Ratu R. Saraswati
Optik-Optik Kecil (Tiny Optics)
Participatory gathering of collecting the morning dew on the holy month of Ramadan
Rumah Tangga, Leuwinanggung, Depok
5 AM-8 AM, 12, 19, 25, 26 May 2019.
In Bahasa Indonesia, the phrase ‘Tanah Air’ refers to our homeland or motherland and nation. The direct English translation of ‘Tanah Air’ is soil (and) water – two words that define our natural archipelago. In ’Optik-Optik Kecil’ (‘Tiny Optics’), the artist welcomes participants in a familiar yet uncanny landscape of our current habitat, toward the
intersections between stories that resonate throughout our activated senses.
The event conducted beginning at dawn of the days during the fasting month, Ramadhan. This participatory gathering implies a chance to devote ourselves to the present time, allowing the world around us to disclose its secrets. In ‘Optik-Optik Kecil’, Saraswati makes a plea to regain our collectivity through dialogues of perspectives or ‘ways of seeing’ which is the essential substance of living. Hence, we can work towards bringing the ideas of the godly garden to our own land.
An essay by Ratu R. Saraswati
Heavenly Garden: Creating Intimacy, Developing Empathy
Photo and video by Patar Pribadi and Rumah Tangga team