Bringing Indonesian 'archaeologic art' to life

PERANAKAN artefacts are highly sought after as antiques here, but for Indonesian artist Yuli Prayitno, Indonesian Peranakan objects don't just signify a unique and exquisite material culture. Instead, he incorporates them into his "archaeologic art" - in his bid to highlight a suppressed culture and history in Indonesia.

Instead of the usual collector's interest in precious Peranakan ceramics or jewellery, which is the case in Singapore and Malaysia, Prayitno is more interested in the spirit of multi- culturism they embody in Indonesia.

"What the artist is saying is that the Peranakans contribute to an important cultural heritage in Indonesia, and their wisdom and knowledge deserve to be acknowledged as important," says Seng Yu Jin, curator for Prayitno's solo exhibition titled Unity in Diversity: Archaeologic Excavation of the Peranakan Tionghua at Equator Art Projects.