted from dried flora, her animal sculptures are also composed of lifeless elements, specifically the carcasses of various animals. Upon closer inspection, these sculptures reveal a somewhat eerie and macabre world. When asked if this was intentional, she responds that it wasn’t planned, asserting that even in death, life persists. In her quest for a more unified texture, Dian Dewi experimented with the use of glue and plaster during the initial stages of crafting. This was done to ensure that the dead animals would maintain a coherent sculptural form together.

Indomitable Beings, a Difference with Humans

While the series featuring animals bears significant similarities to the one with plants, the final series, which focuses on humans, intentionally diverges in concept. This time using the canvas of a nude Asian female body. Could this series of photographs have been more closely aligned with the first two? “Yes, originally,” she responds. She was certain about incorporating bank notes into the picture. However, initially wanted to symbolize a human body using branches and other tree cuttings.

However, she decided against this idea, opting for a distinct approach for the human series. “Plants and animals never step out of balance,” she says. “They are never deceptive, they never fool themselves,” she adds. Plants and animals live their lives fully as what they are, and when they pass, they give back to Nature in full.

Human, Indomitable DisPosition

Indeed, humans are not the same. With that in mind the artistic representation in the final part of this trilogy could not be identical. Money symbolizes various aspects such as greed, survival, self-indulgence, ambition, and power. It is not inherently evil, but perhaps it serves as a gateway through which we progressively lose touch with our true selves. It’s a potent symbol, far from being a cliché, especially in a world increasingly driven by consumption. “Sex, money, power, this has never been my kind of art,” she elaborates.

Returning now to the title of the exhibition, “Manus, a Conscious Journey…” The Latin word “Manus” translates to “hand”. Symbolizing the unique human ability to use it as a tool, or to wield tools with it. This very hand, in conjunction with our brain, has enabled us to survive on a somewhat hostile planet and construct a secure realm more and more separate from Nature. “Manus” serves as a philosophical jump board for the question, “What does it mean to be human?”

This exhibition invites reflection on what constitutes our humanity. Dian Dewi Reich asserts that a visual of a hand would have symbolized the act of receiving and giving. However, she didn’t believe it was crucial to specifically represent the hand in her work for this project. And the essential question would have remained open in the end: what are we taking, and what are we giving?

Eric Buvelot

A Note of Thanks

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