Lubis contributed new genre in decorative paintings<\/p>\n
By Ipong Purnama Sidhi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Yogyakarta is certainly no Paris, but both
\nbustling cities share something in common: they are good places
\nfor artists to start on the path to fame.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta is often likened to a kerosene lamp in a dark paddy
\nfield which attracts insects from all over the place. At least
\nscores, but probably hundreds of artists have arrived here to
\ndevelop their careers in the ancient city.<\/p>\n
This happens all the time. That is the reason why lots of
\nprominent artists whose names and role are written about in the
\nhistory of Indonesian art have their roots in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Paris boasts big names like Picasso, Miro, Dali, Chagall, Van
\nGogh and Kandinsky. Yogyakarta has maestros such as Affandi,
\nSudjojono, Hendra Gunawan, Handrio, Widayat, Fadjar Sidik, Nyoman
\nGunarsa, Aming Prayitno, Djoko Pekik, Lian Sahar and contemporary
\nartists such as Heri Dono, Eddie Hara and Ivan Sugito.<\/p>\n
When the Indonesian capital was moved in 1946 from Jakarta to
\nYogyakarta, the big names in painting also moved to Yogyakarta,
\nturning the city into a center of excellence in painting. The
\nartists went on to form groups and workshops where they could
\nexchange ideas to feed their creativity.<\/p>\n
Painter Batara Lubis was one of the numerous artists who came
\nto Yogyakarta to build a career. He left his hometown of
\nHutagodang, southern Tapanuli, North Sumatra, in 1953. In
\nYogyakarta, he learned painting from Trubus S., who was known for
\nhis fanatical academic approach. Lubis was unable to meet the
\nrequirements set out by and was eventually dismissed by the
\npainter as "untalented".<\/p>\n
Lubis did not give up and sought to learn from another
\npainter, Sudarso, who became his second guru. It was at Sudarso's
\nplace that Lubis would often meet with Affandi and Hendra
\nGunawan, the latter whom he considered his "third guru".<\/p>\n
From that time onwards, Lubis considered that he was in the
\nright place to improve his painting skills. He could express his
\naesthetic ideas freely and let loose his imagination. Between
\n1953 and 1986 Lubis created dozens of paintings. He died in 1986
\nat the age of 58 in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
In a memorial show to the artist, works by Lubis will go on
\ndisplay at Galeri Kembang in Jakarta from Nov. 20 through Nov.
\n30.<\/p>\n
Under the tutelage of Trubus, Lubis had shown his skill in
\ncatching the essence of an object. His oldest work on display --
\nLanskap 1953 -- is a panorama in a hilly area painted in dusky
\ncolors. From Trubus, Lubis learned to select the right colors to
\npicture foggy landscapes.<\/p>\n
Critic Warso Wahono says that it was from Trubus that Lubis
\nlearned how to make a particular green color as he applied in the
\nTopeng Batak (Batak Masks) series and Pasar Burung Yogya
\n(Yogyakarta Bird Market).<\/p>\n
After tutoring Lubis for two years, Hendra Gunawan advised
\nLubis to return to southern Tapanuli.<\/p>\n
In the catalog of his exhibition held in 1983 at Bentara
\nBudaya in Yogyakarta Lubis noted: "I went back to my home village
\nto create new works. It is at these times in the village that I
\nrealized how precious my gurus' lessons had been. I could then
\nuse the (Batak) traditional motifs as a source of inspiration. I
\ncould better use my artistic instinct to create artworks."<\/p>\n
Armed with the skills he obtained in Yogyakarta, Lubis began
\nto observe and develop decorative patterns commonplace in his
\nhometown. You can see the result in Topeng Batak, 1985 which
\nshows his skill in designing and coloring traditional Batak
\nmotifs.<\/p>\n
The works on display at Galeri Kembang clearly demonstrate the
\ncomplete history of Lubis' career as a painter. They are also a
\nmilestone of the decorative painting genre that developed in
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
This new genre is Lubis' contribution to modern Indonesian art
\nhistory.<\/p>",
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