Conversation Piece comprises a set of sculptures of human legs, installed behind a wall so that only the legs are visible to the viewer, giving the impression that a group of people are having a conversation behind the wall. The wall is meant to be installed at the front of an exhibition space, and covered with the wall text for that respective art exhibition. From the clothing and footwear worn by each pair of legs, one can hazard a guess as to the social status and role(s) of the personages that the legs belong to: the collector, the gallerist, the curator, the ibu-ibu (society ladies or wives of collectors) and perhaps even the artist as well. These are personalities often encountered at Indonesian art openings who broker the success of the exhibition and / or the artist whose works are on show. As such, Conversation Piece is a witty and sharply observant take on the politics and behind-the-scenes negotiations that characterize the highly competitive Indonesian art scene, suggesting that success in this sphere is not as simple or straightforward as merely producing good art, but rather, subject to complex negotiations and relationships which are often concealed from the public eye.
