Dede's paintings social commentaries<\/p>\n
By Amir Sidharta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Works of painter Dede Erie Supria have an
\namazing super-realistic quality that everybody -- well, perhaps
\nit would be safer to say almost everybody -- likes them. In fact
\nI have never heard a negative comment about the painter's works.<\/p>\n
Those who saw the Modern Indonesian Art exhibit when it toured
\nthe United States, or who have read the book published in
\nconjunction with the show, should recognize Dede's work entitled
\nLipstick for Mother. The painting depicts R.A. Kartini --
\nIndonesia's acknowledged propagator of women's rights -- known by
\nIndonesia's younger generation as Ibu Kartini. Perhaps Lipstick
\nfor Ibu would be a more appropriate title or translation of the
\noriginal title.<\/p>\n
In the painting, Ibu Kartini is depicted just as most
\nIndonesians recognize her from history text books, commemorative
\nposters, stamps, etcetera. But here she sheds tears.<\/p>\n
She sits under an old fashioned overhead hair drier. Across
\nthe lower portion of the picture, in front of the figure, is a
\nlarge image of lipstick.<\/p>\n
\"Kartini seems to be crying because the `modernization' that
\nhas occurred so far is more geared towards superficial matters,\"
\ncommented a student of the Jakarta Institute of Arts when she saw
\nthe painting reproduced in the book.<\/p>\n
The lipstick and the hair drier are clear references to means
\nof beautification. And, there is more. The figure's left hand
\nholds a revolver over the right side of her face. Above the
\nlipstick, the depiction below the face is sharded. Black
\ntriangles break into the portrait in a radiating configuration
\nthat is often used to indicate an explosion.<\/p>\n
As most of his paintings, Lipstick for Ibu evidences Dede's
\nremarkable mastery of painting technique. Furthermore, through
\nthis work, he states a powerful social commentary. But not only
\nthat, he compels people to think about some things that are not
\nimmediately obvious. We are left to ask ourselves, what does the
\ngun and the explosive imagery signify?<\/p>\n
There are perhaps historical incidents that occurred not long
\nbefore Dede painted this masterpiece to which he could have been
\nreferring, but at this point that is not my concern. I am more
\ninterested in Dede's artistic references.<\/p>\n
Little girl<\/p>\n
Last month, along with the news of plans of a visit to
\nIndonesia by American painter James Rosenquist, came a few
\npublications of his works. One of the books included F-111, the
\npainter's early masterpiece measuring three meters high by 25.8
\nmeters wide, partially reproduced in detail.<\/p>\n
The painting centered on the sophisticated jet fighter which
\nwas developed in the 1960s for the purpose of war. In an
\ninterview, Rosenquist once said that the airplane \"is the newest,
\nlatest fighter-bomber at this time, 1965. The first of its type
\ncost many millions of dollars. People are planning their lives
\nthrough work on this bomber, in Texas or Long Island. Then the
\noriginal idea is expanded, another thing is invented; and the
\nplane already seems obsolete. The prime focus of this thing has
\nbeen to keep people working, an economic tool; but behind it,
\nthis is a war machine.\" In essence, the work was a protest
\nagainst the Vietnam War and excessive defense spending.<\/p>\n
Typical of the artist's works, this painting is composed of
\ndifferent images. Apart from the theme of war, the piece also
\nincludes references to consumerism, such as a cake, a tire, an
\numbrella and a little girl under an overhead hair drier.<\/p>\n
A little girl under an overhead hair drier? Coincidentally, it
\nwas this very image that was reproduced in the book on
\nRosenquist. Depicted with super-realistic qualities of a
\nbillboard painting, it immediately brought to mind Lipstick for
\nIbu, painted in 1980.<\/p>\n
Examining more closely the renowned painter -- often labeled a
\npop artist -- we can infer that he frequently used consumer goods
\nand objects of Pop Culture in his early works. Brightly colored
\nsofas, margarine, razor blades, can openers, canned fruit,
\nbottles and cars appear in his paintings. Lipstick is an item
\nthat also appears regularly. Rows of lipstick seems to jut out
\nfrom the right portion of House of Fire (1981) and from the left
\nend of Fahrenheit 1982. In House of Fire II (1982) seven
\nlipsticks project randomly from the middle of the painting.
