Foreign artists shine in conducive local art scane<\/p>\n
By Pavan Kapoor<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In a country where art and culture are not only
\ndiscernibly appreciated but also revered, international artists
\nrevel in the atmosphere of credence granted to creative art.<\/p>\n
The Hilton Executive Club is presently hosting an exhibition
\nof oil and watercolor paintings by two talented expatriate women,
\nBarbara Evans and Lauretta Libby Agolli. The exhibition, held
\nuntil Monday, includes about 50 paintings, mainly watercolors but
\nalso some works in oil.<\/p>\n
Agolli, who is from America, commenced her formal art
\neducation at the School of Visual Art in Rio De Janeiro. Evans
\ncannot say when she started to paint because she all she
\nremembers is \"painting all my life\".<\/p>\n
She studied art at the Joseph Wright School of Art in England.
\nAlthough she admits to deserting her brushes when she was a
\nteenager and then again when she had her children, she rekindled
\nher art when her husband began traveling on business trips.<\/p>\n
Agolli has sold her paintings wherever she has lived --
\nSeattle, Washington, Brazil and now in Indonesia, where she has
\nresided for the past three years. Upon arriving in Jakarta with
\nher husband in his new work assignment, she immediately began
\nparticipating in workshops and teaching in the International
\nCultural Activities Center at Kemang. She is a member of the
\nGroup Sembilan of nine female painters, which has been in
\nexistence for about 26 years. Most of the Indonesian painters in
\nthe group have remained the same, with the international members
\nchanging as they move on to new lands.<\/p>\n
The works of the two artists point to the fact that today,
\ndespite sophisticated video technology and other visual stimuli,
\nthere are more people than ever wishing to paint. Perhaps the
\nreason lies in the inborn urge in people to create, and painting
\nis the most exciting, easily accessible medium which effectively
\nfulfills that urge.<\/p>\n
Although there are the usual themes of flowers and still life
\nin the exhibition, it is apparent that each painting has an
\nunusual center of impact. In Agolli's Chimps At Play, it is the
\nlayered foliage that builds the theme and the opaque red sun on
\nstark white that carries the impact. Both the artists agree that
\nunusual themes attract people more than usual ones like still
\nlife, flowers and conventional landscapes.<\/p>\n
Another Agolli painting, Two Monks, shows the back of two
\nboyish figures of monks. The folds of their saffron robes stand
\nup against a lightly washed background with minimum detail.<\/p>\n
The special radiance of watercolor comes from the light being
\nreflected back from the white paper through the transparent
\nlayers of colors is one of the first lessons for a beginner.<\/p>\n
\"Although pigments spread out and swirl at their whim, control
\nis important and the old adage less is more applies here
\nvehemently,\" says Agolli.<\/p>\n
In oil painting it is easier to correct mistakes because the
\npaint takes longer to dry and can be wiped off completely, but
\nthe \"happy accidents\" that characterize watercolors are not easy
\nto encourage or control for that matter.<\/p>\n
The painter plays with the thickness and thinness of the paint
\nin oils to create the desired effect whereas in watercolors,
\nlayer over layer of tonal pigments is what creates the fresh and
\nlively effect.<\/p>\n
While oil painters and watercolorists usually run a constant
\nbarrage of rivalry against each other on the respective
\nadvantages of the particular medium, these two artists happily
\nmaintain an easy truce.<\/p>\n
They realize that a culturally inspired country raises its
\npeople with a high degree of cultural awareness. \"There are many
\ncountries where artists are discounted, but Indonesia with it's
\ntraditional batik, beautiful sense of sculptures, modern and
\ntraditional architecture is an extremely culturally aware country
\nand it is an honor to be a part of it,\" says Agolli.<\/p>\n
Evans does not adhere to one particular style or theme, but
\ninsouciantly indulges in everything from flowers and landscapes
\nto portraits. She likes to mostly paint scenes from real life but
\nindulges in photographing her subjects as well. After
\nphotographing her subjects from two or three angles, she gets
\ndown to work often shifting her subjects. This is the case with
\nthe painting of the ISKY Country Club in South Jakarta, where she
\nhas conveniently relocated a tree she thought looked better on
\nthe edge of the lake than about hundred meters inland. She loves
\nplaying with light shades to create the impact of the central
\ntheme.<\/p>\n
In one of her paintings there are a group of children
\nsquatting in almost a circle, in the center of which one boy
\nstands and orates from a book. This is a brilliant work of light
\nand dark, where a strong shaft of light falling on the standing
\nboy illuminates the rest of the scene.<\/p>\n
Evans has sold her paintings at numerous exhibitions.
\nHer works can also be found at the biannual charity exhibitions
\nput up by Gay Warren where paintings are sold at discounted
\nprices.<\/p>\n
Luck<\/p>\n
She says luck plays an important part during an exhibition or
\nsale. But she adds that people will always go for good works.<\/p>\n
What does luck have to do with it? \"The painting might be an
\nexcellent piece of work but the customer might be wanting
\nsomething bigger or longer for a particular wall,\" Evans says.
\n\"Sometimes it's the coloring that would not suit the customer,
\nalthough he or she loves the theme of the frame. So I would put a
\nlot on lady luck's credit.\"<\/p>\n
According to Agolli, large oils are what really sell well
\namong Indonesian buyers. Watercolors sell among the expatriate
\ncrowd and also among those Indonesians who frequently travel
\nabroad.<\/p>\n
She believes the market for watercolors is catching up in
\nIndonesia despite some extenuating hindrances. \"The fact that the
\nclimate of Indonesia is not as conducive for watercolor painting
\nas oils, because in the tropical, moist climate the paper does
\ntend to pucker up. So the lack of watercolorists in Indonesia is
\nnot due to a lack of culturism but an environmental necessity.\"<\/p>",
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