In both explicit and implicit forms, macet (lit. congestion or traffic jam) serves as a rich metaphor in an ever-accelerating world. The solo exhibition Macet by Kurt D. Peterson delves deeply into the myriad forms of congestion we encounter daily. More than just the cessation of vehicular flow or physical roadblocks, Kurt perceives congestion as a complex fable, articulating the stasis within our minds, emotions, and spiritual realms.
This exhibition beckons visitors to look within themselves, rekindling memories in an effort to unravel stagnation. It invites a reimagining of the journey towards understanding from the point of origin. The choice lies between retreating or forging ahead until one returns to the starting point.
Born in the Midwest farm state of Nebraska, USA in 1982, Peterson is a performer, writer, visual and sound artist. He is primarily a contemporary folk artist, storyteller and mythologist working across different mediums. He spent many years as a self-taught artist, and later in life obtained his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Kurt has been living and working in Indonesia since 2017. He is co-founder of Rumah Tangga, an idea-driven, artist-run art space and museum of daily living which began in Depok.
Macet is our fifth collaboration – and a first solo – with Kurt after Echo: Myth is A Place of Meeting (2024), Do you hear the invisible sound? (2023), Elegi Buih (2023) and Inside Out/Outside In (2021). This is our first collaboration with Fajar Abadi as Curator.
Read the full curatorial text here.
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