Jim is an active member of Mes56 and has been involved with the contemporary photography collective since its inception in 2002. Mes56 is an artist collective based in Yogyakarta, which focuses on the critical exploration of contemporary photographic practices and also video as an artistic medium. As a practicing artist he has shown his work at various international galleries and museums such as: World Image Biennale-Musee du Quai, Paris France, Centre for Contemporary Photography-Melbourne, Australia, D’Gallery-Jakarta, Indonesia, Ricoh Ring Cube-Tokyo, Japan and Indonesian Marker Art Dubai-Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He also held a 3 month residency at Stone and Water Arts Space in Anyang, South Korea in 2010. His works are in many private and public collections.

Jim is also the editor and founder of kantorberita.mes56.com—an online blog that investigates and tracks the development of contemporary photography locally and internationally.

Exhibition Note:

In Board of Generals, Jim Allen Abel plays with the image of the military general found within the army, navy, marines and air force. By concealing the identity of each figure with jelly like masks he attempts to make them less intimidating, injecting a playful absurdity into the otherwise serious concept of Government defense organisations. Wearing exact replicas of each uniform, and in identical posturing, the artist casts himself as each of the four generals, reminiscing about his own childhood fascination with these figures and organizations. It is a memory of the past, since most children in Indonesia at the time were indoctrinated to believe in the potential of military aspirations. The work therefore references points of humour and nostalgia as well as a disempowering of the systems of control as symbolized through the uniform.

Ironically, within the context of this exhibition, one of Indonesia’s most iconic individuals was General Suharto. His New Order regime from 1968-1998, although responsible for economic growth and industrialization, is nevertheless charged with widespread corruption, authoritarianism and genocide that continue to haunt the nation today. Although, perhaps unintentional, there is something striking when considering these men of political power, blinded and voiceless.