19 paintings stolen from art gallery<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): Police are hunting for 19 paintings by
\nIndonesian art master Sudjana Kerton that were stolen last Sunday
\nmorning from the Sudjana Kerton Gallery here.<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Zul Azmi of the Bandung police told The Jakarta Post
\nyesterday that a special team was handling the case.<\/p>\n
"We received the report Monday. This is our first experience
\nof art theft. We are cooperating closely with the Jakarta police
\nand Interpol," he said. Officers have already questioned a number
\nof people.<\/p>\n
The theft occurred Sunday morning when a housemaid working for
\nthe late painter Sudjana Kerton's family reported a gallery door
\nwas open and some paintings were missing.<\/p>\n
American-born Louise Mouzelle Sudjana Kerton, wife of the late
\npainter, told The Jakarta Post she had no idea who took the 19
\npaintings.<\/p>\n
The stolen canvases, painted between l950 and l980s, include
\nAdu Ayam (l985),Affandi Makan Semangka (l982), Di Dalam Oplet
\n(l979), Doger Monyet (l988), Gunung Merapi (l982), Hujan Angin
\n(1958), Jatuhnya Matador (l963), Potret Keluarga , Sisingaan
\n(l984), Kerbau dan Burung, Mesra (l963), Cinta, Studio Daumier
\n(l950), Laki-Laki Suriname (l950), Ship Meadow (l950), Village in
\nthe Valley Pontoise (l950) and Apple Trees (l950).<\/p>\n
"They must have been taken by someone who had access to the
\ngallery. But I don't have anybody to suspect. I really have no
\nidea," Mrs. Kerton said sadly.<\/p>\n
Valued at Rp 600 million, the 19 paintings were among the 120
\nworks in the Sudjana Kerton's exhibition at the Ministry of
\nEducation and Culture's fine art gallery in Jakarta in November
\nand December last year.<\/p>\n
Tjandra Sudjana Kerton, Sudjana's daughter, admitted her
\nfamily paid little attention to the security of their gallery,
\nhome to dozens of her father's works and those of other painters.<\/p>\n
"Before we held our last exhibition, everything was okay. Only
\na few people were interested in my father's paintings. We are now
\nvery alarmed. We must tighten gallery security," Tjandra said.<\/p>\n
Born in Nov. 1922, Sudjana was one of Indonesia's pioneers in
\nthe fine art world. He initially worked as an integral part of
\nthe relatively small group of artists who used their talents in
\nthe battle for independence in the 1940s.<\/p>\n
He spent most of his life in the United States, the
\nNetherlands, Spain and France.<\/p>\n
Sudjana returned to Indonesia in 1976. His work from the 1980s
\nand early 1990s is more familiar to Indonesian art aficionados
\nfrom his several solo exhibitions and participation in numerous
\ngroup shows.<\/p>\n
In the current art boom Sudjana's works are highly valued by
\ncollectors. In his latest retrospective exhibition, in Jakarta
\nlast November, a number of paintings sold for between Rp 50
\nmillion and Rp 100 million each.<\/p>\n
According to Amir Sidharta, art curator of the Museum Pelita
\nHarapan in Jakarta, Sudjana's works were exhibited in Jakarta in
\nl980, l984, l985,l988 and in l996. The last exhibition attracted
\nthe most attention.<\/p>\n
Amir said it was not surprising Sudjana's works had become the
\ntarget of art thieves. In the last few years, works by Indonesian
\npainters Basuki Abdullah and Raden Saleh, Affandi have all been
\nstolen.<\/p>\n
A.D. Pirous, professor of art at the Bandung Institute of
\nTechnology, said the theft of Kerton's works was prompted by the
\nincreasing demand for high-quality art.<\/p>\n
"Indonesian art is now selling in art markets across Asia,
\nespecially in Singapore," said Pirous, also the dean of the
\ninstitute's Fine Art Department.<\/p>\n
Christie's representative in Indonesia, Deborah C. Iskandar,
\nsaid the international auction houses would make every effort to
\nhelp trace the paintings.<\/p>\n
"We're aware the paintings were stolen and if they (the stolen
\npaintings) are offered to us we'll do everything we can to get
\nthem back to their rightful owner," Iskandar told The Post
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Indonesia's Interpol bureau has asked for a
\ndetailed report on the paintings from the West Java police.<\/p>\n
"We badly need a detailed report on the stolen paintings so we
\ncan send it to our bureaus all over the world," bureau secretary
\nBrig. Gen. Ahwil Lutan said.<\/p>\n
The only way to keep precious art securely is to provide extra
\nsecurity for it, he said. (raw\/bsr\/ahy)<\/p>",
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