top of page
Textures Imbiri Circles.png

Solidarity
Gallery

Galeri
Solidaritas

Melania’s Dance –
the Memory of Suffering

Tarian Melania - Kenangan Penderitaan

Peter Woods, 2016

Australia, Oceania

Australia, Oseania

21 Melania’s Dance.png

Description / Keterangan

This dance I have depicted was performed at a concert in 2006 in Melbourne by a West Papuan young woman in exile from her country. Her father, a lecturer in Sociology at the University in Jayapura, had recently gone missing and presumed killed by Indonesian state security forces for his involvement in his people’s struggle for justice and self-determination. Accompanied by drums the dance was both moving and powerful and she herself sang a song of lament and hope. It turned out her father was still alive, I have met him a number of times and he has continued his work in resistance. I have placed behind her the Morning Star flag, the flag of hope for an independent West Papua.

Tarian yang saya gambarkan ini ditampilkan pada konser di tahun 2006 di Melbourne oleh seorang perempuan muda West Papua dalam pengasingan dari negaranya. Ayahnya, seorang dosen di Sosiologi Universitas di Jayapura, hilang dan diduga dibunuh oleh pasukan keamanan negara Indonesia karena keterlibatannya dalam perjuangan rakyat demi keadilan dan penentuan nasib sendiri. Diiringi drum tariannya bergerak dan penuh kekuatan dan sang penari sendiri menyanyikan lagu ratapan dan harapan. Saat ayahnya masih hidup, saya pernah berjumpa dengannya berkali-kali dan dia tetap melanjutkan langkahnya dalam perjuangan. Saya menempatkan bendera Bintang Kejora di belakang sang gadis, bendera harapan untuk kemerdekaan Papua Barat.

Artist / Artis

Peter Woods

Year / Tahun

2016

Follow / Mengikuti

Location / Lokasi

Australia, Oceania

Australia, Oseania

Medium / Media

Oils on canvas board

Minyak di atas kanvas

Support / Mendukung

-

Artist profile / Profil artis

Peter grew up in Sydney and majored in art at school. He completed theological studies, trained and worked as a residential care worker for incarcerated juveniles, for ten years worked as a lecturer in West Papua and Java in schools for pastors in training, and for 25 years served as an Anglican priest in Melbourne, Australia. In 2010 he began to paint full time at his studio in Bittern, Victoria. He has been engaged in public advocacy for the West Papuan cause for over twenty years which has also involved a number of return trips to West Papua. He has had three exhibitions of his paintings depicting the West Papuan struggle for independence and justice. He is married to Jeanette and has three grown up children and nine grandchildren.

Peter tumbuh di Sydney dan mengambil jurusan seni di sekolah. Dia menyelesaikan studi teologisnya, magang dan bekerja sebagai pekerja perawatan perumahan untuk remaja yang dipenjara, selama 10 tahun bekerja sebagai dosen di Papua Barat dan Jawa untuk pendeta dalam pelatihan, dan selama 25 tahun menjadi pelayan pendeta Anglikan di Melbourne, Australia. Pada tahun 2010, dia mulai melukis secara penuh di studionya di Bittern, Victoria. Dia telah terlibat dalam advokasi publik untuk perjuangan Papua selama lebih dari 20 tahun yang juga melibatkan sejumlah orang yang kembali ke West Papua. Dia telah melakukan 3 pameran lukisan yang menggambarkan perjuangan rakyat West Papua demi kebebasan dan keadilan. Dia menikahi Jeanette dan memiliki 3 anak dan 9 cucu.

Textures Imbiri Circles.png
bottom of page