Friendly spirits

Tonight is the opening night of ´´wasted´´- Indonesia at the Cemeti Art Gallery in Yogyakarta. The last adjustments have been made, the floor has been cleaned; drinks and snacks have been ordered. We are ready to go.

I sit here at the front of the gallery with the doors to the garden wide open to let the wind flow through the space. The white dresses float gently up and down. From where I´m seated I can see the well. The gallery uses it as a source for water, but the night guards, so I have been told, have a more interesting purpose for it…

The story goes that there are friendly ghosts living in the back of the gallery where the wasted labyrinth of white silk dresses has been built. The guards used to sleep at the back, but one night they we´re hugged by the friendly ghost. A local ghost specialist came to the gallery and confirmed there were ghosts at Cemeti. Friendly ones.

Since that night the guards make an offer to the ghosts every Thursday that they place carefully next to the well. Let´s hope it´s a good omen for our wasted opening night…