Edinburgh Napier University

  Dolorosa Sinaga: Body, Form, Matter brings together 40 years of work explored through inter-disciplinary readings. Dolorosa Sinaga (b. 1953) is one of the most accomplished, celebrated and intriguing figures in Indonesian contemporary art scene. Dolorosa’s human figures anatomise deepest feelings and loudest protests in sculptural language as body, form and matter. Her artistic practice is inseparable to her role as an educator and political activist. Her teaching methods combine uncompromising discipline and affectionate care. Her activism goes against the grain: the older she gets, the more radical she becomes. Dolorosa’s work is sought after by art collectors internationally; yet, she purposefully released unlimited editions of some of her politically-charged works. While being the Dean of Jakarta Art Institute, Dolorosa organised and joined street demonstrations. She regularly participates in high-level meetings at the Ministry of Culture and Education, but an art festival which she was in charge of in 2016 was banned by the government on political grounds. Containing 620 pieces of sculpture, the book presents an unprecedented register of work by an Indonesian artist. It demonstrates how Dolorosa navigates between her sculptures’ reproducible potential and their value as aesthetic objects and art commodities as well as a vehicle of dissemination for her political activism. The 30 inter-disciplinary readings included in the volume map Dolorosa’s artistic and intellectual network whilst showcasing how she has been systematically incorporating art criticism in the exhibition-making process.