Between Humans and Yaki at Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre by Natasha Tontey
On November 14, 2024, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Museum MACAN) officially revealed the newest exhibition by artist Natasha Tontey titled Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre. The pieces in this exhibition explore the relationship between the crested black macaque population in South Minahasa, better known to the locals as Yaki, and the local indigenous population. Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre contemplates the symbiotic relationship between humans and animals through the fictional universe actualized by Tontey in film and installations.
Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre revolves around the cultural heritage of Tontey’s Minahasan ancestors—drawing on her engagement in cultural ritual and questioning the social norms of Minahasan society, specifically in relation to the black-crested macaque. The yaki, internationally recognized as an endangered species, are considered both part of the social structure of the indigenous Minahasan population and vermin, known to disrupt villages and steal crops. Through Primate Visions, Tontey delves into the complicated connection and envisions a world where a deeper understanding between man and animal is possible.
In a press statement, Tontey explained, “Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre seeks to unearth and examine the complex, often contradictory, relationship between humans and the yaki, the black crested macaque of Minahasa. Through speculative fiction, I try to navigate the intertwined dynamics of primatology, ecofeminism, and technology. The narratology and immersive experience highlight the intricate bond, the messy relationship between humans and the yaki, reflecting the tangled interactions between species and encouraging audiences to consider their own relationships with the non-human world. Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre is a world both playful and macabre, filled with radical oddities!”
At the center of this exhibition is Tontey’s single-channel film, following a pair of primatologists who liberate a troop of yaki held captive, and through dialogue and experiments, ponder a future relationship between the two species. With a reinterpretation of the Minahasan ritual Mawolay, where locals would dress as the yaki to discourage village raids, Tontey invites the audience into a fictional reality and encourages empathy and understanding between the two species. This film is presented accompanied with installations of parts of the original film set, including costumes and pieces of the fantastical scenery to allow visitors full immersion into Tontey’s vision.
Director of Museum MACAN, Venus Lau, stated, “We’re thrilled to present Natasha Tontey’s Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre at Museum MACAN. Through a compelling combination of immersive installations and videos, Tontey invites the audience to explore the rich tapestry of speculative narratives beyond anthropocentric mindsets, speculative narratives beyond anthropocentric mindsets while raising awareness about overlooked cultural heritage and the interconnectedness of humans and non-humans. This thought-provoking work encourages us to reflect on the cultural demarcation of different life forms in the world from the gaze of other species.”
Denis Pernet, Curator at Audemars Piguet Contemporary, which commissioned the exhibition, said, “With Primate Visions: Macaque Macabre, Natasha Tontey has created a vibrant, multisensory environment that invites viewers on a transformative journey into Tontey’s fictional world. This exhibition reveals the unexpected similarities between humans and other species and envisions a more collaborative future, reflecting Audemars Piguet’s belief in the power of creativity to connect people. We are proud to have supported the artist in the commissioning of this work, her largest and most complex to date, working closely with the team at Museum MACAN to realise this project in Jakarta”
