Western and Non-Western.

Within the Western art history is the previous decade a tendency perceptible also so-called Non-Western art incorporate. From the term Non-Western art can be inferred which role the west grants itself: as the center of the world. From this Europacentrism it stands kind compared with the other one, as long as that other one remains differently.

Western art historians are amorous on art exotic in their eyes which is produced by the other one. Contemporary Western artists draw inspiration from cultures unknown for them: China, Japan, India, Africa, the Indian culture, Eskimo-culture etc. in search of themselves, to a new giving meaning, recover them which cultures where certain religious values and standards form are still the basis of art. Then the not Western world is converted into its own, Western vanguard art. This way the west owns itself the non-west.

But the international proportions is for changing. Now it is more and more spread the economic power concerning the complete world, art follows the foot fscent of the new world order. Artists no longer live and work at one place. They tour from both sides the world. Moreover by the modern media the information possibilities unlimited has become. Gradually also the not Western artists press it Western (white) artestablishment.

Present at dage is everywhere made on the world modern art. Inso called Non-Westernon has thereby the advantage that there generally also still produces traditional art . The Non-Western artist draws just as easily from these sources such as vanguard colleague Western is. With this difference that the Non-Westerne artist at the source is himself closer, and frequently has a substantial link . That is the dubble strength of its position, which he is himself there in two worlds at the same time: modern and traditional. From that position he looks at to its Western colleagues and observes a number of facts: The west (or also, however, non-east) lies in the button with itself. Western art has lost the ground under the feet. For this reason it use contents and form of its Non-Westerne colleagues, generally without mentioning copyright.

But belong to a Western artist himself, by its cultural context, to the other one then throws that new slightly on the matter. The art-historical interest then again must refocus itself. That applies certainly to the work of many Indian artists in the Netherlands, which is himself in an intermediary position. They are Western and oriental at the same time. Where does the art history have place them? And how does their work have be appreciated?

The country of origin

In the work of Edith Bons (Merauke, 1952) 2 worlds meet each other: Indonesia and the Netherlands. Like much Indian artists Edith Bons has been absorbed in her indonesian roots. Its work is define a precipitate of a need continuing itself in the nobody country between two cultures. The renewed confrontation with Indonesia, where she had lived up to its tenth, open f a door to a part of herself that in the Netherlands could never have manifested.

In 1962, Edith Bons came to the Netherlands. At home it was not spoken concerning the Indian past. The Indian Dutch had adapt as soon as possible to the Dutch society. During its training to academy Minerva (Groningen), want them a travel to the distant east make. Indonesia was not at that moment its first interest, which went more to India or Nepal. That she eventually nevertheless in Indonesia rightly came were more or less occasional.

During this travel Edith Bons realized herselves its Indian context, and the indonesian side of herself. Codes which she knew of house from, became suddenly clear. This not only applied for social behavior, but also for art. On the academy of Art the work of Edith Bons was frequently criticized as at decorative, g or to symbolically. In Indonesia them a strong affinity with certain traditional art forms (wayang, batik, woodsraf art) felt, in which in the Netherlands criticized elements come to the fore (decoratie, tale and symboliek). An inner affinity between started between her own work and indonesian outline culture.

In 1985, the artist went again to Indonesia, but now for a period of oen and a half year. She lived in Yogyakarta and Japera, both places where the traditional art forms are still very living. She came also in contact with contemporary indonesian artists. There a strong link seems exist between its own work and the modern art of Indonesia, which contains much symbolic, and decorative. In Yogyakarta she discoverd her own form language, something what impossible been happen in the Netherlands .

Own form language

Its work is generally composed of several material: paperboard, palm booklet, batik substance, painting, etc. Edith Bons:I do not paint with material, real with painting, I work also direct from the material, rather emotional. In collage shows much indonesian elements have been processed. The Balinese rijstgodin (Dewi-Sri), wayangpoppen, file standing rijstaren or bits braided palm booklet. Edith Bons states clear that she does not use these indonesian elements because of the contents, but because of the form. Thus she has for example cut to waste wayangpoppen in Indonesia and the loose components added to its work.

