Identity Crisis: Reflections on Public and Private Life in Contemporary Javanese Photography

Organized by the Johnson Museum, this exhibition is the first in the United States to focus on the recent emergence of photography as an art form in Java, Indonesia. Guest curated by photographer Brian Arnold, Identity Crisis is the culmination of years of research and consultation with artists, curators, publishers, and educators in Java. The ten artists included pursue investigations of personal or cultural identity, and use photography to probe, obscure, or heighten questions and curiosities about being Javanese or Indonesian today. 

Whether looking at their personal histories, cultural or institutional histories, or documenting broader social diversity, each artist attempts to bring greater clarity to fundamental issues.