Artist Rustamadji still going strong<\/p>\n
By Erry Prabandari<\/p>\n
KLATEN, Central Java (JP): It's the dark blue of the mountains
\nin the background and the paddy fields in the foreground which
\nmake the gorgeous landscape. Nature, and all of its creatures,
\nare the source of inspiration for Rustamadji, an 80-year-old
\npainter from Klaten.<\/p>\n
Everything finds a place on his canvas: An urban sewage
\nsystem, frolicking ducks, banana trees pregnant with plump fruit,
\neven a street musician playing a simple instrument. It is all
\ncaptured in his realist-naturalist style, which he has remained
\nfaithful to since he began painting at the age of 16.<\/p>\n
In honor of Rustamadji, the Klaten Artists Fellowship
\n(PASREN), with the assistance of Kompas daily, is holding a solo
\nexhibit of his works. It is in conjunction with his 80th
\nbirthday. He was born on Jan. 19, 1921.<\/p>\n
Rustamadji believes small is beautiful and often brings the
\nsimple theme to his canvas. He loves detail and tries to be as
\ntrue to reality as possible; for him, the old and the young
\nleaves are the same. As a true nature lover, almost all of his
\npaintings have nature themes; the observer is taken on a nature
\ntour.<\/p>\n
It is also surprising how he can take the seemingly mundane
\nand render it important. He often draws forests in their
\nserenity, the fern crowned by luscious green foliage, the flow of
\na river.<\/p>\n
Village life is often the object of his paintings. For
\nexample, Jalan ke Desa (Road to the Village\/1974) shows a village
\nwaking up in the morning. A trader rides his bicycle laden with
\nthe fruits of the harvest, as ducks swim in an open drain.<\/p>\n
In Rembang Tebu (Sugarcane Harvest, 1987), he tells of the
\nsituation during the harvesting season. Two farmhands share a
\njoke near the railway line, while others haul the harvest onto
\ntrucks. In the background, a pair of buffalo pull a cart laden
\nwith the harvested crop.<\/p>\n
Like other realist-naturalist painters, Rustamadji likes to
\npaint at the location. Only in recent years, he paints indirectly
\nwith the help of photos. For him, painting is not merely an art,
\nbut also a medium to communicate with God. He adores Him and
\nwants to express this feeling by painting His wonderful
\ncreatures, since God is the highest Creator.<\/p>\n
Rustamadji has tried to keep from becoming arrogant and to
\nkeep a low profile, although his name is well-known at both the
\nnational and international levels. According to Hardjija, a
\npainter who helped organize the exhibition, Rustamadji is
\npowerful, not only because of his love of painting on wide
\ncanvases but his expertise in stone sculptures.<\/p>\n
The exhibition of Rustamadji's works is at Jl. Pemuda 58,
\nKlaten, about 30 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, until Jan. 19.<\/p>",
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