Mella Jaarsma
Mella Jaarsma (b. 1960) is known for costume-based installations that examine cultural and racial diversity embodied in clothing, the body, and food. Born in the Netherlands and later based in Indonesia, Jaarsma co-founded Cemeti Art House in 1988 with Nindityo Adipurnomo, establishing a vital platform for contemporary art in the region. Jaarsma’s work investigates cultural identity and the symbolic relationship between the body and food, visualizing social and cultural narratives through elaborate costume structures.
Artworks
- DogWalk, 2016, 12 costumes of cow, sheep, and goat leather; stuffed cow and goat feet; 2-channel video, color, sound, 3 min. 10 sec.
DogWalk is a performance video by Mella Jaarsma, first presented at the 20th Biennale of Sydney. Adopting the format of a fashion show, the work explores the boundaries between humans and animals, civilization and sensory perception. The artist presents figures dressed in garments made from cow, sheep, and goat hides walking along a runway, revealing how fashion, as a system of desire and consumption, defines the relationship between humans and the other. The title DogWalk inverts Catwalk, subverting the symbol of civilized refinement to suggest an attempt to restore the sensory awareness and primal connection that humans have lost.In this showcase, DogWalk is presented as a single-channel video, allowing the past performance to be re-experienced through its recorded image. The movement of bodies, the texture of leather, and the temporality of the runway are sensorially evoked on screen, where the absent physical presence lingers as an audiovisual trace. Through this work, Jaarsma investigates how performance can endure within digital media, suggesting that documentation is not merely a means of preservation but an extension of sensory memory itself.
Artist Responses
What media and technical components make up this work?The core medium is a video file, which can be presented as a single-channel (single screen) or 2-channel (two screens installed side by side) projection, depending on the exhibition environment.Is conversion into other formats possible?Yes.Are there plans to migrate or emulate this work in response to future technological changes?Yes.What should be prioritized to ensure the long-term care of this work?It is important to preserve the original file in a lossless format. The playback procedure should be documented in a manual, and the equipment should be specified as optional to allow for future substitution.What do you consider the essential element that must be sustained, even if the medium changes?The core of the work lies in its video content. While the mode of installation may vary according to the exhibition environment, the video itself and the intent behind its presentation must be preserved.Does the work depend on specific technical forms or hardware?Not applicable.What are the most important environmental conditions for installation (such as space, lighting, or sound)?Not applicable.To what extent can the work be reinstalled in the future without the direct involvement of the artist?Not applicable.Can the current form of the work be maintained in the future?The video file can be preserved over the long term through digital archiving. Even if the playback equipment becomes obsolete, the current form can be maintained by replacing it with devices that perform the same functions.If specific equipment or components fail, can they be replaced?The identity of the work lies in the video file, so replacing the equipment does not affect its essence. Screens, projectors, and players can all be substituted with standard devices.Are there any particular points you would like to emphasize or considerations to note regarding the preservation of the work?Not applicable.