In 2024, Griffith Business School (GBS) welcomed 48 new leaders into its esteemed Student Leadership Program, reaffirming its commitment to fostering responsible, confident, and future-ready professionals. For over a decade, this two-year program has provided selected business students with a myriad of opportunities for leadership development, mentorship, and active engagement within the university community. More than just an academic endeavour, this initiative equips students with real-world experience and cultivates the leadership skills essential for success beyond the classroom.
Through peer mentoring, volunteering opportunities, and representing the School at major events, students are provided with a platform to contribute meaningfully to their communities while gaining invaluable leadership experience.
Student leaders taking part in a team building activity
One of the flagship offerings of the Griffith Business School Student Leadership Program is its exclusive Leadership Development Camp. The two-day event, held in March each year, is designed to challenge participants and cultivate a range of new skills. From immersive activities to hands-on learning experiences in problem-solving, teamwork, and leadership, the camp serves as a transformative journey towards personal growth and empowerment.
Senior leader and Griffith Business School student, Izabel Murray, encourages all business students to apply for the program.
“The skills you learn, networks you create and self-discovery you find at camp is incredible. The camp contributes to student life, as well as life after university. It’s something every Griffith Business School student should apply for”.
Student Development Coordinator, Ms Joanne Fairclough said,
“Our aim is to empower students with the skills and experiences they need to excel in today’s competitive employment landscape. Through our program, we not only prepare them for professional success but also instill a sense of social responsibility and global awareness.”
Students at FareShare Australia
Illustrating this commitment to responsible leadership, student leaders actively engage in initiatives such as the Little Spark Project. Last year they volunteered to prepare over 6,000 meals with FareShare Australia. Now in its fourth year, the Little Spark Project inspires GBS students to think creatively about how they can support communities facing various challenges.
Student leaders can alsogain firsthand insights into global responsibility through an international experience. In 2023 students travelled to Cambodia. The trip, which saw the students immersing themselves in Cambodian culture before working with the local community, helped participants gain a deeper understanding of their role in the global environment.
Reflecting on their experiences, the School’s student leaders emphasise the program’s transformative nature, both personally and professionally.
Bachelor of Business student, Laura King found the experience valuable, “To be able to travel with purpose and make a difference in another community is such a special opportunity. It has taught me valuable skills and given me lasting memories that I’ll carry forth throughout my career and life.”
With a firm commitment to nurturing responsible leadership and empowering students to create a positive impact on the world, Griffith Business School hosts a range of extracurricular opportunities that support their journeys of personal and professional growth.
Griffith Asia Institute have partnered with Green Finance & Development Center, Climate Smart Ventures and Pakistan-China Institute to release a policy brief proposing a mechanism for a just and low-carbon energy transition in Pakistan, leveraging the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The brief, authored by researchers Christoph Nedopil, Lawrence Ang, and Mustafa Hyde outlines how Pakistan, with its strong commitment to early coal phase-down and alignment with global efforts, can serve as a pilot for China’s support in achieving its low-carbon energy transition ambitions.
Key highlights include Pakistan’s participation in the Asian Development Bank’s Energy Transition Mechanism, recent global initiatives accelerating coal phase-down, and the potential for significant increase in enterprise value of Chinese-sponsored coal-fired power plants in Pakistan.
The proposed mechanisms, including refinancing and managed transition vehicles, offer pathways to simultaneously phase-down coal assets and invest in green energy, providing economic stability and new job opportunities.
This initiative not only aligns with global climate and development goals but also presents strategic opportunities for China to support Pakistan’s energy transition while enhancing its own green BRI ambitions.
The policy brief addresses critical issues such as Pakistan’s sovereign debt challenges, China’s position in supporting coal phase-down, and financing instruments for accelerated green energy transition.
A Griffith University research team has successfully applied for a $438,000 ME Research UK grant to track the progression of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).
The study will use an ultra-high field 7 Tesla (7T) MRI to capture a clearer depiction of brain regions and detect subtle brain changes in ME/CFS patients.
“We’re hoping the 7T multimodal MRI approach will be instrumental in tracking the progression of the disease over a three-year period giving us a better understanding of the neurobiological basis of ME-CFS,” Associate Professor Barnden said.
“By tracking disease progression, it should also help to identify potential biomarkers.
“This grant will build upon our recently published unique findings in ME/CFS using this technology, which we have pioneered in this field on a national scale.”
The data output garnered from the MRI will be regresses with the clinical symptoms data of ME/CFS patients.
This information will help to identify specific brain regions that are involved in the disease process and explain how brain changes contribute to the symptoms of ME/CFS such as cognitive impairment, fatigue, and post-exertional malaise.
“The study using the 7T MRI will be one of the first to identify the most affected brain regions at different points in time,” she said.
“This will determine whether the brain changes in ME/CFS are progressive or stable over time, understanding how ME/CFS affects various brain regions, and identifying some of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.”
Scientists have discovered a target for the development of a drug to combat a bacterium that can cause chronic lung infection in hospitalised patients, immunocompromised individuals and people with cystic fibrosis.
