Profile: Oscar Motuloh

oscar motuloh

Born in Surabaya, East Java, 17th August, 1959. He is a working photojournalist at Antara Photo News Agency (Indonesian National News Agency) since 1990. At first he was only assigned to replace retired photojournalist.

Although initially self-taught, Motuloh then proceeded to study photojournalism in Hanoi (1991) and Tokyo (1993). He has produced several books of photography: “East Timor, A Photographic Record”, “Marinir”, “Pengawal Samudra”, “The Land of Bulungan” and “East Timor, The Long and Winding Road”. The most recent book is the collected work of Eddy Hasby, a photojournalist at the premier Indonesian daily newspaper, Kompas. Motuloh teaches photojournalism at the Film and Television Faculty of the Jakarta Arts Institute and at the Antara School of Journalism. In 1992 he founded Antara Gallery for Photojournalism (Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara), the only of its kind in Southeast Asia.

Besides his work as Director of Antara Photo News Agency, Motuloh is also Executive Director of Antara Gallery for Photojournalism. He is frequently requested to sit as jury for various photo contests and to be curator for various exhibitions around Indonesia (included the photo exhibition “Urban Horizon, a Visual Opinion” supported by the Erasmus Huis (Dutch Cultural Centre)).

His first one-man show, 'Voice of Angkor', was held at The Jakarta French Cultural Centre in 1997 titled. Motuloh's second solo show was “Carnaval” (1999), a satirical photo essay about the first general election after the fall of president Suharto. His next exhibition was “Chansons Peripheriques” (Peripheral Songs, 2002) about minorities in France. His most recent solo exhibition was “The Art of Dying” (2003) at Bentara Budaya Jakarta. His work also appeared in the last two CP Biennales (2004 &2006) and the Jakarta Biennale (2006).

He is also the editor of the photography book, “Samudra Air Mata” (An Ocean of Tears) published in February 2005 featuring 17 photographers covering the Aceh tsunami. Recently Motuloh has curated photo exhibitions and been editor/writer for photography books such as: an exhibition of 6 photographers about Aceh post-tsunami entitled “The Struggle Continues, 100 Days On” at Antara Gallery for Photojournalism; an exhibition and book launch, “Viewpoints” featuring the work of Sigit Pramono (R&W, 2005) and Lans Brahmantyo, “Soul Oddyssey” (R&W, 2005). In July 2005, together with 7 other photographers, Motuloh appeared in the book “The Loved Ones” (published by the Oktagon Foundation). He recently wrote the foreword and edited “Bisikan Alam”, a book of photography by Sigit Pramono.

Upcoming Exhibition:

Oscar Motuloh's one-man show

"SANCTUARY"

4th November 2006, Medan

First Section

14 black and white hand-printed photographs, 50 x 70 cm

1 main photo (Child Mummy from Toraja, South Sulawesi)

Second Section

Images of the Yogyakarta Earthquake

3 digitally printed photos, 120 x 150 cm

Invite to 'Sanctuary', photographs by Oscar Motuloh

Dear Friends,

You are cordially invited to the private viewing of ‘Sanctuary’, a one-man show by the renowned Indonesian photographer, Oscar Motuloh.

Motuloh is a towering presence in Indonesia's photography scene, both as the director of the Antara photojournalism agency in Jakarta and as an artist in his own right. Motuloh is frequently asked to exhibit work in various parts of the world as well as contributing to numerous publications. As the head of Antara, Motuloh also supervises its other functions as training centre for young photographers and a gallery for journalistic photography.

Motuloh is ethnically Minahasan from North Sulawesi, was born and raised in Surabaya, East Java, but has lived and worked in Jakarta for many years, as well as traveling and photographing extensively in Indonesia and overseas.

This exhibition focuses on some of Motuloh’s recent work covering various events and locations across Indonesia, from the death rituals of Toraja in Motuloh’s home island of Sulawesi, to a series taken in Flores in East Nusa Tenggara, through to work touching on the recent earthquake in Yogyakarta, Java.

Motuloh never takes the easy route with his work, always searching for visual signs revealing the deeper currents under the surface ripples of everyday life.

The private view will take place at 2 pm on the 4^th of November 2006 at Tondi Gallery, Jalan Keladi Buntu No. 6, Medan (behind the Singapore International School just off Jalan Sriwijaya).

The private view will consist of a number of performances by various artists and will be attended by Motuloh in person.

This is Motuloh’s first solo show in Medan.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Grace Siregar

Tondi Gallery