8 Aug 2016

Jakarta-based artist initiative, ruangrupa, stages Toko Pura-Pura (Quasi-shop) for Asia Art Archive’s (AAA) anniversary programme, 15 Invitations. From 26–27 Aug, ruangrupa will join hands with Hong Kong independent musicians and creative practitioners, to present a series of events including live music, pop-up shop, video screening, and conversations. ruangrupa is a contemporary art organisation founded in 2000 by a group of artists in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a nonprofit, it works to advance art ideas in an urban context and within the broad scope of culture through exhibitions, festivals, art laboratories, workshops, research, and publications.

Image: Toko Pura-Pura (Quasi-shop), ruangrupa, 26–27 Aug, 2016.
Image: Toko Pura-Pura (Quasi-shop), ruangrupa, 26–27 Aug, 2016.
Courtesy of ruangrupa.

The name Toko Pura-Pura can be read as a pun on toko rupa-rupa or 'assorted shop', where many Indonesian domestic workers in Hong Kong meet most of their daily needs. The shop serves as an experiemental space where knowledge and ideas are exchanged through collaborations between Jakarta and Hong Kong-based artists, musicians, designers, and cultural intiatives.

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Image: Collaborative products by local bands and Indonesian artists, Toko Pura-Pura (Quasi-shop), ruangrupa. Courtesy of Asia Art Archive.

The launch of Toko Pura-Pura features live music, pop-up shop, and video screening on 26 Aug. In collaboration with Love Da Records, ruangrupa hosts a live showcase of local bands eli, The Interzone Collective, and Merry Lamb Lamb. The pop-up shop brings together a limited edition of collaborative products by the three local bands and Indonesian artists Kemalreza Gibranos, Adi 'Dhigel' Setiawan, and Natasha Gabriella Tontey, as well as designs by local artists and creative practitioners. Along with the shop is a screening of 25 Inspiring Music Videos in Indonesia (2001–2011)–a video compilation on the development of video arts in Indonesia.

The pop-up shop opens again at AAA on 27 Aug. Conversations between artists, musicians, designers, and creative practiitioners will be held at the shop on their strategies in using merchandising as socio-political and economic tools.

An exhibition of merchandise accumulated through Toko Pura-Pura, including materials from the AAA collection related to the notion of collectivity, will be presented at the AAA Library from 29 Aug–17 Sep.

Launch of Toko Pura-Pura 
Fri, 26 Aug 2016
Pop-up shop nd video screening | 7–9pm
Live Music | 9–11pm
Location: Love Da Records, Unit A, 14/F, Chiap King Industrial Building, 114 King Fuk Street, San Po Kong

Toko Pura-Pura Presentation
Sat, 27 Aug 2016
Pop-up shop | 1–5pm
Conversations | 3–4:30pm
Location: A Space, Asia Art Archive, 10/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan

Toko Pura-Pura Exhibition 
Mon, 29 Aug–Sat, 17 Sep 2016
Location: AAA Library, Asia Art Archive, 11/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan

Admission to all events is free-of-charge.

ruangrupa

ruangrupa is a contemporary art organisation founded in 2000 by a group of artists in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a nonprofit, it works to advance art ideas in an urban context and within the broad scope of culture through exhibitions, festivals, art laboratories, workshops, research, and publications. www.ruangrupa.org