Following her inaugural institutional exhibition, artist Natasha Tontey is set to debut an innovative immersive installation at the Venice Biennale. This showcase will take place at the historic Ateneo Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, a 16th-century venue located in San Marco.
Commissioned by both Berlin's LAS Art Foundation and Helsinki's Amos Rex contemporary art museum, Tontey's work, titled The Phantom Combatants and the Metabolism of Disobedient Organs, integrates video, sound, light, and sculptural elements. It creatively reinterprets the narrative of Len Karamoy, a participant in the Permesta movement, which sought to challenge the Indonesian government from 1957 to 1961 in North Sulawesi.
At 37, Tontey has garnered international acclaim for her unique blend of dark humor and poignant commentary on Indigenous identity, ecology, and the interplay between history and myth. Her artistic style often fuses the aesthetics of B-movies and horror films with both DIY special effects and cutting-edge imaging techniques.
In Phantom Combatants, Karamoy transcends his historical identity, becoming a mythic figure represented by a chorus of youthful warriors. Tontey's portrayal amplifies Karamoy's presence, giving him exaggerated features that symbolize resilience and self-determination, reflecting her own Minahasan heritage from North Sulawesi.
The installation employs advanced technologies such as LiDAR remote sensing, quantum ghost imaging, 3D modeling, and thermal cameras, repurposing contemporary surveillance methods to challenge existing power dynamics.
Tontey expresses her artistic vision by stating, "Through this project, I try to listen to the quieter tones of history--the minor keys where fragments of memory, mourning, and ritual continue to resonate." This sentiment underscores her commitment to uncovering narratives often overshadowed by dominant discourses.
Both Bettina Kames, CEO of LAS, and Kieran Long, CEO of Amos Rex, have described this project as Tontey's most ambitious work yet, emphasizing its relevance in today's world, characterized by uncertainty and rapid change in both political and technological realms.
After her successful exhibition "Primate Visions Macaque Macabre" at Jakarta's Museum MACAN, which received significant attention and critical acclaim, Tontey continues to make her mark on the international art scene. Her work will also feature in upcoming exhibitions, including the 59th Carnegie International in Pittsburgh and the Biennale de l'Image en Mouvement in Tunis.
The Venice presentation will open on May 5 and includes an artist talk prior to the public unveiling. The installation will remain on display until October 25, with plans to travel to Amos Rex in 2027.
