Fine arts exhibit: A momentous first for Jakarta<\/p>\n
By Jason Tedjasukmana<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More than just a grouping of important artworks
\nawaits the public at the Shangri-La Hotel. The Jakarta
\nInternational Fine Arts Exhibition is historical in scope,
\nunbridled in ambition and a first on many levels.<\/p>\n
In short, it is perhaps one of the most significant cultural
\nevents to take place in recent Indonesian memory.<\/p>\n
Above all, the event marks the first time Indonesian painters
\nand sculptors have been exhibited concomitantly with their
\nartistic counterparts from Europe and America. The paintings of
\nSudjojono, Basuki Abdullah and Affandi, to cite just a few
\nIndonesian masters, deserve a place in the pantheon of
\nestablished and acclaimed international artists and this exhibit
\nprovides just such a venue.<\/p>\n
In the development of an artist, the dealer -- from Ambroise
\nVollard to Sidney Janis -- has always played a critical role.
\nWithout their support and patronage, the meteoric rise of such
\nartists as Picasso, Chagall, Rosenquist and Lichtenstein (select
\nworks from each are on exhibit) may never have occurred.<\/p>\n
The Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia (the Indonesian Fine Arts
\nFoundation) has stepped in to fill this vacuum in Indonesia by
\ninviting 11 overseas galleries and 10 local galleries to display
\ntheir works in the serious context of an international art forum.
\nTheir achievement, and hoped success, must be commended.<\/p>\n
None of these ground-breaking firsts would have come to
\nfruition without the vision and energy of First Lady Tien
\nSoeharto, Minister of Investment\/Chairman of Investment Planning
\nBoard Sanyoto Sastrowardoyo and his wife, Minister of Education
\nand Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro and his wife, President
\nSoeharto's daughter Titiek Prabowo, and the many other pioneers
\nthat make up the Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia (YSRI), founded less
\nthan six months ago on June 8, 1994.<\/p>\n
Int'l player<\/p>\n
The potential promotional and commercial benefits, however,
\nare not limited to the artists or the galleries that are acting
\non their behalf. The exhibition is an essential first step
\ntowards placing Jakarta on the map of the contemporary art world.<\/p>\n
Cultural primacy is of immeasurable value to a city's image,
\nespecially for one of this size. With over eight million people
\nand an economy developing at a breakneck pace, Jakarta, and of
\ncourse the country as a whole, is being recognized as a force to
\ncontend with in the international arena. To stay the proper
\nevolutionary course, the arts must not only be supported and
\npreserved but also encouraged and nurtured to irrevocably ensure
\ntheir rightful place in urban development planning.<\/p>\n
Promotion of the arts is no longer something relegated to
\nsecondary status, as New York, Paris, Madrid and the many other
\nsmaller cities hosting annual art fairs will attest to. Singapore
\nhas taken the lead in Southeast Asia with their Tresors
\nexhibition, opening next week. And should the Jakarta
\nInternational Fine Arts Exhibition come off successfully, the
\nfirst steps towards an annual international art fair, and perhaps
\neven a contemporary art institution, will have been taken.<\/p>\n
Investment<\/p>\n
For younger Indonesian artists this occasion has meant an
\nopportunity not only to have their works exposed to a broader
\naudience but to also procure the financial support necessary for
\ntheir growth, development and, more importantly, their survival.
\nIn conjunction with the Philip Morris Group of Companies, the
\nYSRI has established a competition with over Rp 23 million in
\ngrant money to be awarded to various artists throughout
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
For the public at large, this exhibition represents an unusual
\nopportunity to get a first-hand glimpse of such important
\nImpressionist and Modern painters as Cezanne, Renoir, Foujita,
\nPissarro and Utrillo, in addition to works by Contemporary giants
\nlike Jim Dine, Robert Rauschenberg, Mark Rothko and David
\nHockney.<\/p>\n
The rare viewing opportunity, however, is not limited only to
\nthe work of Western artists. Magnificent works by Raden Saleh,
\nHarijadi, Wakidi, Hendra Gunawan and other Indonesian masters
\nhave been borrowed from the Collection of the President of
\nIndonesia and are on public display for the very first time.<\/p>\n
In keeping with the esteemed company of the other
\ninternational fine arts galleries present, Perovetz of London has
\nmounted a selection of works in silver, and the Harry Winston
\ncollection offers a look at an impressive array of rare and
\nprecious gems.<\/p>\n
Residents of Jakarta will have the distinguished opportunity
\nto see for themselves the legendary Trump Tiara, the Garuda
\nbrooch and dozens of other treasures that have established Harry
\nWinston as one of the most important fine jewelers of modern
\ntimes.<\/p>\n
The exhibition of over 250 original works of art is open daily
\nfrom 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. and will remain on display at the
\nShangri-La Hotel until Oct. 23. Proceeds from the admission price
\nof Rp 5,000 will be donated to the YSRI.<\/p>\n
Logistics<\/p>\n
It is precisely with this heightening of awareness in all
\nrealms of expression that the YSRI has triumphed. For the
\nscholar, businessperson, artist and museum visitor alike, this
\nawareness is not only an education about past and present
\nmovements in the art world, but about the capital's ability to
\ncommit resources and organize a world-class event.<\/p>\n
The logistics behind the organization and arrangements for
\nthis exhibit were undoubtedly mind-boggling in terms of packing,
\nshipping and insuring the overseas works and in the selection and
\ncoordination of regional galleries. The successful realization of
\nthe display proves that Jakarta is indeed prepared to undertake
\nprojects of such stature and complexity.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta International Fine Arts Exhibition underscores the
\ncity's commitment to the preservation and advancement of the arts
\nin Indonesia. Hopefully this will establish contemporary art not
\nonly as legitimate national patrimony but also as a tenable
\nengine of development and growth.<\/p>",
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