Gudskul: Studies on Contemporary Art Collective and Ecosystem is an educational platform formed by three Jakarta-based collectives: ruangrupa, Serrum and Grafis Huru Hara. Since the early 2000s, these collectives have been separately practising collectivity in the contemporary art realm. In 2015, we joined forces to form a common ecosystem, Gudang Sarinah Ekosistem. Learning from this working expe
rience, Gudskul outlines a knowledge-sharing platform for everyone interested in the practice of similar approaches. The vitality of these networks as resources in our collective practice is attained through artistic exchanges, residencies, symposia and the development of sustainable collective models of the economy. As part of Gudskul, participants will gain their knowledge and access through direct participation in these networks. Grafis Huru Hara (GHH) is a group of Jakarta-based graphic artists, founded in 2012. GHH focus on explorative, experimental and educational methods of graphic arts as their main medium. GHH’s programs include exhibitions, graphic art workshops and various publishing projects about graphic arts. ruangrupa is a contemporary art organization, founded in 2000 by a group of Jakarta-based artists. As a non-profit, ruangrupa supports the development of visual art in urban context and culture in general, through exhibitions, festivals, art laboratories, workshops, research projects, and publications of books, magazines and online journal. Serrum is a Jakarta-based art and pedagogy study group, founded in 2006. The word Serrum came from “share” and “room”, understood further as a “sharing room”. Serrum approach pedagogical, socio-cultural and urban issues with artistic and educational presentation techniques. Their activities include art projects, exhibitions, workshops, creative discussions and propaganda. On media, Serrum utilize video, mural, graphics, comics and installation art. Ekosistem Network
We sincerely believe in sharing and working together as two of very vital elements in developing Indonesian contemporary art and culture. Gudskul intends to disseminate initiative spirit in artistic and cultural endeavours in a society committed to collectivism. Gudskul aspires to promote initiators who put local needs as their highest consideration, while at the same time contribute and hold crucial roles internationally. Gudskul is inviting anyone who are interested in co-learning, developing collective-based artistic practice and art-making with focus on collaboration. Gudskul Collective Study is a one year program which intensively discusses and works through a collective point of view as a form of working method in art and culture. The program consists of 11 subjects which supports one another in collective work: Collective Practices Intelligence; Collective Sustainability Strategy; Collective Practice Review; Collective Culture Discourse; Spatial Practice; Knowledge Garden; Articulation and Curation; Art Collective Laboratory; Public relations; Intermedia; Workshop. All subjects are lead by Subject Coordinator from three collectives (ruangrupa, Serrum and Grafis Huru Hara) member. Every summer, Gudskul will open call for individual or representatives of collective from all over Indonesia to be reviewed and get a chance to get a scholarship, to participate in Gudskul Collective Study program. Shortcourse is another Gudskul’s program running every three months, it’s a 8 times courses for duration of two months with a wide range of topics and subjects. From design, visual art, performance art, art history, fashion branding, into more popular subjects such as writing children story, illustration, and writing lyrics with musician. Those who learn at Gudskul Shortcourse also come from different professional backgrounds. Participants will be presenting their process of learning in a public presentation-“Class Meeting”. Gudskul also operates in various forms of free workshops, residencies, artist talk, public lecture, film screening, online radio broadcast and various kinds of knowledge sharing activities for all ages. Art Collective Compound (ACC)
Gudskul participants are operating within an Ekosistem environment, in which many actors are co-operating: artists, curators, art writers, managers, researchers, musicians, film directors, architects, cooks, artistic directors, designers, fashionistas, street artists, among many other individual skills. This diversity renders Gudskul as a rich and dynamic Ekosistem, a fertile ground in enriching participants’ learning experience. Gudskul consists of collectives focusing on different artistic practice and media: installation, archive-based, video, sound, performance, media art, citizen participation, graphic arts, design, pedagogy, etc. This diversity also contributes to diversifying the issues and actors involved in every collaborative project happening within socially, politically, culturally, economically, environmentally, and pedagogically. Art Lab is an art project program researching and conducting creative collaborative works taking cue from urban and media problems. Art Lab functions as collaborative space either for individual artist or inter-disciplinary group from Indonesia and abroad. Jakarta 32°C is a college students’ dialogue and networking forum all over Jakarta and its vicinity for contemporary art and culture. Initiated by ruangrupa since 2004, Jakarta 32°C collect students’ ideas and experiment and examine the latest campus issues through exhibition, discussion and writing. Some of Jakarta 32°C programs are presentation forum and TARKAM discussion and Bicara Tugas Akhir, archiving platform and Sinema Kolekan, a student film screening and periodical radio, Seni Kebut Semalam. Jurnal Karbon is a web-based journal focusing on the problems of public space and urban public’s visual culture in Indonesia from an all-around critical, creative and imaginative angles. Video is an Indonesia international media art festival which, since its inception in 2003, takes place every two years. Video, whose unabridged name was OK. Video: Jakarta International Video Festival, emphasizes video art development in Indonesia through media art exhibition and performance, media art workshop, documenting, production and distribution in Indonesia. Since 2015, OK. Video changes its name to OK. Video: Indonesia Media Arts Festival, and at the same time expand its focus on time-based work such as video and film installation, performance and sound art, internet-based art and social media. Video also welcomes the possibility of technological based audio-visual work and other media with a chance to present critical issues in new artistic ideas. RURU Gallery
RURU Gallery is a contemporary art galley opened/created by ruangrupa in 2008 as a space for young artists’ visual work, writers and many more. Ruru Kids
Ruru Kids manages a fun, instructive and innovative education-based art program for children and adolescent. Through art workshop, music and video performance, rurukids invites artists, art practitioners and inter-disciplinary professional mentors to share their knowledge and experience of the art and cultural world. rurukids encourages children’s self-esteem and the capacity to express and think critically for themselves and guide them to share knowledge with their peers, all the while assisting the participant to learn and play and cultivates ideas into a work of art. RURU Radio a waveless contemporary radio that is for sure art & culture and definitely pop! RURU Shop is an art shop that was founded in 2011 by ruangrupa as an art collective economic strategy and as a medium for conveying artistic ideas. RURU Shop sells artist merchandise, records, eccentric art products, books, and collectible items from the middle of nowhere. RRREC Fest is an annual program which takes place since 2010. A music festival, RRREC Fest showcases and unites various artist groups, communities, musicians and music organizers from many places around the world. RRREC Fest is ruangrupa’s effort together with young artists to put forth fresh, innovative and inspiring ideas for music-loving young generation and citizen of Jakarta in general. RRREC Fest is a statement on the importance of alternative spirit, not only imperative in music world, but also in many facets of cultural practice. RRREC Fest is a place of meeting for music lover while serving the function of creating new network with musicians, bands, performers, independent music festival organizations, especially those coming from Asia and its surrounding region, enabling dialogue for new collaborative works in the future. Lumbung
Gudskul main operational supports come through each collective from funding bodies, sponsors and independent income of our commercial wings (working as a creative consultant, artistic direction, artists agent, art handling services, and space management for Gudside, a studio complex for artists, designers, collectives etc, in an affordable rent cost), and also voluntary handouts from individual members of the collective. Together with our decision to establish Ekosistem, we also initiate a lumbung (rice barn) economy model where resources are stored within, to then be distributed proportionally to each collective, based on their different needs. Resources from each collective were gathered in a variety of forms: funds, programs, equipment, networks, skills, even books. They were all gathered for redistribution to each collective in the Ekosistem.
