A Basque in Bali opens fine arts program<\/p>\n
By Jason Tedjasukmana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The centuries-old relationship between artist
\nand patron has generally been a fruitful one. The Medici family's
\ncommissioning of Donatello and Michaelangelo in 15th century
\nFlorence, for example, resulted in a number of Europe's most
\nimportant works of art. While Europeans have long realized the
\nimportance of cultural patronage, the practice has again come
\nunder attack in the United States, where a Republican-controlled
\ncongress is determined to do away with virtually all government
\nspending on the arts.<\/p>\n
In light of such philistine axe-wielding, any initiative of
\nthe public sector in the cultural arena is all the more welcome.
\nThis is especially necessary to Jakarta, where relatively few
\nexhibitions are mounted with private funds.<\/p>\n
The Embassy of Spain has stepped into the fine arts fold this
\nweek with its exhibition of paintings by Jesus Mari Lazkano, a
\nnative of the Basque country in northern Spain. Lazkano is the
\nfirst of ten artists invited to participate in the embassy's Ten
\nof the Best series, a cultural exchange program designed to
\nintroduce Spain's most prominent contemporary artists to
\nIndonesian audiences. Spanish artists are given an opportunity to
\ndiscover Indonesia, and the embassy hopes a program for
\nIndonesians will one day come to fruition. Over the course of two
\nyears, each artist will spend two months either in Bali, Batam,
\nJakarta or Yogyakarta, compliments of Grupo Sol Melia, Spain's
\nlargest hotel group.<\/p>\n
Private participation allows the embassy to price the
\npaintings at a fraction of what the artists currently fetch on
\nthe international market. In the words of Ambassador Antonio
\nSanchez Jara, the challenge now is for collectors "to detect
\ntheir genius" and buy accordingly. For, he adds, "a new
\ngeneration of Picassos, Miros, Tapies, Gris and Dalis is emerging
\nin Spain and some of its greatest members were selected for this
\ncycle".<\/p>\n
Worlds together<\/p>\n
Lazkano has created over two dozen paintings for the
\nexhibition -- an impressive number considering the average size
\nof each work, 50 cm x 75 cm, and the relatively short duration of
\nhis stay in Nusa Dua, Bali.<\/p>\n
Whether his activity was fueled by the beauty of the Balinese
\nlandscape or a desire to fill the embassy's fairly large gallery
\nspace, however, is less clear. Lazkano has devoted his undeniable
\ntalent to series of rather homogeneous portrayals of Balinese
\nrice terraces and cliff-sides.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old artist breaks down the island's abundant
\nvegetation into what he calls "architectural landscapes". All
\nnarrative elements are removed and humanity's presence is obvious
\nonly in the rice terraces that have been meticulously carved out
\nof the hills by farmers and rendered with scientific precision by
\nLazkano.<\/p>\n
An unadulterated silence lingers heavily in each landscape and
\none is left wondering about the improbable position of the
\npainter and the light source in each painting. Moments are not
\ncaptured in time, but interpreted more through photographs that
\nallow Lazkano to impose his own order of space. Imaginary trees
\nemerge in the foreground of several works, disturbing the serene
\nbalance of the Balinese countryside and thrusting the eye deep
\ninto a manipulated, yet believable, scenario. Lines dissect and
\ncreate a rhythm that reverberates through the shallow pools of
\nyoung rice fields and the towering palms that grace his lemon
\nskies.<\/p>\n
Because of the uniform color and subject matter of the works,
\nthe paintings make less of an impact when hung side by side.
\nHowever, their collective arrangement in the gallery provides a
\nvital and unique opportunity to evaluate this artist's "Bali
\nperiod" and the impetus behind his latest creations.<\/p>\n
In his catalog, Lazkano explains: "Bali's tremendous natural
\nendowments simply crush everything in its midst and my growing
\ninterest has been prevailed upon by the expansive capacity of the
\nlandscape. The tension between 'architecturalized landscape' and
\nnature almighty is noticed in the rice terraces (an authentic
\ncreation of landscape architecture) and its own self-propelling
\ngeography (volcanic activity and constantly growing surface
\nvegetation)."<\/p>\n
Lazkano's individual landscapes are neither romantic or
\nintimate. Coming from one of Spain's most lush and mountainous
\nprovinces, his reaction to the majestic Balinese terrain was far
\nfrom that of an awestruck tourist. Each painting is an isolated
\ninvestigation. The series as a whole is an intense effort to get
\ncloser to his surroundings, to which he dedicates the same
\nscrutiny applied to the neo-classical structures and industrial
\nbuildings of his earlier works.<\/p>\n
Be it another exercise or a turning point in his promising
\ncareer, Lazkano likens the experience to a good book. "You never
\nknow when you'll come back to it, but you do know that you'll
\nread it again." He adds: "All exhibitions cover a more or less
\nprolonged period of personal history, namely that of the artist.
\nSome coincide with landmarks in their development, others define
\nperiods noted in previous shows while others completely break
\nfrom the past."<\/p>\n
Regardless of how the chapter unfolds for the artist, the
\nembassy can clearly call their program a success. This first
\ninstallation in the series has already provided an important step
\nin Ibero-Indonesian understanding and an even more important
\ncontribution to the arts.<\/p>\n
The works of Jesus Mari Lazkano will remain on display at the
\nEmbassy of Spain on Jl. Agus Salim No. 61, Central Jakarta, until
\nSept. 29.<\/p>",
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