Cogito Ergo Sum, 2003
Digital print

"Cogito Ergo Sum" is one of several works that marks a recent shift in FX Harsono’s work. The tumultuous events following Suharto’s downfall in 1998, including the brutal riots that targeted the ethnic Chinese, socially engaged artists like Harsono not only lost their primary enemy, but also became disillusioned in 'the people' with whom they had identified and defended in their art. Harsono’s art work still reflects his former idealism and immense empathy for human suffering. However, he no longer uncritically defends the masses, but rather Harsono’s recent work often underscores its duplicity. "Cogito Ergo Sum" represents a related aspect in the recent shift in his work. It is a critical examination of Harsono’s own identity as both an Indonesian of Chinese descent and an artist searching for a purpose during a time of uncertainty. Read left to right, both identities are increasingly erased and/or constrained by external forces.
(Text by Amanda Rath)