The multidrug-resistant bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa infects the lung and promotes an accelerated decline of pulmonary function. It has been acknowledged as a serious threat by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and rated a critical priority by the World Health Organization.
The Fraunhofer International Consortium for Anti-Infective Research (iCAIR) – led by Distinguished Professor Mark von Itzstein AO at Griffith University’s Institute for Glycomics and Professor Dr Armin Braun at the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Medicine (ITEM) in Hannover, Germany, in collaboration with researchers at the Hannover Medical School – established a joint research program that tackled antibiotic resistance development of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
“Utilising human ex vivo precision-cut lung slices and lung cells as infection models, along with combined crystallography and biochemical studies, we were able to precisely characterise the molecular basis for the role of a certain enzyme in P. aeruginosa infection biology,” said Dr Larissa Dirr, Institute for Glycomics Early Career Research Leader and co-senior author on a collaborative study with co-senior author Dr Jana Führing from Hannover Medical School.
“While the active site of the bacterial enzyme is very similar to the human enzyme, our now published study revealed a new functionally crucial allosteric site that is unique to the bacterial enzyme and identifies an important point-of-difference between the human and bacterial enzyme. This point-of-difference provides an excellent concrete starting point for the structure-based development of selective bacterial inhibitors.”
Dr Larissa Dirr, Institute for Glycomics Early Career Research Leader
“Currently, we are in the process of using structure-based drug design to develop a selective inhibitor against Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
“Ultimately, as the allosteric site is conserved across bacterial enzymes, our aim is to use this knowledge to design a broad-spectrum antibiotic against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.”
Institute for Glycomics Acting Executive Director Professor Michael Jennings said this discovery was a key breakthrough for the iCAIR Consortium.
“The alliance establishes a development platform that covers all the steps of a targeted drug development process from identifying potential points of attack, right through to drug design and efficacy testing,” Professor Jennings said.
“I have no doubt the developments of this study will illustrate the power of global collaboration and the translation of world-leading science to deliver novel drugs to the community.”
International Consortium for Anti-Infective Research (iCAIR) is a major international partnership between Australia’s Institute for Glycomics and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine in Hannover, the Institute for Clinical Biochemistry at the Hannover Medical School (MHH), and Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research.
The Consortium aims to discover new treatments to combat respiratory viruses including SARS-CoV-2, influenza virus and respiratory infection-causing bacteria and fungi.
Infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance are a global, and potentially deadly threat and there is an urgent need to develop new drugs and treatments to combat infection.
Blog post by AEL Summer Scholarship student Rudolf Orbacedo. Photography by AEL Summer Scholarship student Moana Danger, 2024.
Culturally enriched mediums
Taring Padi’s work reimagines facets of their Indonesian culture, deconstructing Indonesian shadow puppet traditions (wayang) and recreating them for political and street activism as a grassroots play on what is traditionally a refined art form dating back to medieval Indonesian texts and archaeological sites. In protest, these life size puppets act as a way to ‘double-up’ in numbers, providing animation and protection against opposition. In exhibition, they tell stories and represent the oppressed and marginalised people Taring Padi’s work advocates.
The UNESCO has recognised wayang tradition as an ancient form of storytelling that had been repurposed to highlight the plight of Indonesian people who suffered under Suharto’s radical political and economic rule. His dictatorship heavily censored freedoms such as freedom of the press and speech and infringed on basic human rights. His totalitarian, anti-communist state policy was also strongly supported by the USA, Israel, Germany, Great Britain, and other western nations, giving rise to Taring Padi’s ongoing critique of western ideals.
During Suharto’s reign, in May 1998 and under the oppression of his rule, university students came together to collectively resist his ongoing brutality. Civil unrest and an economic crisis all served as a catalyst for the violence that preceded Suharto’s fall.
Violence and activism swept the university campuses where students formed as a unified opposition to their militant leader. Their resistance then became visible through street activism and protest, and it is here where the tradition of wayang was repurposed by the student collectives. Collectives such as Taring Padi were one of the prominent art groups formed in this time.
The founding members of Taring Padi have shared lived experiences being students in the climate of political and social unrest which provided the fertile ground of activism to take root. Due to these experiences, their passion for initiating challenge against Suharto’s leadership and seeking ways to use their talents for meaningful change was prominent. The founding members witnessed and engaged firsthand the power of collective action to unravel dictatorial power structures. In doing so, the potential of art as a form of resistance and expression became apparent. Due to this struggle, Taring Padi’s work heavily critiques the human cost of militarism, the realities faced by rural communities and victims of state violence, oppressive power structures, environmental destruction and the western, capitalist ideals that often underpin these movements.
