This is a bold, stunning exhibition showcasing 260 rare South East Asian works from the private collection of Dr John Yu AC with items from the 10th century to the present.
Over the past fifty years with his late partner Dr George Soutter AM, John Yu has developed one of the most important private collections of Southeast Asian art and antiquities in Australia.
UPACARA has been developed as a companion exhibition to the ‘Encounters with Bali’ exhibition , also presented by Mosman Art Gallery, in 2014, which focused on Indonesia’s rich traditions of textile arts and the artistry of its highly skilled craftspeople . The textures and geometric designs of the pieces are absorbing.
UPACARA is divided into seven sections : Basketry and wooden objects , Silver, Deities and Figures, Ceramics and Textiles, from the tenth century to the present. The interconnected nature of art traditions across the region, the variety of functional everyday and ritual objects highlighted. the ancient trade routes and the cultural porosity of the region.
Though Indonesia has been an important place for collecting, these objects spill over the boundaries of the modern Southeast Asian nation states we know today. The island archipelago was the crossroads of an international trade route between India and China, centred around the Buddhist Sri Wijaya kingdom in southeastern Sumatra which controlled the Straits of Malacca from the 7th century. What is interesting too is the division between items specifically made by men or women only.
By the 7th century, both Hinduism and Buddhism had spread throughout Southeast Asia and the major monuments and sculptures surviving from that period are still greatly esteemed despite the subsequent conversion of many communities to Islam.
The title of the exhibition UPACARA is an Indic loan word [Sanskritउपचार/upacāra] in Indonesian, meaning ceremony or ritual. It also refers to objects of regalia and describes many of the objects in this exhibition, some of which were used by rulers and sovereigns to denote rank and status, others produced by lay people or communities with indigenous animistic, pantheistic or Islamic beliefs to perform their religious ceremonies.
There are so many important pieces throughout the exhibition .Included in the first section are woven wedding baskets, baby carriers, trays, betel bags … and carved wooden spoons, containers and bowls as well as a special coconut shell wall hanging.
We then see silver offering trays , betel nut boxes , a vessel for holy water , and assorted containers.
Next there are numerous statues of Buddha, as well as hanging scrolls. Also included are statues of the elephant god Ganesha, two statues of the goddess Men Brayut, ancestor figures and a delightful piggy bank in the shape of a pig! Also presented are various statue heads. The statues are generally made of bronze or terracotta, some of stone, wood, lacquer and gold leaf or shell inlay detail perhaps.
Some ravishing ceramics are featured. Various stoneware beakers, storage jars and bowls are included as well as poring vessels and assorted figurines of both humans and animals ( for example an elephant with rider, a rooster).
Some of the decoration on the bowls is highly detailed and for a few of the bowls there are sweeping lines of Arabic calligraphy .There’s also a set of four bowls with charming fish designs.
The final section is a colourful collection of textiles , mostly shrine hangings ( lamak) but also banners , ceremonial cloths and shawls ,a breast cloth , and skirts. Assorted material are used as detail eg mirror discs and beads .Some of the striking designs are geometric, others include human figures or animals , some looking like paper silhouette cut outs.
As well there are the dividing wooden slats for some used in hanging or storage. There is a memorable depiction of who is thought to be Drupadi(from the Mahabharata).We learn how the production varies from region to region.
A feast for the eyes – a remarkable, fascinating exhibition.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a full series of public programs and events, as listed on the Mosman Gallery website.
http://www.mosmanartgallery.com.au
UPACARA : CEREMONIAL ART FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA runs at the Mosman Gallery until 24th August 2021
Featured image : Dr John Yu