Emerging artist Natasha Tontey is poised to showcase her latest immersive installation at the prestigious Venice Biennale, hosted at the historic Ateneo Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti. This marks a significant moment following her first institutional exhibition.
In collaboration with Berlin's LAS Art Foundation and Helsinki's Amos Rex contemporary art museum, Tontey's installation, titled The Phantom Combatants and the Metabolism of Disobedient Organs, intricately weaves together video, sound, light, and sculptural components. It reinterprets the narrative of Len Karamoy, a key figure in the CIA-backed Permesta movement that rose against the Indonesian government from 1957 to 1961.
At just 37 years old, Tontey has garnered global acclaim for her thought-provoking works that delve into themes of Indigenous identity, ecology, and the interplay between history and myth. Her artistic style often fuses elements from B-movies and horror genres with advanced imaging techniques, creating a unique visual experience.
In Phantom Combatants, Karamoy transcends his historical roots, morphing into a larger-than-life figure depicted with three breasts and exaggerated muscles, symbolizing a powerful assertion of self-determination. This transformation resonates deeply as both Tontey and Karamoy belong to the Minahasan Indigenous community of North Sulawesi.
The installation employs cutting-edge technologies, including LiDAR, quantum ghost imaging, and thermal cameras, to challenge contemporary surveillance narratives and methodologies.
Tontey articulates her vision, stating, "Through this project, I aim to capture the subtler tones of history--the minor keys where fragments of memory, mourning, and ritual continue to resonate." She emphasizes that these often-overlooked frequencies reveal enduring gestures of survival and imagination amidst adversity.
In a joint statement, Bettina Kames, CEO of LAS, and Kieran Long, CEO of Amos Rex, lauded the work as Tontey's most ambitious to date, reflecting the extraordinary times marked by rapid political and technological changes.
Following her first major exhibition, "Primate Visions Macaque Macabre," which received critical acclaim, Tontey is rapidly establishing herself as a prominent figure in the art world. Her works are set to feature in both the upcoming 59th Carnegie International in Pittsburgh and the Biennale de l'Image en Mouvement in Tunis later this year.
Tontey's Venice installation opens on May 5, accompanied by an artist talk, and will be on display until October 25 before continuing to Amos Rex in 2027.