Decolonial Feminist Canvases: Challenging Gender, Sexuality, and Colonialism in Indonesian Art
Taring Padi’s art uses anamorphic animal imagery to cleverly challenge traditional power structures. Bastian Duarte (2012) proposed that decolonial feminism involves women who, rooted in their own histories of colonization, embrace decolonial feminist methodologies and integrate them into their indigenous struggles, lived experiences, and worldviews. In the vibrant canvases of Taring Padi’s art, Indonesian decolonial feminists boldly confront the intersections of gender, sexuality, and colonialism. Through their evocative imagery, they champion the rights and autonomy of marginalized groups, including LGBTQ+ individuals and women in minority communities. Their art serves as a powerful critique of the imposition of Western gender norms, while celebrating the diverse expressions of gender and sexuality within Indonesian society. With each stroke of their brush, they challenge societal norms and amplify the voices of those often silenced by colonial legacies, fostering dialogue, and understanding across diverse communities. Their artwork enriches the ongoing discourse on gender equality and social transformation, resonating on both global and local scales, particularly in Indonesia. During my final year as a law student, I engaged with Taring Padi, delving into the significance imbued within their artistry.
Members Fitriani and Djuwadi explain their commitment to progressive thought stating “we use art as a monologue to create more equity. We put the power of the women spirit, struggle and resistance in art… In Indonesia, it is quite difficult to talk about differences of identities. The religious fundamentalist attack us on our empowering art for women… We put this information through social media and one of the fundamentalists attacked us. The landlord kicked us out of the space we rented. The police come with the fundamentalist and cleric leaders shouted “you will go to hell” because they see us in our shorts with tattoos. In Indonesia, it is quite difficult to talk about this monologue and it is a very big challenge to talk about identities”.
In interview with Taring Padi members, the difficulties of dealing with different aspects of people’s identities, especially in Indonesia where some may follow strict religious beliefs, became clear. However, it is apparent that there is a commitment to being inclusive, dealing with issues related to LGBTQIA+ movements, and learning to understand theirs and other communities better with a commitment to progressive thought.
Indonesian censorship
In Indonesia, the legal landscape governing political art has been and is a complex and often restrictive battle. Indonesian artists have not always had freedoms of expression or freedom of speech rights due to a combination of censorship laws – particularly under Suharto’s rule – and restrictions by galleries and art fairs which strongly favored apolitical work.
While Indonesia has a constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression, this right is frequently curtailed by the outlawing of dissent or criticism of the government. There are, for example, laws which grant authorities broad powers to censor online content they consider blasphemous or defamatory despite a claimed constitutional right to freedom of expression. Additionally, laws against sedition and blasphemy are routinely used to silence political activists and artists who challenge the status quo. As Amnesty International found in early 2024 amidst the presidential election, “Indonesia continues to fail to guarantee people’s rights to express their opinions peacefully amidst a shrinking civic space”.
Some artworks by Taring Padi have sparked legal controversy in Indonesia due to their provocative and politically charged content, such as in 2010 when a Taring Padi mural located in Yogyakarta was deemed “politically sensitive” by officials and its removal was ordered. The decision to censor the artwork sparked outrage among supporters of Taring Padi and raised questions about freedom of expression and censorship in Indonesia.
Ethos, ideals and international censorship
Taring Padi’s interdisciplinary practice spans art, music, and theatre and has seen their work included in exhibitions internationally, including Framer Framed, in The Netherlands in 2023, and documenta fifteen in Germany in 2022. They are known for their grand scale reclaiming of open spaces, used as canvas for their collective message. Their message brings awareness to the police brutality, exploitative practices and rights deprivations in both their home nation of Indonesia and the nations within which they are exhibiting.
This same process is again visible at their current Tanah Tumpah Darah exhibition in Brisbane, Australia where they have collaborated with Aboriginal art collective proppaNow in solidarity to create the banner that now hangs outside the Griffith University Art Museum. The banner depicts recurring motifs, critiques of capitalism and colonialism, poverty, environmental injustices, and the realities of urban poor communities both in Australia and Indonesia.
Taring Padi’s process of visual storytelling often illustrates politically explicit imagery which can, and has, evoked impassioned responses. In political discourse, these works and their responses can be considered both constructive or destructive, educative or indoctrinating, but nevertheless a facet of public debate. However, questions arise when censorship or removal via legal or social intervention takes place. In such circumstances, the debate is not only obstructed, but it initiates a complicated freedom of speech dialogue too.
Think: how valuable is Nick Ut’s ‘Napalm Girl’ to the political discourse, historical recollection and documentation of the Vietnam war? A photograph that, if censored, would have removed much depth from our reflections of history. Indeed, there is no amount of discussion or words that would otherwise capture what that piece of art did. What’s important is how art adds something, motivates and rouses where other mediums that contribute to the political discussion may not. This work, and the work of Taring Padi do not substitute for the lived experiences or struggles of those depicted, however they do further our understanding of the political issues imagined, making us more critical and reflective of our own positions.
Think: where were you when you first watched Rabbit Proof Fence? I was a child, none the wiser to the atrocities of this world and humankind. The school curriculum at the time taught an ambiguous history and there was no real connection to the brutality that permeates Australia and its development. Until this film. The tears, sadness, and anger this film invoked in me as a child could only come from an emotive means of political discourse. This was particularly so where school teachers and school officials remained protective of the Australia they wished to recall. If the film and its realities had been suppressed and censored like it had been for years prior, would our understanding and education of these truths have been enriched as they were?
