Chinese art surfaces after thirty-two years of repression<\/p>\n
Ahmad Solikhan, Contributor, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
The fragrance of burning incense wafts out of a gallery
\nilluminated by the reflection gleaming from red lanterns blending
\nwith the golden rays radiating from the gallery lighting. It
\naccentuated the beauty of the paintings that depicted natural
\nscenery, people, animals and a great variety of flowers in a
\nuniquely Chinese style.<\/p>\n
The visitors, mostly Chinese Indonesians of the older
\ngeneration, crowded in rapt attention before the paintings on
\ndisplay, eagerly trying to communicate with them.<\/p>\n
This scene was rare in art galleries across the country. For
\nover three decades Chinese Indonesian painters have been denied
\nroom for expression. They have even succumbed to the inclination
\nto merely imitate Western fine arts, which are considered easier
\nto digest by the international community.<\/p>\n
In fact, many painting techniques thought to belong to the
\nWestern culture were indeed found in China several centuries ago.<\/p>\n
The pointillistic technique associated with Georges Seurat in
\nFrance, for example, was used in China long before the French
\nartist became acquainted with it. Likewise, the technique
\ndeveloped by Paul Cezzane, one of France's most noted artists,
\nresembles the technique used by famous Chinese painters, Tung Chi
\nChang and Wang Yuan Chi, who lived several centuries before
\nCezzane.<\/p>\n
It should also be noted that the political climate in the New
\nOrder period was not conducive to the development of the Chinese
\nart genre.<\/p>\n
Today, in the noisy debates brought about by intensified fine
\nart discourses, particularly in Yogyakarta, and with the freedom
\nof expression being the order of the day, Chinese Indonesian
\npainters, who have for so many years confined themselves to their
\nown solitary environment, have made their appearance.<\/p>\n
Generally, their paintings are of a naturalistic style with a
\ntendency to express the natural conditions and social life of
\ntheir ancestors' culture.<\/p>\n
Of all Chinese Indonesian artists, Pwan Cho, 76, a lady from
\nTanjung Duren Utara, Jakarta, and Ma Yong Chiang, 65, a gentleman
\nborn in Malang, East Java, are consistent with the path of life
\nthey have chosen.<\/p>\n
They are now exhibiting their works in a joint exhibition
\nentitled in Yang at Galeri 9, Yogyakarta between Feb. 23 and
\nMarch 7, 2002. This exhibition combines Pwan Cho's works, mostly
\nconcerned with flowers and animals, and those of Ma Yong Chiang,
\nwho has a great interest in the beauty of mountains.<\/p>\n
Take an expressive painting by Pwan Cho called Dua Ikan (Two
\nFish), 68 cm x 42 cm, a watercolor on rice paper. It depicts two
\nblack Koi fish at the bottom of an aquarium during their mating
\nperiod. This romantic atmosphere is accentuated by the presence
\nof green leaves and red flowers.<\/p>\n
In another painting by Pwan, called Bangau (Egrets), 68 cm x
\n45 cm, also watercolor on rice paper, two egrets perch on a large
\nbranch covered with blossom. The egrets seem to be talking to
\neach other; their eyes staring far into the sky as if protesting
\nagainst their dwindling population.<\/p>\n
These two paintings, made with fine strokes of colorful paint
\non rice paper strongly express the elements of Chinese culture.
\nThe empty space in these paintings has a beauty of its own in
\ngiving prominence to the objects of the paintings.<\/p>\n
Pwan Cho studied fine arts at Kunstnijeverheid Instituut,
\nAmsterdam, in 1948 and then worked as a batik textile designer
\nbetween 1953 and 1958 in Holland and also in Indonesia. She said
\nthat it was not until 1984 that she began to concentrate on
\nChinese painting using a Chinese brush under the tutelage of Ling
\nNan Lung and Chaw I Chaw.<\/p>\n
In her 16 years of struggle with Chinese painting, she has
\nproduced hundreds of works. Unfortunately, her well-documented
\nworks were destroyed in the recent floods.<\/p>\n
For this ongoing exhibition, Pwan Cho, who runs a Chinese
\nbrush painting course at her residence, has been compelled to
\nwork hard to produce her latest works. \"I prefer painting with
\nwatercolor on rice paper as I learned to write Chinese characters
\nwhen I was a girl,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ma Yong Chiang, also known as R. Sidik
\nMartowidjoyo, said that in the past decade he had devoted himself
\nto the study of the works of Chinese painting maestros like Qi
\nBaishi, Li Keran, Fu Baishi and Zhang Dagian. He has used every
\nopportunity to go to China to observe ancient and contemporary
\nChinese paintings.<\/p>\n
Thanks to his experience and observation, Ma has finally been
\nable to produce hundreds of expressive abstract paintings. Take
\none of his works, Pegunungan (Mountains), 68 cm x 43 cm, ink on
\nrice paper. This painting presents the nuances of misty mountains
\nand provides a cool and shady feeling for the beholder.<\/p>\n
In Harmonis (Harmonious), 68cm x 68cm, ink on rice paper, he
\ndepicts a cock and a hen plus dozens of their newly-hatched
\nchicks to express our responsibility for the next generation.<\/p>\n
The two paintings look heavy because the thick monochrome
\ncolor dominates and fills the space of the rice paper. For Ma,
\nwho won an award for Best Quality Chinese Painting in the 2001
\ninternational traditional Chinese painting contest in Beijing,
\nChina, each color has its own significance in clarifying the
\nobject of a painting. Owing to this principle, Ma's painting
\nstyle is associated with unique and flexible strokes.<\/p>\n
It is only proper that the works of Chinese Indonesian
\npainters are exposed to art buffs through exhibitions at
\ngalleries. In this way, they will lead to a separate discourse
\nand spark healthy competition in the country's fine art
\ndevelopment.<\/p>",
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