This working method the impression will be able awake that there no deeper meaning behind its shows hides. Toch the symboliek appears correctly a head ingredient within Edith's oeuvre is, at closer considerations that which is a symboliek based on the tension between indonesian and Dutch culture. The basis of the game with the symbols exists from stereotype beelden, both Dutch and indonesian. Wayangpoppen, the rijstgodin and batik forms stand compared with shoes, tulpen, mills and row houses. Through the use of these stereotypes Edith Bons want indicate that she is themselves between both cultures. I am nor the one, nor other one, I am an individual.

Religious thematics have been given many attentive in Edith's paintings. That thematics are always ambiguous, at the same time humoristic and serious. Mixing icons from two cultures runs up sometimes against capacitance of Dutch (calvinistic) publicly. In one of its work, entitled: The Shepherd, is a Western cross with on the top see the wayangfigure of Semar (very holy in Indonesia). At a another work: Juru-Tjilli, ricegodes with cupid wings have been represented. The hybrid character which appears now is according to Edith Bons both male and female. Aspects of fertility and erotic East and West have been added here to a new whole.

By symbols from several cultures with each other exist to link a new balance, an intermediary position. A symbol which emerges repeatedly is the crammed black white aim (poleng-motif). Initially this aim for on Bali comes, where the black white state for cosmic duality, male and female, slightly and dark etc. for Edith Bons this aim has become to a type statement: Where I myself stand, that black and white?. In: "Rijtjeshuis" are a cruciform see framework within which prevent the tulip, batic and the cube aim. The black white for the Dutch box spirit stands. Edith Bons:In the Netherlands you must be able always placed.

Indian indentiteit

The Indian context is not always reason to religious subjects or humoristic comment on certain Dutch situations. In:"Llost Blue" is golden mountainform with to the foot of the mount left and Right red-white cruciform objects. On top of the hillock two wayangpupets fight context crammed with each other for a black white. The Netherlands and Indonesia in war. Blue from the Dutch flag has down fallen and lies lost to the foot of the mount. Edith Bons: 17 augusts (the day of indonesian independence) are a facing day for me: I also could have been one of them , but are not it accidentally. Indian men have chosen for the Netherlands or Indonesia. Thereby a side was therefore always betrayed.

Concerning the multicultural policy Edith Bons have its own opinion:The duality of for example a Moroccan are differently than of Indo. Misfiring is differently. For Indian people the disavowal has already started in India. For the Indian group the economic interests in the Netherlands were. Whereas their emotional interests on the indonesian side layers. When my parents have concerning Indonesia, they mean Dutch-India, a country which no longer exists. Concerning the future of the Indian culture in the Netherlands Edith Bons says:The link will become more loose, the adat, (unwritten traditional behavior rules) some it will not take along others. The Netherlands says, however, that it is a interculturele society, but intercultureel interaction means, for me therefore that they solicit also of another culture take over, but that seldom happens. If an example of an Indian use (that probably rapidly Dutchmen will not be taken over, H.S.) call Edith Bons environment around death. Indian burials are sociably, it is eaten much and is laughed. The Indian identity remains for Edith Bons an intermediary position, tack between two cultures, where get none of both primacy.

Prose and poetics

From the pastelcolored, refined collages which Edith Bons makes, a mystic connection of several religions speaks. The godin of the Rice is a topic important within its oeuvre. But prevent this Dewri-Sri character beside a work entitled Dewi-Madonna, on which is see a figurine of veiled Maria. Both images are appropriate in the spiritual conceptions of Edith Bons, in which a type universele basicsymbolic is more important than the conservative picture language of religious institutions. The junction of Western and oriental religious symbols transforms those symbols to something new. These twofold are for Edith's work typical, in which both Dutch and indonesian culture has been taken, but always from a critical and humoristic eye angle.

Daily living Edith Bons reflects its position to zoeken a balance between two extrêmes. In the prosaically North east of Groningen, among straight lands, a small farmer stable stands in which she worked (nowadays digs). Carefully cut and treated components of guards there on their processing. The possibilities of the material are carefully explored, until the material himself has has been taken in the harmonie of whole.

That which initially could not manifest in the Netherlands, so called. the indonesian side of the art ares, own have gradually acquired itself. The result is a nuanced poetry of color and material. Never exuberant, always implied and masters, subordinate made to the laws of the destiny. Edith Bons :In Indonesia the interlocution concerning serious subjects is not never directly, and heavy. Such a interlocution fodder you for example under the dishes, or under walking. It gets away and apears again. My work is also this way.

By dr. Helena Spanjaard

Kunsthistorica