Heri Pemad will always be associated with ArtJog. We can examine both. What is so special about Heri Pemad? What is so special about Artjog? In that elaboration it will become clear that the two are indeed inseparable. Heri Pemad cannot be separated from Artjog. And vice versa, Artjog depends on the existence of Heri Pemad.
Heri Pemad began to become a resident of Yogyakarta when he was a student at ISI Yogyakarta majoring in Fine Arts, Painting Study Program (1996-2000). Previously, his childhood until his teenage years was lived in his hometown of Sukoharjo.
As an artist, it turns out that Heri Pemad from the beginning of his career has mostly worked as an organizer. Records of engagement after dropping out of his studies show that. Even so, the works that were printed on canvas also had their own achievements during their study period, such as the Best Watercolor 1997, Nokia Award Asia Pacific 1999. And, Heri Pemad also actively participated in exhibitions at home and abroad until 2005. After that, two years in a row, 2008, 2009, Heri Pemad was entrusted with organizing an exhibition for an Art Wedding family event involving a large number of artists.
There are a number of reasons put forward why Heri Pemad ended up working more as an organizer. Heri Pemad sees that there is an imbalance in the infrastructure that supports the artists' artistic process. What is meant by infrastructure are the intermediary devices that allow the works of artists to appear and reach audiences, be appreciated, and eventually reach collectors. Galleries, cultural parks, exhibition venues, cultural services, the ministry of culture and tourism, are parties that make it possible for various painting exhibition events to take place. Unfortunately, many officials do not understand, maybe they also have certain interests.
In practice, not many parties are involved or interested in mediating between the artists as those who produce the works, and the agencies or institutions that act as exhibition organizers. Perhaps the business with the artist will encounter a lot of complications. The artist is so famous. Meanwhile, the other party will be related to various management and bureaucracy as well. Complicated to meet complicated…. This is precisely what challenges Heri Pemad.
Not only that. Because the distribution of the artist's work that is produced ends up being the welfare of the artist, concerning the needs of the artist's household, it is important to fight for this. In fact, the artist's work also makes its own contribution to people's lives and human values. Even so, the artists are also divided into several segments as recognized by Heri Pemad. He divided it simply, there are popular artists, there are high-class artists. That's where Heri Pemad Art Management (HPAM) is located. To accommodate various interests: the interests of artists to the government, and vice versa. Artists' interests are for curators, for galleries, for collectors. And various parties are connected to each other.
Due to the lack of infrastructure facilities that should be provided by the government, Heri Pemad Art Management was there. Because working vis-à-vis artists and their work, which receive attention and emphasis, the warehouse and workshop are large. The office can be anywhere: via a cellphone, a café, … an office without walls, an office without walls.
If now, every year Artjog is held, initially it was also fought for with hard work. Like Heri Pemad art Management which was declared in 2004, it was preceded by his declaration as art manager. Various engagements that preceded and followed Art Management, both at the local and international levels. This has become a provision for Heri Pemad and friends, starting in 2007 they took the initiative to organize ArtJog.
Artjog was born after various experiences dealing with artists and consumers with all their behavior and mentality. Which is a personal area. Also experience in organizing and experiencing the process of preparing the technical field, management sector, to the element of taste which is managed in various exhibitions abroad. These experiences lead him to various orientations that need to be managed as embodied in Artjog.
Artjog is built from a pile of various experiences. Artjog is an idea and concern going international. Artjog is a laboratory and practice that makes it possible to present various parties. Both related to well-known artists who are in accordance with the theme or the artist's expertise. Even public figures are presented because of their suitability with the issues, interests, and themes that are put forward. Or even government officials who were invited to officiate the opening of the exhibition. From the Artjog agenda so far, several well-known artists include…. The public figure presented by Kartika Sukarno, Yoko Ono. Government officials who once inaugurated several ministers and Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.
Artjog became prestigious. From the idea that was built: holding the global locally, promoting the local globally. Yes, various experiences and various references for organizing international events abroad, are not to be imitated, but mixed with potential and presented in a taste that is unique to artists and their communities, their living environment. And Artjog is on the same level as other international events: Art Fair Shanghai, Art Paris, Melbourne Art Fair. At the same time Artjog has its own uniqueness that cannot be found anywhere else. Namely by involving the artists intensely. This is hard work and real work and even a work of art that was born and continues to be organized by Heri Pemad and his friends and various parties who accompany him.
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