In October / November 2015 Megan Wilson was honored to be invited to participate in the Geneng Street Art Project in Yogyakarta Indonesia, organized by Ruang Kelas SD.

Menjamin Kesejahteraan Untuk Semua
Geneng Street Art Project #3 - English translation: Wellbeing & Prosperity for All

Introduction to Curatorial Process
By Rain Rosidi, Curator 2015

The Geneng Street Art Project uses the umbrella of street art to be applied to township residents in the area Geneng, Panggungharjo, Sewon, Bantul. Street art is slipped in public spaces, and presents itself in a form that is different from the conventional indoor art galleries. Techniques commonly used in street art include graffiti stencils, murals, wheatpaste, art posters, sticker art, street installations and lock-on sculpture. Additionally video projections are being seen more frequently in street art production.

Geneng Street Art Project invites artists from Yogyakarta and surrounding areas to work together with the township residents and to communicate and interact creatively with the villagers. Geneng villages are primarily agriculture-based, with the majority of its longtime and former residents who are, or were farmers. Over the past several years the community has undergone a shift in land use of the area, resulting in longtime members of the community who have begun to sell their land to new residents or developers for the construction of housing complexes, colleges, restaurants, and shopping centers. With the advent of these new developments the residents who have moved into the area are often from different cultural backgrounds, languages, and ethnicities. Many who rent a house in the village also rent a dorm room as students at the nearby ISI (Institut Seni Indonesia). Additionally, some of the villagers in Geneng are creating new businesses to serve the arrival of the newcomers. As rice farming has begun to decrease, the plots of land have been replaced by houses, shops, boarding houses, restaurants, and so on. In general the culture of the people of Yogyakarta is very friendly and open to newcomers, including the new relationships that have developed with the artists and organizers of the Geneng Street Art Project.

The Geneng Street Art Project is using as much wall space as possible - on homes and businesses - for artists to work with the community / residents to convey messages that reflect the hopes and concerns of the villagers and to provide an opportunity to cultivate dialogs within the existing and new communities and amongst disparate groups.

Geneng Street Art Project #3 Presentation and Panel Discussion:

Geneng Street Art Project #3 Artists / Projects

Artists who have participated in the Geneng Street Art Project have included: Ahmad Idham, Alex TMT, Anagard, Angga/ Ngelangut, Bio, Chitra Ananda Lasalle College of the art Singapore, Christopher Statton, Christophorus Andika Tungul Yuda, DDF (Diskom Drawing Foundation), DS 13, Eggbal Alditio, Farhan Siki, Guerrilas, HereHere, HMJ Kriya, FSR, Ismu feat Dodi, Kukomikan Land, Listiono, LoveHateLove, Media Legal, Megan Wilson, Methodos, Nano Warsono, Naufal Abshar Lasalle College of the art Singapore, NK Enka, Oka Randy Mahendra, Reza Aryanda, Rizky Akbar, Ruang Kelas SD, Sasenitala, Subekti Suban, Santoso, Taring Padi, Uno Cask, Wahyu Eko Prasetyo, Wormfomb or Ied, and Zent Prozent.

In 2017 when Wilson and Statton returned, they visited their friends in the Geneng community. Farhan and Esti’s son was now two-years-old and they built an entire 2nd floor on their building to accommodate their growing businesses and family. They are hoping Wilson will continue her mural up on the building.

Mural Process

The process for creating Wilson’s mural began with creating a design that worked with the project’s concept and showing it to the organizers for the go ahead. The next step was to identify one of the wall spaces that is part of the Geneng Street Art Project #3. Project organizers Ones Taplan and Dari drove Wilson through desa Geneng (desa means village) to view the structures that the project had received permission to paint. Wilson then spoke with the owners of the home/businesses, Farhan Syarief and Esti. Farhan’s company is Olsa Digital Indonesia and Esti’s company is Yuka Fashion. Farhan and Esti reviewed Wilson’s design and gave her their blessing to paint. They also provided Wilson with space to store her materials and very graciously asked her to join them and their employees for lunch while she painted.

Wilson’s friend and fellow Geneng Street artist Nano Warsono and his wife Deny arranged for the bamboo scaffolding to be built. Nano and Wilson’s partner Christopher Statton collaborated on a wall several fields down from where Wilson was painting, allowing them to support one another when needed. Wilson spent two months painting the mural. Mid-way through she took a week off to join her friend Sarita on Bali and travel back to Yogyakarta together. When Wilson returned she learned that the field next to her mural had been irrigated for rice planting. This was a challenge; however, in typical Yogyakarta practice, it was just that - a challenge to be worked out. Two of the men who work for Nano’s wife Deny seamlessly installed new bamboo scaffolding in the irrigated field. It worked

Throughout the process friends stopped by to hangout, Farhan and Esti shared lunch, and Wilson got to know many of the residents in the community, who also invited she, Christopher, and Nano over for tea and snacks.

The English translation of the Bahasa Indonesian on Wilson's mural is as follows:

Title:
Menjamin Kesejahteraan Untuk Semua: Wellbeing/Prosperity For All

Signs:
Rumah Untuk Semua: Housing For All
Udara Bersih: Clean Air
Bayaran Yang Adil: Fair Pay
Air Bersih: Clean Water
Pendidikan Untuk Semua: Education For All
Damai: Peace
Kesehetan Untuk Semua: Healthcare For All