To devalue the impact of this communicative style on political discourse at large by censorship, suppression or removal goes against the public interest, our cultural responsibilities and the political freedoms and free speech rights we hope to think we have. Albeit the documenta fifteen controversy is steeped in a sensitive history, however should those historical truths be the cause of censoring current controversies?
Taring Padi clarified that the 2002 People’s Justice banner was crafted to protest the military rule and violence of the Suharto dictatorship. The military figures depicted symbolized corrupt government officials and aggressive military leaders. Taring Padi expressed regret and offered apologies, emphasizing that the banner was not intended to be linked to anti-Semitism. They lamented that some individuals interpreted it differently from its original intent and expressed remorse for any distress caused. Consequently, they opted to conceal the artwork. In another work at documenta fifteen initially a character depicted wore a topi haji, a hat worn by religious leaders in Indonesia. However, in June 2022, Taring Padi changed it to a peci, a traditional Indonesian hat, following the removal of the People’s Justice banner. This adjustment aimed to prevent misunderstandings or offense, such as being mistaken for a kippah.
Taring Padi’s work serves as a vehicle for collective mobilisation and cultural resistance where perhaps other mediums struggle. Their art provides the medium that carries a message that can only be delivered in this form, much like the photograph and film discussed. Their work provides for an unwavering commitment to grassroots activism, ongoing efforts to challenge what may be considered otherwise ‘unchallengeable’, and truth telling.
Blog post by AEL Summer Scholarship student Rudolf Orbacedo. Photography by AEL Summer Scholarship student Moana Danger.
Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah is on at Griffith University Art Museum from 29 February to 25 May 2024. More information can be found here.
A photographic exhibition will give a glimpse into the life of migrant farm workers in regional Queensland, thanks to a Griffith University artist and researcher.
Dr Kaya Barry is a cultural geographer whose research explores how mobility and migration experiences are influenced by landscapes, places, and weather.
From 2022 to 2024, she handed out disposable cameras to more than 30 seasonal workers at farms across Queensland, asking recipients to capture moments of their daily lives.
The resulting photographs displayed everything from evocative landscapes to the beautifully mundane moments, workers toiling in the fields, on shuttle buses to and from the farms, living in shared dormitories and enjoying their well-deserved days off.
“It was really exciting receiving the cameras back, sending them off to be developed and seeing the images that were captured,” Dr Barry said.
“Most people I gave the cameras to had never used film photography before, so the fact they couldn’t preview or edit, delete, or retake their photos was part of the fun.
“They came out far brighter than I’d expected – such vivid, rich colours that really brought out the burst of colour and greenery in the crops and reds of the soils.”
The exhibition is part of Kaya’s three-year fellowship funded by the Australian Research Council, investigating the value and contribution of seasonal migrants to Queensland’s horticultural communities.
Dr Kaya Barry
Considered only as ‘temporary’ workers due to their visa status, many migrants who take up seasonal farm work spend months, or even years living in regional farming towns across Queensland.
Titled Seasonal, the exhibition will give a fly-on-the-wall view of these workers – from the backpackers on ‘working holidays’ to those from the Pacific Islands and Timor-Leste on labour mobility visas, who are a vital part of these regional communities.
Presented in the Childers Arts Space, itself the home of the Palace Backpacker Memorial in the small rural town of Childers, the exhibition also celebrates the spirit, strength and resilience of the local community.
It will also be toured around regional and rural Queensland over the next year, including the farming towns of Mundubbera and Gayndah.
“My hope is that as a collection, the images will show some snippets of familiar roads, farms, people, and so on, but also that the overall ‘story’ of the farm worker experience is actually quite picturesque,” Dr Barry said.
“These photographs are different from the usual social media and marketing promos we see about farm work to attract international tourists – they show more of the grit, the candid moments, the tough and maybe just boring periods of people living their lives.
“I hope they will spark some different kinds of conversations about how these workers not only contribute as much needed labour, but are also just here, living alongside us, doing what we all do, day in, day out.”
SEASONAL
Photographs by Migrant Farm Workers in Regional Queensland
Blog post by AEL Summer Scholarship students Jorge Marino Brito and Emily Parker.
Taring Padi is an art collective from Indonesia that stands out on the global art scene for its inherently political and activist approach. Founded in the post-authoritarian context of Indonesia in the late 1990s, this group has utilised art as a tool for social change, addressing issues such as social injustice, human rights and resistance against oppression. Taring Padi’s practice brings art into public spaces by using accessible techniques and reflects a deep commitment to art as a means of communication and mobilisation.
The transition of such activist art into galleries raises significant questions about the interactions between activism and the art market. This migration is not just a physical relocation but a transformation in how art is perceived, interacted with, and valued. On entering a gallery space, activist art faces the risk of decontextualization, which could be interpreted as a loss of its essence and urgency. This process can dilute the critical charge of the art, transforming it into an object of aesthetic consumption rather than a voice for social reform.
