Come what may, local artists go on with the show<\/p>\n
By Chandra Johan<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Painter Irawan Karseno, who prefers to call
\nhimself a \"picture seller\", is grappling with the ugly effects of
\nthe monetary crisis.<\/p>\n
He has the same headaches as other employers now scrutinizing
\ntheir bottom lines. There are several staff in his studio, who
\nhelp in fixing canvases and packing finished paintings to be
\nsupplied to offices or the young professionals who make up his
\nbuyers.<\/p>\n
Or, rather, were his purchasers. The market has vanished.
\nAfter golden years of exhibitions in hotels, banks, galleries and
\noffice buildings, orders have shriveled to a trickle in the past
\nfew months.<\/p>\n
Other painters are inevitably feeling the pinch, but several
\nsay they have not been severely shaken by the downturn.<\/p>\n
Dan Hisman, Sri Warso Wahono, Sulebar and the relatively
\nunknown but productive Yoes Rizal were almost one in the opinion
\nthat they are not unnerved by the crisis. They say their stocks
\nof materials remain sufficient and claim they were never
\nmotivated by rewards in the once-booming art business.<\/p>\n
\"This situation is most definitely felt by those who were
\nconditioned by the market,\" said Dan, who sold three of his works
\nat an auction in Singapore several months ago.<\/p>\n
Some observers argue the local art market -- often considered
\nhighly irrational in its amazing purchases of entire offerings of
\npainters -- spoilt many artists, contributed to a collapse in
\ntheir idealism and fostered a rise in poor quality but
\ncommercially viable artworks.<\/p>\n
Mamannoor, an art observer from Bandung, is of this opinion.
\nBut he believes even the most serious collector and idealistic
\nartist would not be spared the effects of the crisis.<\/p>\n
\"Whoever the person is, he or she thinks of the stomach first,
\nthen of art. I am that way, too.\"<\/p>\n
He added that the economic quandary of artists was
\nunderstandable.<\/p>\n
Taxi<\/p>\n
\"In boom or recession periods, an artist ought to be
\nrealistic,\" said Irawan, \"If it is necessary, I'll become a taxi
\ndriver in order to live, and let my painting live.<\/p>\n
But not here, I mean in America. My friend can send his in-
\nlaws $500 a month...\"<\/p>\n
As he talked, he held up a tube of acrylic paint, which cost
\nRp 37,000 several months ago.<\/p>\n
It is now priced at over Rp 90,000.<\/p>\n
Irawan said he found inspiration even in these tough times.
\nArtists, he said, should reform their ways -- mentally,
\nintellectually and materially.<\/p>\n
Come what may, Sri Warso said he would never waver in his
\nresolve to paint.<\/p>\n
\"Painting must go on, even it means eating tiwul (cassava
\nmeal). After all, I used to live a hard life.\"<\/p>\n
Sri Warso won't have to eat lowly tiwul just now. He still has
\nconsiderable savings after selling 17 paintings last year, priced
\nfrom Rp 4 million to Rp 42 million each.<\/p>\n
Painter Jeihan might recall his hard times too in dealing with
\nthe crisis. He used to tell of the days when he sold fried
\nchicken to feed his family and to buy painting equipment, before
\nhe became rich and famous for his portraits of hollow-eyed
\nsubjects.<\/p>\n
Sri Warso added that it was usual for artists to support their
\nfamilies from other means than selling their works.<\/p>\n
Many of these same artists reject, however, labels that their
\nart is a pastime.<\/p>\n
\"Recession or not, it is all the same for me,\" said Dan, who
\nis a civil servant. \"Even during the boom period, I was not one
\nof those artists whose works sold well.\"<\/p>\n
Most of the artists believe the crisis will only undermine
\ntheir colleagues lacking mental strength and strong grounding in
\ntheir field.<\/p>\n
An artist's life, they contend, is always fraught with crises.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, there were so many artists who forgot about
\ntheir existence and their destiny, especially during the boom
\nperiods,\" said Yoes. \"The world of art nowadays does not touch
\nthe intellectuals and exploration anymore, but only the
\ndecoration.<\/p>\n
\"So, if luxurious buildings no longer need decoration anymore
\nbecause of the crisis, must art die, too? This is very tragic.\"<\/p>\n
Yoes, who said he never benefited from luck, will exhibit with
\nAmerican artist Joan Somers at the Lontar Gallery in the near
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
The crisis has not quashed the artists' spirit.<\/p>\n
Sri Warso said he would mark his 50th birthday with an
\nexhibition. Irawan plans to exhibit without thinking about
\nprofit margins.<\/p>\n
\"This is the moment of returning to the beginning,\" an
\nenthusiastic Irawan said. \"Reformation in all aspects. Several
\nmedia are not dependent on imported things. Gunny sacks or coal
\nfrom the kitchen could be an alternative.<\/p>\n
\"Why not? It's all art.\"<\/p>\n
This was said by Jim Supangkat and the late Sanento Yuliman a
\nfew years ago, who claimed \"media enrichment\" would prove to be
\nthe important \"truth\", while the boom era would result in
\n\"impoverishment\" in the art world.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/come-what-may-local-artists-go-on-with-the-show-1447893297",
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