Aswar's coconut-shell calligraphy<\/p>\n
Fadli, Contributor, Batam<\/p>\n
At 84, Aswar Rauf speaks in a rather weak and trembling voice.
\nHowever, he has good sight, hearing and memory; he is still
\nable, with great skill, to cut coconut shells into pieces that he
\nwill later shape into Arabic characters and assemble to produce a
\ncalligraphic arrangement of a quotation from the Muslim holy
\nbook, the Koran.<\/p>\n
Born in Tawawi, Sawah Luntoh regency, West Sumatra, on Sept.
\n6, 1921, Aswar was formerly a civil servant in the government
\ninformation office when Adinegoro was information minister. After
\nthe war of independence was over, he moved to Tanjung Pinang on
\nBanten island and became an artist whose paintings were sold in
\nnearby Malaysia and Singapore.<\/p>\n
\"I started creating calligraphy on pieces of coconut shell
\nwhen I saw that some people could use copper, gold and other
\nmetals for their calligraphy.<\/p>\n
Then I remembered that my teachers at INS (the equivalent of a
\nmodern-day high school) in Kayu Tanam, West Sumatra, had told us
\nto produce handicrafts that others had not made, and which could
\nbe made from easily available using unwanted material. I always
\nremember my teachers' words,\" said Aswar, who claims to have a
\npassive knowledge of Arabic, English, Japanese and German.<\/p>\n
It was back in 1948 that Aswar felt bored working as a civil
\nservant in the government information office in Bukit Tinggi. One
\nday he met Adinegoro and told him that he intended to retire and
\npursue further studies in the United States. Adinegoro
\nappreciated young Aswar's enthusiasm to study. He allowed him to
\nretire and gave him a supportive letter of reference.<\/p>\n
\"My mentor, Adinegoro, told me that I could use it as a
\nrecommendation when I contacted foreign embassies for assistance.
\nSo, I went to Rengat in Riau as I wanted to proceed to Singapore
\nby sea,\" Aswar said.<\/p>\n
He planned to work in a tanker that traveled round the world,
\nso that he could go to the U.S. for free. Unfortunately, his plan
\nnever materialized.<\/p>\n
\"I was called upon by the war of independence to do something
\nfor this country. When I got to Rengat, a group of young men
\nsmuggling weapons from Malaysia to Indonesia asked me to join
\nthem. I agreed and abandoned my plan to go to the U.S.,\" he said.<\/p>\n
After the war of independence was over, Aswar opted to remain
\nin Tanjung Pinang and began to earn a living as an artist to feed
\nhis family of seven.<\/p>\n
\"I kept thinking about what I should create that other people
\nhad not created, and for which material was easily available.
\nWhen I saw coconut shells dumped all over the place, I tried to
\nproduce calligraphy with them,\" Aswar said.<\/p>\n
He began creating calligraphy on coconut shells in 1980, using
\na grinding machine. \"The first calligraphy I made read
\n\"Bismillahi irrahman nirrahaim\" (in the name of God, the Merciful
\nand All-Caring). It was not bad. I supplemented the calligraphy
\nwith a Minang (West Sumatra)-motif ornamentation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
A Malaysian friend of his happened to see the calligraphy and
\ntold him that it would fetch a good price if it were sold in
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
\"The friend took it to Malaysia and sold it for Rp 5 million.
\nI never thought that it could fetch such a high price,\" said
\nAswar, who subsequently decided to devote himself to producing
\ncoconut-shell calligraphy.<\/p>\n
In 2001, President Abdurrahman Wahid visited Tanjung Pinang.
\nThe Riau islands regency and asked Aswar to lend them a few
\npieces of his calligraphy to be displayed in the regency
\nadministration building, which the president was due to visit.<\/p>\n
\"When First Lady Shinta Nuriyyah saw it, her interest was
\naroused and she asked then regent Huzrin Hood what they were made
\nof. She was surprised when told and wanted to buy them. She
\nbought two pieces for Rp 40 million,\" said Aswar.<\/p>\n
Aswar spent the money on a haj pilgrimage to Mecca.<\/p>\n
Aswar's pieces are more popular in Singapore and Malaysia than
\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"God willing, I will have a solo exhibition of my pieces in
\nKuala Lumpur in September this year. A friend of mine owns a
\ngallery there and will sponsor it. At present, I have a
\ncollection of 20 pieces. I will make another 20 for this
\nexhibition,\" Aswar said.<\/p>\n
He agreed that his coconut-shell calligraphy was not that
\npopular in Indonesia because of its high price.<\/p>\n
\"Many people wonder why the price is so high while the basic
\nmaterial used is only a coconut shell. They forget that to make
\ncoconut-shell calligraphy you need great perseverance,
\nmeticulousness and patience,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He added that for a particular commission he would need five
\nto 20 shells and a piece would take about 15 to 30 days to
\ncomplete.<\/p>\n
\"I don't have a fixed price for my calligraphy. Each item
\ncosts from Rp 1 million to Rp 10 million,\" he said, chuckling.<\/p>\n
Aswar said he collected, at no cost, coconut shells from
\nvendors who sold coconut drinks. One of his sons collected them
\nand then ensured that all the shells were dried in the sunshine.<\/p>\n
\"I just hope that some younger people might become interested
\nto learn how to make this kind of calligraphy. My eldest child
\nseems to be interested in it,\" he added.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aswars-coconut-shell-calligraphy-1447893297",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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