However, the decontextualization associated with the transition to gallery space should not be seen exclusively as unfavourable. Galleries provide additional platforms for activist art, offering opportunities for dialogue and reinterpretation which can potentially enrich the art by challenging perceptions and fostering reflection on a broader audience. This relocation can also expand the reach of the artists’ message, allowing activist voices to reach audiences who would otherwise not be exposed to these critical messages.
The commercialisation of activist art is a complex issue. Transforming these works into commodities raises legitimate questions about the potential betrayal of the spirit of activism, reducing the struggles depicted to objects for consumption. Nonetheless, this same commercialisation can increase the visibility of the represented causes, introducing critical debates into previously inaccessible spaces and generating essential conversations.
Introducing activist art into galleries can also grant these works a certain legitimacy, which challenges audiences to confront issues of social and political relevance, and act as a bridge between different sectors of society. This practice can amplify the impact of art, extending beyond the traditional boundaries of activism.
Reflecting on the exhibition of activist art in galleries compels us to reconsider the role of art in provoking social change, the influence of the art market, and the potential of activist art to transform these spaces. This dynamic between activism and commercialisation is not merely a matter of ethical compromise or co-optation; it represents an opportunity to reimagine the boundaries of what art can achieve in our contemporary context.
Including the work of Taring Padi into the commercial art circuit underscores for us the importance of an ongoing critical engagement with art and its role in society. Through this dialogue, we recognise the ability of activist art to challenge, provoke, and enrich our understanding of the world, reaffirming the value of art as a vital tool for reflection and social change.
Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah is on at Griffith University Art Museum from 29 February to 25 May 2024. More information can be found here.
Images: Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah (installation view), Griffith University Art Museum, March 2024. Courtesy of Taring Padi. Photo: Louis Lim
Blog post by AEL Summer Scholarship students Emily Parker and Jorge Marino Brito. Images courtesy of Taring Padi and Griffith University Printmakers Club. Photography by Emily Parker and Jorge Marino Brito.
On Sunday, February 26, the Griffith University Printmakers Club facilitated a collaborative printmaking workshop with members of the QCAD printmaking community and Aris, Bebe and Dodi from Taring Padi.
The morning started with a visit to GUAM, where Aris, Bebe and Dodi shared some of the printmaking work in the exhibition and how they created relief prints as a collaborative group. This visit enabled members of the Griffith University Printmakers Club to ask Aris, Bebe, and Dodi questions about the making process within Taring Padi as a collective, how they approach generating their imagery, and then how they approach the carving process and, finally, print; which involved a lot of walking and dancing on the top the prints! Seeing the work installed in GUAM and having the artists speak about the work on display was a wonderful experience and beneficial insight into their practice.
Following the visit to GUAM, participants moved into the QCAD Print studio. Reflecting on the diverse experiences with the group and the conversation topic of ‘the cost of living’, necessities like food and shelter came to mind alongside access to resources and facilities, illustrating the universal concerns surrounding the financial instability experienced by many across the world, including Australia. After generating some initial thoughts on paper, the group moved to work with low-cost materials, including cardboard as a matrix, to develop imagery that they felt focused on the cost of living, with the major supermarkets and the global economy being a hot topic of conversation.
As the morning progressed, participants continued to develop their imagery, and following lunch, it was time to move into printing the images carved during the first half of the day. Participants inked up their cardboard matrix and printed their work using either the Hydraulic press or Alexander Press (the oldest press in the university) and had the opportunity to gather feedback from one another, support each other in printing the works and experiment with layering and colour.
As everyone came to this collaborative workshop with varying degrees of printmaking knowledge, it was an opportunity to learn from one another and consider further developments of the works created and what else could be possible. Works continued to be pinned to the wall and varying iterations of the prints were being created.
The most collaborative aspect of the making process was in the final part of the day when each participant couldn’t pin their work to the wall, and it had to be done by someone else in the group. Other participants could also cut up printed works and place them in varying iterations and forms on the wall. Many QCAD printmaking students felt that this was a fundamental shift in their learning and how individualistic we can unconsciously be. This shift in approach to bringing the collaborative work together generated cross-connection with everyone and an opportunity to talk about how each printed work could be interpreted by one another to create a larger conversation around the cost of living. It also removed the sense of seeing ‘individual’ printmakers on the wall to something that spoke of everyone connected and interlinked.
Whilst the visual outcome was a significant aspect of the day, the connections and conversations throughout the day were more important and long-lasting to all involved. The opportunity for printmakers in the Asia-Pacific region to come together and share in a ‘print culture’ experience to make work and get to know each other is something that all the participants will remember for many years. We are very thankful to the members of the QCAD printmaking community and for the time that Aris, Bebe and Dodi gave as members of Taring Padi to this collaborative printmaking workshop.
A final additional outcome of the workshop was shifting the work into the glass box at QCAD as part of the first week of the trimester in a new iteration of the work on view for the wider QCAD Community on the return of the teaching year.
Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah is on at Griffith University Art Museum from 29 February to 29 May 2024. More information can be found here.
Blog post by AEL Summer Scholarship student Aldrianna Manalansan. Images courtesy of Taring Padi. Photos: Aldrianna Manalansan.
