A'an Suryana, Jakarta – Art curator Agus Suwage had not expected that exhibiting an art work by photographer Davy Linggar would land him in serious trouble. "I knew from the media that a group of people had filed a lawsuit against us, but I was steadfast as I believed that we had done nothing wrong. Were they joking?" said Suwage, referring to the protest by right wing Muslim group the Islamic Defender's Front (FPI).
The group had staged a massive campaign against Davy and Suwage along with TV star Anjasmara and model Isabel Yahya, for displaying what the FPI deemed to be obscene pictures in the CP Biennale in Jakarta in September last year.
Despite the FPI protest, Suwage remained calm and was convinced that the case would not be brought to court. He was still confident that he would not be the target of the law when he was taken in for questioning by the police in October last year.
But the situation changed abruptly in February, when police declared him a suspect, along with the three others responsible for displaying the picture in the art exhibition held at the Bank Indonesia Museum in Central Jakarta.
"When I received the letter from the police naming me a suspect, I was stunned, amazed. I was really worried that in the end, I would be put in jail," said the father of two children on Wednesday. He added that his wife was even more shocked than he was.
Since he was named a suspect, Suwage and his family have led a stressful life, uncertain of the future. "We do hope the police will drop the charge as we have done nothing wrong. What we displayed was an art work and in displaying it we had no intention of insulting any people or religious groups," he said.
Many other artists have also been persecuted for allegedly displaying "obscene" art or objects that have insulted certain religious groups. "Suwage's case represents many others where artists and actors have had problems with the religious community. The situation is worrying," said Andreas Harsono, director of the Pantau Foundation, of which Suwage is a member.
The concern has deepened since legislators, especially those from right Muslim parties, proposed the anti-pornography bill, which is now being deliberated at the House of Representatives (DPR).
The bill – which bans kissing in public, sensual dance and the depiction of sexual activity in literature, paintings, photographs or recordings, among other things – is seen as problem because it lends itself to multiple interpretations. If the bill is passed into the law, it will not only allow the state to oppress the work it considers obscene, as in the case of Agus Suwage, but it could also lead to the demise of freedom of expression in general.
If the bill passes, artists will no longer be able to express their thoughts without fearing legal prosecution, and women wearing fashionable attire could face being criminalized for their sexuality.
The bill has also concerned people in predominantly Hindu Bali, where nudity in certain contexts is an accepted part of the island's art and culture. The Balinese are worried that if the bill is made law, it will also affect tourism, which has been the backbone of the island's economy for years. As a result, the strongest opposition to the bill is coming from Bali.
A string of protests have been carried out since the deliberation of the bill was announced. Bowing to public pressure, the legislators with the DPR have visited various over the past few days to canvas public opinion on the bill. The legislators themselves have promised that the protests will be taken into account when the bill is deliberated but there is no guarantee that the outcome will be satisfactory to all.
Suwage stressed again that by displaying the art work, he did not intend to insult any religions or groups of people. "We have already said this to both the public and the police investigators but whether this will be heard, we have no idea. We can only wait," said Suwage in a gentle voice.