Indonesian artists going back to the past?<\/p>\n
Boudewijn Brands, Art critic, boudewijnb@yahoo.com<\/p>\n
Art history describes and documents what has happened in the
\npast. Those seriously interested in Indonesian modern art history
\nhave several books at their disposal. One English language
\npublication is Astri Wright's Soul, Spirit and Mountain;
\nPreoccupations of Contemporary Indonesian Painters (Oxford Press
\n1994).<\/p>\n
In the 70's of last century, student movements in the \"West\"
\nmade a kind of revolution against the education system of that
\ntime. It was perceived as being too authoritarian. They occupied
\nuniversities in Amsterdam and Paris, to name a few.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, there were student protests in 1973, 1974 and
\n1978, but they had more to do with economic conditions and
\nprotests against corruption. They were efficiently put down by
\nthe (literally) armed forces.<\/p>\n
I am not aware of any protests against the way education in
\nIndonesia in general was organized.<\/p>\n
What is well documented in the art sector, however, is that a
\ngroup of art students challenged \"the aesthetic values prescribed
\nby art academies, senior artists, and critics ...\". They held
\ntheir first exhibition at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Jakarta
\nin 1975. They went under the name of New Art Movement (Gerakan
\nSeni Rupa Baru -- GRSB).<\/p>\n
It questioned aesthetic universalism as emphasized under the
\nNew Order. Members of this group were F.X. Harsono, Dadang
\nChristianto, Dede Eri Supria, Jim Supangkat, Agus Dermawan T.,
\nMoelyono, Gendut Riyanto, Harris Purnama, Bonyong Munny Ardhie,
\nSatyagraha and others.<\/p>\n
You might recognize some of these names as most of them are
\nstill active in the art world as writers, critics and curators.
\nThe art that they produced at the time was critical to very
\ncritical toward such \"achievements\" of the New Order as
\npollution, corruption and what they perceived as the degeneration
\nof Indonesian culture and morale, all in the name of progress. It
\nwas often three dimensional, what we call \"installations\", hardly
\ncollectible and\/or impossible to preserve.<\/p>\n
An example is a work by Bonyong entitled Hotel Asian Tower. It
\nputs a hopeless and exhausted beggar against a wall surrounding a
\nmajor hotel construction project. This was regarded as offensive
\nat the time (Astri Wright pp 207-213). So, what happens to
\nartists that produce the sort of works that collectors do not
\nwant to acquire and pay for? Do they fade away or change
\nprofession?<\/p>\n
It is to the great credit of Gallery Gelaran that it has
\ndecided to bring the members of the GRSB back to Yogyakarta. They
\nalready staged a show of Moelyono's work last year.<\/p>\n
Last week, Bonyong put his installation works on show at
\nGelaran.<\/p>\n
His job as an art teacher in Solo provides him with a stable
\nincome. He is still creating artworks and exhibiting them. Are
\nhis works collectible now or will they make the headlines? When
\nwe met with the artist, we saw a man whom we suspect had hardly
\nchanged his ways since he was 27 or so. Long hair, relaxed
\nclothing and still a very independent stance at the age of 56
\ntoday.<\/p>\n
Entering the exhibition hall from the courtyard, we first saw
\nthe drawing that was also featured in the exhibition poster. It
\nshows the face of a handsome youngster. However, in the area
\nwhere his brain is supposed to be, there is a gun. The title is
\nPemuda Masakini (Contemporary youngster) as Bonyong feels that
\ntoo many youngsters like aggression.<\/p>\n
Other works are compositions of drawings or drawings in
\ncombination with three dimensional objects. At least three works
\nshow the degradation of farmers who have, according to Bonyong,
\nbecome plain workers instead of landowners. Di Mana Kepalaku
\n(Where is your head going?) criticizes the use of computers. Tedi
\nUdah Nggak Sekolah (Tedi no longer goes to school) points to the
\nfact that many do not send their children to school as they feel
\nthey do not have enough money to pay tuition fees.<\/p>\n
Pointing out situations perceived as being wrong might have
\nmerit. However, it comes to mind that many of the artist's
\nstatements are made without being based on data or research. Land
\ncannot be reproduced but humans can. Does a farmer think of this
\nwhen he has five children? Not sending children to school can
\nsave money but does it justify the purchase of a television set?
\nIs the government necessarily wrong when it tries to create
\nemployment even when it cannot increase productivity? Are farmers
\nwilling to understand government policies and the impact on their
\nlives, and willing to act on them, for instance by voting?<\/p>\n
The exhibition reveals an angry, elderly, young man. However,
\nis the criticism still valid? The great merit of this artist and
\nhis friends from the GSRB is to show that art is not only about
\nbeauty. The merit of the Gallery is that it also reveals from
\nwhere many now-successful young Yogyakarta artists have drawn
\ntheir inspirations.<\/p>",
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