Begitu wabah COVID-19 merebak, masyarakat dengan sigap membuka memori obat-obatan yang turun-temurun diwariskan dan dipraktikkan di lingkungan terkecil mereka. Ini sekaligus tanda bahwa sejak lama, berbekal ragam pengetahuan warisan, warga mampu bertahan menghadapi guncangan yang datang.
Untuk itulah Makassar Biennale membuka ruang urunan bagi dunia kesenian untuk merespons ini. Dengan tetap berfokus pada pertalian ekspresi lanskap maritim sebagai tema abadinya, Makassar Biennale 2021 menetapkan SEKAPUR SIRIH sebagai subtema, istilah generik sajian pembuka saat menjamu tamu dalam kebudayaan Nusantara.
SEKAPUR SIRIH diharapkan menjelma pintu masuk menjelajahi simbol kekayaan dunia pengobatan alam Indonesia (fitofarmaka). Ini sekaligus sebagai titik berangkat penjelajahan lebih luas yang berkaitan dengan kemungkinan-kemungkinannya diekspresikan dalam dwimatra, trimatra, hingga tingkat yang lebih performatif.
As soon as the COVID-19 outbreak spread out, people swiftly opened the memory of medicines that ancestors passed down from generation to generation and practiced in their surroundings. That is also a long-time sign that people have been able to withstand the distress that comes their way with the preparations and variety of inherited pieces of knowledge.
For this reason, the Makassar Biennale initiates a gathering space for art exhibitions to respond to this appearance. By focusing on the relative expression of maritime landscapes as its perpetual theme, Makassar Biennale 2021 originates SEKAPUR SIRIH as a sub-theme, the generic term for a serving when welcoming guests in Indonesian culture.
SEKAPUR SIRIH will be expected to become the entrance to explore the rich symbol of the world of Indonesian natural medicines (phytopharmacology). This is also the starting points for as far as possible exploration related to the possibilities revealed in two dimensions, three dimensions, and more performative levels.