\nPerhaps earlier versions of these paintings influenced Dede's
\nLipstick for Ibu.<\/p>\n
From the two means of beautification alone, it is clear that
\nDede is influenced by Rosenquist, and the Indonesian painter
\nopenly acknowledges this fact.<\/p>\n
\"Rosenquist is one of the painters I most admire,\" Dede
\nclaims. Even his use of explosive shards stems from Rosenquist's
\nshards. Only, while he uses them to create a symbol of rapid
\nchange, Rosenquist uses the shards as a transitional device to
\nmerge one image with another.<\/p>\n
\"Dede is clever to adapt elements that he learned from
\nRosenquist into his own expression,\" commented another Jakarta
\nInstitute of Arts student. While it is true that Rosenquist's
\neffect on Dede goes beyond influence, we cannot say that the
\nlatter copied the former. The Indonesian painter has used a
\nsuper-realistic style, subject matter and other artistic devices
\nthat is typical of Rosenquist in a way that can no longer be
\nattributed to the American painter.<\/p>\n
The student compared Dede to an Indonesian theater director
\nwho adapts the works of an western author. However, what Dede has
\ndone is exactly the opposite. Instead of using a western story
\nand telling it in an Indonesian way, he used a western way to
\ntell his narrative of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Like Dede, artist Marcel Duchamp used \"ready mades\" --
\nfamiliar everyday items: an old bicycle wheel, a stool, a urinal,
\na bottle rack, and even a reproduction of Leonardo Da Vinci's
\nMona Lisa -- to create his works of art, Dede used Rosenquist's
\n\"ready mades\": the hair drier, lipstick, and sharded imagery.<\/p>\n
Going a bit further, in many respects Dede's painting is much
\nlike a parody akin to Weird Al Jankovitch's parodies of Madonna
\nLike a Virgin (Like a Surgeon) or Michael Jackson's Beat It (Eat
\nIt) music videos. The two examples may not seem a fair comparison
\nto the serious content of Dede's work. However, just as Dede uses
\nthe popular imagery and style that has become James Rosenquist's
\ntrademark, Weird Al uses the well-known styles and movements of
\nthe two superstars.<\/p>\n
Dede used a vocabulary from a language that has been
\npopularized by Rosenquist to tell his story. Perhaps he even
\nintended the painting to be somewhat a parody of Pop Art. If pop
\nartists incorporated consumer items into their works of art, Dede
\nborrowed Rosenquist's artistic style -- which has become somewhat
\nof a consumer item -- to create his paintings.<\/p>\n
After Pop<\/p>\n
Fifteen years have passed since Lipstick for Ibu, and both
\nDede and Rosenquist have both progressed in different ways. The
\nIndonesian artist's work has been concentrated on the themes of
\nurban confusion, often conveyed using devices such as labyrinths
\nand repetition of objects related to city life.<\/p>\n
In the recent past, James Rosenquist's use of shards has
\nprogressed into the use of shredded depictions of women in cut-
\nout pictures, superimposed on super-realistic renditions of
\nplants and vegetation.<\/p>\n
Today, he has taken an entirely different direction. A recent
\nphotograph shows that his most recent work is entirely composed
\nof cut-out strips of paper arranged in a chaotic three-
\ndimensional collage. We can expect yet another revolutionary
\ndevelopment in the art of James Rosenquist.<\/p>\n
To better understand the artist's concepts and works, James
\nRosenquist is scheduled to deliver a lecture on Thursday, May 4,
\n1995, at 2 p.m., at the Graha Bakti Budaya, Taman Ismail Marzuki,
\nJl. Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta. A discussion including
\npainter Dede E. Supria and art critic James Supangkat will
\nfollow.<\/p>\n
The works of James Rosenquist can be viewed at the exhibition
\nof Some Very Important American Artists in conjunction with the
\nAmerican Arts Festival 1995, which will be held from May 1 to 6
\nat the residence of the Ambassador of the United States of
\nAmerica to Indonesia, Jl. Taman Suropati No. 3, Central Jakarta.
\nA limited number of invitations are available through the
\nconcierge of the Grand Hyatt Jakarta on a first come, first
\nserved basis.<\/p>",
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