Interdisciplinary Art
Interdisciplinary is an adjective word, and it means relating to more than one branch of knowledge. So, interdisciplinary art is literally an art that consist of more than one branch (genre) of art.
There are many conventional/traditional art genres, like creative writing, performance art, music, theatre, and visual arts, etc. Through interdisciplinary arts, there are two or more of those genres were amalgamated together into the direction and final product.
Although the term of interdisciplinary art rarely being found in the art history, there are many artists has been doing it. William Blake for example, the classic poet-printmaker-mystic is considered as one of interdisciplinary artist. His works “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell” is one of the testaments of interdisciplinary art. In the modern era, video artists Bill Viola, musician-poet-film maker-graphic artist Yoko Ono, and composer-choreographer-director Meredith Monk are the best example of interdisciplinary artist.
Interdisciplinary art is about freedom of expression and honing multiple skills and talent. It is a way to build a bridge among different genre of arts, and any artist whose desire is to investigate and integrate different way in creativity.
The methodology of interdisciplinary arts often relies on collaboration. The product can be a performance art, durational performance art (live art), or video art.
Director’s Note
Poet William Blake (1757-1827) mentions in The Argument section of The Marriage of Heaven and Hell: “Without Contraries is no progression. Attraction and Repulsion, Reason and Energy, Love and Hate, are necessary to Human existence. “This profound line states that progression in life is impossible without contraries.
Being contradictive can be perceived negative; perhaps due to the meaning of the word itself. But it does not necessarily so. Kali interprets the philosophy of being contradictive as the foundation of having an ongoing critical thinking against the stagnant thoughts. This is an important spirit for providing the new alternatives to imperfect things.
Kali is the result of contemplation, creation, and the needs to have an ongoing critical thinking through art. On the surface, we can see the amalgamation (interdisciplinary) of various art genres, which intended to provoke and to emote the aesthetics aspect of contemporary art.
Meanwhile, within its several repertoire, Kali attempts to interpret freely the philosophy adheres by the poet Blake. The interpretation sometimes gathered at the end, but it can also appear at the beginning.
The results in each repertoire would become the reflection of those and presented in multiple undertone color of abang (red), putih (white), and ireng (black) within the dominant triangular shape, a symbol of gunungan (mountain) where kali (the river) flows.
Kali (The River) is a place where many streams with different color flow together. The current is unpredictable and indefinable. And that is the philosophy. We cannot understand the current only by looking at its surface, because the ripple can appear through the blossoming of ongoing creative impetus. But it can also in the stillness where we allow them to flow liberally without any pretense.
We can interpret the current differently. But we also know so well of the similarity. We together can see ourselves through the rippling shadow in its reflection of Kali, the river.