Taring Padi, ‘Ngaliya Budjong Djarra’ (2023-24), acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of Taring Padi and proppaNOW. Photo: Aldrianna Manalansan
Taring Padi is an artistic collective based in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The group is prominent for their portrayal of the people’s struggle against capitalism, corruption, military violence, environmental destruction, and racism within their artworks. The name ‘Taring Padi’ refers to the fang or spiky end of the rice plant, which can cause itchiness when in contact with the skin. The collective aims to create an “itchy” effect on those in power by resisting government oppression and advocating for social change and empowerment.
The group was founded in 1998 by art students and activists from the Indonesian Art Institute in response to the violence and exploitation of the people under the Suharto government. Since the introduction of democracy in Indonesia, they have continued to create political art, musical ensembles and street theatre with themes directly linked to political and societal issues. They work with local communities in Indonesia, in “places where they work and learn together”. Since its formation more than 25 years ago, hundreds of people have been involved with the collective in one capacity or another.
In February and March of 2024, Taring Padi visited Australia for the Tanah Tumpah Darah exhibition in collaboration with the Aboriginal collective proppaNow. Their work is displayed in the Griffith University Art Museum and consists of woodcut posters and prints, cardboard puppets (wayang kardus) and large-scale banners. As a participant in the Arts Education Law Summer Scholarship (AEL) Program at Griffith University, I had the privilege of speaking with members of Taring Padi, and in particular, Dr Alexander Supartono, to gain insight into their creative process and the concerns they had moving forward as a collective. Through the AEL Program, I was able to immerse myself in learning about Taring Padi and their purpose. Additionally, I gained a new appreciation for creative expression and a deeper understanding of how cultural and social issues are reflected in various art forms produced by artists from diverse backgrounds.
Interview with Dr Alexander Supartono
Taring Padi publication, installation view, Griffith University Art Museum, March 2024. Courtesy of Taring Padi. Photo: Aldrianna Manalansan
I had the privilege of interviewing Dr Alexander Supartono, a lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University and a member of Taring Padi, over Zoom. We had a candid conversation surrounding their work and the messages they hoped to convey.
Having limited knowledge of the context surrounding the collective, I asked how Taring Padi ensures that the values, messages, and beliefs of the group are portrayed in their artwork.
Firstly, Alex clarified that Taring Padi does not make “art”. Their group manifesto, the “Five Evils of Culture,” rejects the concept of art for the sake of art.
In the manifesto, the group condemns how artists capitalise on the people’s struggles and the subsequent judgement made by institutions, such as museums, on the value of art by comparing artists’ works. They are critical of artists who make art without care for the community’s interests. Alex explained that the works produced by the collective are in direct relation to the current political and social demands of the public, and this ensures that the collective’s core values of activism are not distorted.
Taring Padi, ‘Wayang kardus’ (detail), installation view, Griffith University Art Museum, March 2024. Courtesy of Taring Padi. Photo: Aldrianna Manalansan
Taring Padi works with themes such as democratic freedom, inequality, and notably, land rights and farmer rights. One notable project by Taring Padi is their collaboration with the rural farming community, Kulon Progo. The Kulon Progo farmers have resisted the large-scale development of the New Yogyakarta International Airport since 2011.
The villagers opposed the construction as it would lead to evictions from farmlands and excavation of coastal lands, resulting in ecological concerns due to the destruction of sand dunes that prevent coastal erosion, tsunamis and more. Taring Padi worked with the villagers in Kulon Progo to create cardboard posters for protesting and the banner, ‘Rejection Solidarity’, highlighting their struggles for land rights and the anti-sand mining movement.
The Yeronga Paint Factory
In March 2024, I visited the Yeronga Paint Factory, where the Taring Padi members worked on the banner Ngaliya Budong Djarra (Our Mother Earth) in collaboration with proppaNOW. There was a jovial and welcoming atmosphere as I entered the space. Each section served a purpose, from the makeshift kitchen on the right, the members on a forklift working on the large banner to the left, and musical instruments, paint, and cardboard puppets at the back. There was an ecosystem within the collective where members could immerse themselves in each other’s company, create art, and eat good food.
Taring Padi, Yeronga Paint Factory, March 2024. Courtesy of Taring Padi. Photo: Aldrianna Manalansan
Gotong Royong – living together, working together – is an Indonesian communal tradition to accomplish a task or project as a group.
I met Ladija, who is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Management at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta. . She joined Taring Padi in 2020. She was also present during documenta fifteen, which was her first time travelling overseas with Taring Padi. I asked what it was like to have gone through that experience, and she stated that it was a difficult time for everyone. There was a lot of back-and-forth conversation between the members and the organisers of documenta, ruangruapa. When I asked how she got involved with the collective, she stated that she volunteered and was writing a piece on the collective (much as I am now). She told me how much she enjoyed being a part of the collective and that money cannot replace the value of the experience.
