Pandora’s Box: Unleashed Evil and a Message of Hope

Pandora’s Box: Unleashed Evil and Message of Hope. We all know the meaning behind the Greek myth of Pandora’s Box. Once it was open, out of human curiosity, evil has forever plagued humanity. But according to visual artist, photographer, and influencer Tjandra Hutama, there is hope! Because hope is the only thing left to us in the box according to the myth. Given that, it has to be considered a treasure. Pandora’s Hope is his installation for “Culmination” by Sawidji Art Collective at Santrian Art Gallery in May/June 2024. It is a lightbox with a view of the universe through two different lenses. Doom or hope, it’s just a matter of perspective…

Only a photographer could have come up with such a concept. Looking at the poor state of the world depends on the lens our eyes are looking through! Not to deny anything, neither to distract one’s gaze but to remind anybody that a different perspective can restore hope and faith. Tjandra Hutama is very active in Bali’s photography community. His contributions to this art scene since 2010 have earned him the trust to lead the Bali Photographers Association for two terms. For Tjandra, “the art of photography is how we communicate a message to the viewer about themes and issues that are not easily visible to most of the public. We should be able to show that through photography.”

The Myth of Pandora

The myth of Pandora’s Box is a captivating tale from Greek mythology. Pandora, the first woman on Earth, was created by the gods. Each deity bestowed her with gifts, hence her name, which means “the one who bears all gifts.” Among these gifts was a box that contained special offerings from the gods. However, she was strictly forbidden from opening it.

Human Beings are Thinkers

Parallel to the commonly known saying ‘to open a can of worms”, this Western myth is widely spread among the world societies. It refers to the idea of an action that creates a lot of new and unexpected problems. A perfect way to illustrate the state of our environment nowadays that was not foreseen by previous generations. “All these inevitable changes, we have to face them, and we must dare to explore and question. Human beings are thinkers, we are creative inventors”, explains Tjandra Hutama about his concept titled ‘Pandora’s Hope’ for the collective exhibition curated by Sawidji for Santrian Gallery.

This story found in Hesiod’s literature features the opening of Pandora’s box due to human curiosity, about something that was taboo to be revealed or seen. Pandora has unleashed a dark terror. In which there is greed and various calamities, tarnishing the perfection of life that once existed.

Hope finds expression in literature, art, doctrine, and religions. It’s a universal theme that resonates with our human experience. Impossible not to think of Christianity when referring to hope. Desiring God describes hope as more than just optimism. It’s a certain expectation rooted in faith. Christians find hope in God’s promises, both in this life and of course the life to come. All the mysticism of Jesus’ disciples is rooted in this concept. In philosophy, Plato associated hope with the good life, reason, and psychological phenomena like memory, imagination, fear, motivation, and pleasure. Aristotle didn’t explicitly mention hope as a virtue, but he recognized its significance for human agency, deliberation, and the development of virtue.

Hope For Harmony

More modern philosophers, like Nietzsche with his ‘affirmation of life’ for instance, could encompass the concept of “hope” as a virtue in embracing life as it truly is, even in its ugliness and suffering. He rejected transcendent ideals like God and encouraged a radical affirmation of existence. His point was not one of blind optimism but rather a courageous acceptance of reality, even when faced with pain and adversity. We are here exactly inside the myth and lessons of Pandora’s Box. He argued that humans need hope so high that it persists even in the face of conflict with actuality. This hope reaches beyond the confines of this world, defying fulfilment.

Unveiling Pandora’s Box. An Unleashed Evil and a Message of Hope

As Tjandra Hutama is Balinese, it is also interesting to dig into his culture and beliefs and find where this concept of hope in adversity comes from. Most notably the Balinese holistic worldview recognizes that balance and interconnectedness lead to well-being and hope for a harmonious existence. Something fundamental in this culture. In short, and maybe also at the core of it, Balinese Hinduism weaves hope into everyday life, celebrating the fragile balance between light and shadow, good and bad, with acceptance, resilience, and harmony!

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