Collective Memory and Historical Amnesia with Fever Dream, a Solo Exhibition by Timoteus Anggawan Kusno
On June 29, 2024, kohesi initiatives Gallery in Yogyakarta presented Timoteus Anggawan Kusno’s first solo exhibition at the gallery titled Fever Dream. Having explored the issues surrounding colonialism for the past decade, Timoteus explores themes of collective memory and power dynamics specifically in the context of the New Order regime and its consequent downfall. Displayed throughout the gallery, Timoteus presents new works in a variety of mediums from paintings, drawings, photos, sketches, books, films, and installations.
Fever Dream plays with the notions of historical amnesia, nostalgia, and melancholy in relation to and as a result of the bigger themes of regime change in Indonesia. Curated by Alia Swastika, the exhibition mimics the construction of a filming set—the dramaturgy leaves an impression of looking for something missing in the larger collective memory of a society in the wake of colonialism or regime change. Timoteus’s creative process adds to this theme of historical amnesia. The works displayed as part of Fever Dream takes on the visual essence of many references, mainly historical, and then reprocesses them through many techniques, styles, and media, emphasizing the traumatic dream-like quality of not quite having all the pieces to the larger puzzle of history.
Fever Dream closes with a video installation on two screens of the same name. Referring back to its title, the film takes on the metaphor of a fever dream; an unsettling and often bizarre dream usually experienced by those ill with fever by aligning the realities of the colonial era and the subsequent period with dreamscapes and an unsettled unconsciousness. This installation positions the visitors at a crossroads, teetering between reality and the imaginary.
Fever Dream is an introspective exploration of the collective subconscious of those left behind in the wake of colonialism as well as the rise and fall of the New Order regime. More than a snapshot of history, Timoteus delves into what it means for Indonesian society to persevere through such tumultuous times and the state of our recollections of such large-scale trauma. Fever Dream is open to the public at kohesi initiatives Gallery until August 25th, 2024.
