Keeping the Dream delves into the intersection of identity, photography, and political surveillance. In the development of this new body of work, distinguished Indonesian artist FX Harsono draws on images of children from Chinese-Indonesian identity documents to expose how ethnic minorities were marginalised during Indonesia’s Suharto regime.
The exhibition unveils a harsh paradox: even children, innocent and unburdened by politics, were surveilled and controlled because of their ethnicity. The body of work reflects on how power can infiltrate personal spaces, turning even simple acts of documentation into political tools.
In addition to the historical photographs, Keeping the Dream engages young audiences by encouraging them to engage in exercises of image-making. By engaging them in drawing exercises which are subsequently displayed in the gallery, the exhibition reveals social, cultural, and political narratives from their perspectives.
At its core, Keeping the Dream is a plea for a world where one’s identity is not a mark to be controlled, but a story to be honoured. Through its sombre and piercing message, the work calls for the end of discriminatory practices that erode human dignity, reminding us that equality and compassion are the true measures of a just society.
This exhibition is part of the Singapore International Photography Festival 2024.
Image: Keeping the Dream No.3 (2024) by FX Harsono. Gump oil print, 118 x 158 cm (unframed), 138 x 178 cm (framed)
