Ask is a verb that means to want to get, so what does she want? Miss wants to dance, an analogy sentence that gives an overview of women today. Currently, women have a full place or position equal to men, one example is that there are many women who are able to become great leaders, even to lead a country. The discourse that is echoed is like this, but the fact is that even though women know that they have the same place as men, most women still have barriers embedded in each of them, that they are not the same as men (not a natural thing). In the title of this exhibition, we will find a persuasive sentence that women want to invite to do something, a movement so as not to be a passive party who only wants to be a recipient, but also contribute to a debate.

In her invitation, each “lady” will give different treatment in her efforts, perhaps by showing her independence, her toughness, or even using her weakness as a tool. There is nothing wrong with each method used, it just comes back to the woman to what extent she is able to recognize herself to be able to use her best potential.

Nona art in Surabaya

Talking further about the role of women in the Surabaya art scene, perhaps if we look at art in Surabaya, at first glance we will find that the art scene here is dominated by men, because indeed the more active actors are male actors and so on and so forth. Actually, this is not entirely true, there are also many female artists in Surabaya, but only a handful of them are fully involved in the field of fine art, and the rest are more in the form of applications.

If women in the Surabaya art scene are more suitable to be in the realm of applied art why not, after all when in that field their potential can be optimized it will be a good thing of course, not forcing yourself to directly plunge into the field of pure art is also the right choice, after all in today’s discourse it is actually also blurred whether it is pure or applied both can reach one another, both can change.

Although not many, there are several artists who take the path of fine art and are able to become a force in Surabaya, such as Lini Natalini, Indah Woro, and several people who are not enough if I mention one by one. These women’s works are important to the development of art in Surabaya, and they are the Kartini of art in Surabaya.

Miss Motion

If you want to see a lady’s movement, do we always have to wait for Kartini Day to see it, indeed the momentum of Kartini Day is the right momentum for women to come out and show off, women’s day. But outside of Kartini’s day, women should always show off as proof that they exist and move here, every day will be women’s day at this time.

In Surabaya, I noted that there are several movements carried out by women to support the flow of art in Surabaya, one of which is this event (nona minta dansa), an event initiated by a woman (Risya Ayudya) who is part of the Serbuk Kayu community, then there is Arisan Jari which is active with its workshop activities.

Although not a massive movement, what these women do is expected to be a spark for other women to dare to start showing their potential without having to wait, when she only waits then she will be left behind one round of the world, and if she continues to wait she will always be left behind round the world.

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Quoting the description of the work of one of the artists involved in this exhibition, Khanza, That women always dream of becoming a princess who lives in a golden cage, because it is spoken by women then I will believe and agree with it, but to be able to become a princess women must work hard and start building their own cage, don’t always wait for someone to make a cage for you, maybe it’s better if the cage is built with your own will and design so that it can be a place that really fits and brings a lot of happiness.

• Written as a curatorial introduction to the exhibition entitled Nona Minta Dansa
• exhibition participants are all women, this exhibition to commemorate Kartini’s day
• In 21-27 May 2016
• At /SANDIOLO, Jl. Gempol Balas Klumprik no.1, Wiyung, Surabaya 60222