I spoke briefly with Bayu, who was painting a cardboard puppet. The wayangkardus serve various purposes, from protecting members in extreme weather to concealing their identity from police during protests. The puppets all addressed themes that the group discussed during ‘nongkrong’. Bayu told me that the puppets lined up in the back of the room were samples they would show during the cardboard puppetry workshops. Taring Padi utilises these workshops to connect with the locals and provide them with ways to creatively express their concerns regarding social justice, human rights, or any other issue of importance.
Taring Padi, ‘Wayang kardus’ (2024), acrylic on cardboard. Courtesy of Taring Padi. Photo: Aldrianna Manalansan
Ladija showed me her cardboard poster from above, which shows a person with a lotus as its central piece. She picked the lotus as it could grow in the mud; despite not being the best place for a plant to grow, it goes against all odds to develop and turn into a beautiful flower. The flower buds at the top, she affirmed, turned into human fists to show resistance to all the things that were against art.
Bayu also had an alternate practice and his own individual style of art. He stated that Taring Padi advocates for individualism despite being a collective. When publishing their writings, interviews, or artworks, Taring Padi allows the creator’s name to be signed on their works. However, banners and works produced by the collective or made with other members must be under the Taring Padi name.
Nongkrong – the process of hanging out
The collective is distinct in their approach to determining the themes of their work through the process of ‘nongkrong’ which colloquially translates to ‘hanging out’. Historically, the group would meet at their headquarters in Yogyakarta; however, with the group now being spread internationally, they now use modern technology to connect. In Indonesia, during nongkrong, each member of the group has the right to express their views, ideas, concerns, or any new topics they want to explore informally. I found their use of technology to be quite interesting. They regularly use Zoom meetings and stay connected with members who could not attend overseas or were not part of the exhibition. This is how the group decides on future projects, funding, materials, and the overall management of the group.
Mudflow in the village of Porong, East Java
The Sidaorjo mud disaster, also known as the Lapindo mudflow, marked a significant environmental catastrophe in Indonesia. On May 29 2006, an eruption of mud, steam, and water engulfed the town of Porong, Sidoarjo and displaced around 50,000 people overnight. In response, the President of Indonesia enacted Decree 14/2007, Article 5, which mandated the Lapindo company to acquire the lost assets of victims and compensate them according to their value. Subsequently, the lawsuits initiated by NGOs such as the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation and Indonesian Environmental Foundation – were dismissed against Lapindo and the Indonesian Government. The Indonesian Supreme Court ruled that the eruption was a natural disaster, not an industrial one. Therefore, Lapindo was relieved of further legal obligations to compensate all mudflow victims, leading to the cessation of funding for the acquisition process in 2008. Lapindo asserted that any payment made to the victims was solely part of the company’s social solidarity efforts.
“We live in with the people” and “We form special connections… we join protest and movements” – Ladija, Taring Padi
In 2010, Taring Padi members arrived at the village in solidarity with mudflow victims by practising a lived-in approach whereby they slept, ate, and lived the way the villagers did. This approach allows Taring Padi to gain a deeper understanding of the villager’s experiences and the challenges they faced. During their visit, they taught the villagers how to make posters, T-shirts, and songs while organising protests to demand change. However, Ladija remarked that most of these protests the collective organised and participated in did not result in legislative or regulatory changes.
Despite regulations passed by the government, the Natural Commission of Human Rights found Lapindo and the government negligent in addressing the needs of the victims. The commission found at least 15 human rights violations for the mudflow victims, encompassing the right to settlement, food, healthcare, education, security, and employment. Many villagers have developed health issues such as respiratory problems attributed to the polluted air emanating from the mud volcanoes. Additionally, researchers discovered the Lapindo mud contained chemicals that cause cancer. Since 2006, the mudflow has continued to follow unabated.
After 25 years since the creation of Taring Padi, they continue to persist in their mission to empower those silenced. The group remains dedicated to working with communities and small villages like Porong by imparting peaceful ways to protest and educating them on the significance of their voice as their stories must be heard.
The future & new generation of Taring Padi
Visually, Taring Padi’s works have been described as uncompromising due to their depiction of sensitive themes. Taring Padi uses art as an instrument to spread their message in a manner transcending language, cultural, and geographical differences. It can create a sense of solidarity among people facing the same struggles. Their artwork provokes reflection among viewers and evokes a sense of necessity while also compelling common folk to fight for change. I asked Alex about his views regarding the digitalisation of art, replication, and Artifical Intelligence (‘AI’). He said this was something that Taring Padi was not against. He welcomed the replication of art to help get their message across. Alex stated the only thing that might be of concern is that it would take away the collaborative aspect of the works, which is an integral part of Taring Padi and of wanting to share their experiences and learning.
Taring Padi, ‘Tenda Pecel Lele’ (2005), acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of Taring Padi. Photo: Aldrianna Manalansan
I asked Ladija how Taring Padi will adapt to an increased demand for their presence in international art spheres, with exhibits in Germany, Amsterdam, and Brazil already taking place, and an exhibit in Australia seeing the largest number of members gathered in one space (13). She said reflection. Taring Padi is increasingly open to collaboration with government bodies and institutions, particularly when it results in good outcomes for the community. As members recount producing more pieces than ever before, the demand for Taring Padi to ‘create’ has risen. However, the limited time to reflect between each international visit prevents members from sharing experiences among themselves, and perhaps from developing the messages they aim to highlight.
