Acehnese artist tells of region's pain<\/p>\n
By Amir Sidharta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Is there room for artistic creativity in war-
\ntorn Aceh? That is one of the questions that came to mind when I
\nlearned about the works of Mahdi Abdullah, an artist who works
\nand lives in Aceh.<\/p>\n
Next Monday, Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi), a
\nnongovernment environmental organization, will organize a fund
\nraising event for Aceh refugees, to be held at the Graha Niaga.
\nPresident Abdurrahman Wahid is scheduled to appear during the
\nevent.<\/p>\n
Mahdi's works will be exhibited from June 5 through to June 8
\nand some of them will be auctioned to benefit Aceh refugees.
\nMahdi, who is in a formative stage of his artistic career, is
\ndeveloping an artistic style through his depictions of the
\nsuffering of the Acehnese.<\/p>\n
Telah Luka yang Tak Berdosa (The Innocent have
\nSuffered) shows the torso of a woman with a crying baby beneath
\nher. The woman's head is bent to the left, while to the right of
\nthe torso there is a dead bird. Above, there is a row of dead
\ntrees, suggesting loneliness and sorrow.<\/p>\n
About this work, the artist writes, \"prolonged conflict in
\nAceh has had an impact on the environment (birds, trees, women
\nand children).\" Those are entities of hope which have been
\ndestroyed.<\/p>\n
\"My art is a manifestation of the narrative of the reality of
\nhumankind and the environment. I believe that the subject and
\nobject that supports the reality of life also participates in
\nexpression that is being processed.\"<\/p>\n
The visualization of images without borders is built from
\nsediments that have settled in the brain, and then slowly stretch
\noutward until they touch reality in certain experiences, writes
\nthe artist.<\/p>\n
In other works, figures -- mostly women -- are seen in
\nrefuge, taking their children and belongings that need to be
\nsaved. Although many of them are shown without faces, the
\nexpression of anxiety, distress and haste can be felt in the
\npainting.<\/p>\n
There is an impression that the work, entitled Terusir dari
\nTanah Sendiri, Evicted from Their Own Homeland, is like an
\nunfinished painting.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, the work can also be seen as a finished
\nwork composed with elements of sketches. The faceless figures are
\nnot merely so because the artist has not completed their details,
\nrather, they suggest the fact that this painting is not merely a
\nrecord of a certain historical event but a daily phenomenon in
\nwhich anyone can suffer when they are forced to flee from their
\nhomes.<\/p>\n
The conditions in Aceh have certainly influenced Mahdi, and
\nhave undeniably lead him to employ the sketch technique. However,
\nthey have also influenced and stimulated his creativity to
\nexplore new ideas. Mahdi is the chairperson of
\nthe Fine Art Committee of the Aceh Art Council, artistic editor
\nand caricaturist of the Kontras tabloid and head of Media and
\nTechnique Division of the Aceh chapter of the Indonesian
\nArchitecture Association.<\/p>\n
His paintings also depict everyday life in Aceh, when the
\nintensity of war briefly ceases. Religious life becomes a
\nsignificant theme. Islamic hope is what offers optimism among the
\nAcehese while war tears apart their homeland. Although
\nfull of sorrow, the Acehese still want to make an effort to open
\nup their homeland to other societies and peoples.<\/p>\n
This can be seen in Membuka Pintu, Opening Door, where a
\nwoman dressed in traditional Aceh costume sits holding up a
\ncontainer filled with fruit. The container, called ranub dalam
\nlampuan, symbolizes pemulia jamee, honor to guests, who are
\nvisiting Aceh.<\/p>\n
The woman sits with her head bowed, suggesting that she is
\ncautious in accepting guests. To the right of the canvas, a man
\nis making a great effort pushing a door open.<\/p>\n
Above can be seen rainbow-like facets, symbolizing hope.
\nApparently, artistic creativity and activity in war-torn Aceh is
\nactually a way of survival. Will the war and violence end? When?
\nIs there still hope? Art still offers some hope, at least for
\nMahdi Abdullah.<\/p>",
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