During the symposium at GUAM, artists such as Vernon Ah Kee from proppaNOW reflected on his commitment to advocating for Indigenous rights despite his previous struggles and the personal risk to his own freedom. Reflecting on our freedom to express our political beliefs is crucial in ensuring we are all equal, much like Taring Padi. We should consider the power of our voice as a community and advocate for those where the system is failing.
As a future lawyer, I hope to advocate and promote public interests above my own, challenge my moral convictions, and take the initiative to bridge the gap between the law and the people. I must be mindful of my privilege in the legal profession and my responsibility to recognise the impact my words and actions have on others and society as a whole. Our generation, along with those that follow can learn valuable lessons from the collective ethos of Taring Padi and proppaNow – to learn together, work together, and fight for the common good.
Taring Padi: Tanah Tumpah Darah is on at Griffith University Art Museum from 29 February to 25 May 2024. More information can be found here.
As part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australian Awards Fellowship, members of the Griffith Asia Institute (GAI), Associate Professors Dhara Shah, Rob Hales, and Tapan Sarker collaborated with participants from the International Research Institute of Mongolia (IRIM) to develop three policy briefs. These briefs showcase the outcomes of their project, titled “Building Capacity through Climate-Resilient Development and Gender-Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Mongolia,” conducted from June to November 2023. Across this three-part series, the authors embark on a progressive journey aimed at enhancing climate resilience within Mongolia’s small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The series begins with an exploration of the policy framework for building climate-resilient small businesses in Mongolia, followed by an analysis of best practices for MSMEs to achieve climate resilience. The journey concludes with a focus on building capacity through climate-resilient development and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship in Mongolia.
The first policy brief titled “Climate-resilient micro- small- and medium-sized enterprises in Mongolia: Understanding challenges” is written by Bayarmaa Khurelchuluun, Odontuya Sukhbaatar, Dhara Shah, Tapan Sarker and Rob Hales. The paper highlights the vulnerability of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Mongolia to the impacts of climate change, exacerbated by challenges such as limited access to finance and technical skills, especially for women-owned businesses. In response, it proposes recommendations based on international and local best practices, emphasising capacity-building programs, climate-resilient response plans, adoption of sustainable financial practices, energy audits, and digital literacy initiatives. The study underscores the importance of empowering MSMEs to become more resilient, contribute to environmental sustainability, and ensure long-term viability. Future briefs will delve into lessons from international experiences to enhance institutions for climate-resilient MSMEs in Mongolia.
The second brief titled “Learning from international experience: Improving institutions for climate-resilient MSMEs in Mongolia” authored by Lhagvanorov Dashzeveg, Tumenjargal Elberel, Batdorj Khaliunbat, Purevdorj Tseden-ish, Tapan Sarker, Dhara Shah and Rob Hales aims to address the challenges faced by MSMEs in Mongolia due to climate change and natural hazards. It emphasises the critical role MSMEs play in Mongolia’s economy and proposes evidence-based recommendations to enhance their resilience. Key questions explored include the current state of climate impacts on MSMEs, adequacy of existing legislative measures, barriers hindering climate-resilient MSME development, and international best practices. The brief advocates for policy integration to bolster MSME resilience, offering a strategic framework tailored for Mongolia. It comprises four sections: context analysis, barriers and opportunities, policy options, and conclusions. Despite recognising climate change’s importance in policy documents, Mongolia lacks specific legislation for MSME resilience. Therefore, a comprehensive policy framework is essential to safeguard MSMEs and promote sustainable development amidst climate challenges. With MSMEs being vital economic drivers in Mongolia, addressing their climate resilience is crucial for long-term sustainability and growth.
Finally, the third brief titled “Building capacity: Climate-resilient development and gender-inclusive entrepreneurship in Mongolia” is written by Jargalmaa Ganzorig, Dagiisuren Uuganbaatar, Batkhuu Bud, Bolor Bold, Rob Hales, Dhara Shah and Tapan Sarker. This paper outlines key recommendations derived from an examination of policy frameworks, best practices, and capacity-building strategies aimed at enhancing climate resilience in Mongolia’s MSMEs. These recommendations include:
Developing targeted climate resilience strategies tailored to address the specific challenges faced by MSMEs, particularly those in vulnerable sectors like crop agriculture.
Promoting collaborative governance to facilitate transparent decision-making and resource-sharing among stakeholders.
Enhancing stakeholder engagement to ensure active participation in policy processes and foster inclusivity.
Improving data and knowledge management through the establishment of centralised databases and knowledge-sharing platforms.
Fostering communities of practice to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices among stakeholders.
These recommendations aim to bolster the resilience of Mongolia’s MSMEs, promoting sustainable economic growth and mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on the business ecosystem. The paper underscores the urgency of addressing climate change impacts on MSMEs and emphasises the importance of collaborative governance, inclusive entrepreneurship, and research collaboration in achieving this goal.
