Painter Rastika returns with fresh touch<\/p>\n
Yusuf Susilo Hartono, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
After being absent for some time from a solo exhibition in
\nJakarta, Rastika, 60-year-old glass painter from Gegesik Kulon, a
\nvillage in Cirebon, West Java, is back with his latest works.<\/p>\n
Though some of his 40 displayed glass paintings still show a
\nrepetition of old themes, like calligraphy in Syahadat (the
\nconfession of faith, there is no God but Allah and Prophet
\nMuhammad is God's Messenger) in Semar or Paksi Naga Liman (a
\ncreature unique to Cirebon), fresh themes are also found in his
\nworks, even with a touch of humorous nuance -- like the one where
\nPetruk, a royal servant in traditional shadow puppet shows, sits
\nleisurely with his two hands holding liquor bottles while a
\npretty woman sits on his lap.<\/p>\n
Rastika started his creative process as a glass painter in the
\n1950s. After such a long time, the former farmer has now reached
\nnew heights of wisdom, as shown in the way he uses humor as
\ncatharsis, not a form of escapism.<\/p>\n
Although his formal education was confined only to elementary
\nschool, Rastika is knowledgeable about the philosophy of life (as
\nreflected in shadow puppet stories). His works clearly show how
\nhis knowledge and experience as a farmer have gained him more
\nprominence.<\/p>\n
Nowadays, young painters in Cirebon generally come from a
\nhigher educational background than has Rastika but know little of
\nphilosophy like that in shadow puppet stories.<\/p>\n
If it is true that Rastika's humor is a kind of catharsis, how
\ndoes the quality of visual language in the drunken Petruk
\npainting compare with his usual themes, which are usually derived
\nfrom shadow puppet stories?<\/p>\n
According to glass painting observer Eddy Hadi Waluyo, Rastika
\nis capable of depicting flexible and elegant shapes with rich and
\nbeautiful detailing of great complexity. This, he said, must be
\nthe outcome of his continuous exploration of the themes from the
\nshadow puppet stories.<\/p>\n
Rastika was not alone in creating the exhibited works.
\nAlthough these works bear his signature, Kusdono, 20, his fourth
\nchild and a junior high school dropout, played an important role
\nin creating these works.<\/p>\n
Kusdono, who is confined to a wheelchair, has, in the past
\nfive years, gone through his father's rigorous training in glass
\npainting in a hope that someday, he might take Rastika's place
\nwhen his father can no longer work.<\/p>\n
In the creating process, Kusdono is assigned to color the
\npatterns that his father made. These patterns are in black
\nflexible lines with objects neatly placed in a neat composition.
\nIn coloring these patterns, Kusdono has to follow his father's
\nguidelines.<\/p>\n
The base, for example, is in duck eggshell blue to create a
\nsofter impression; the motifs of stony ground and clouds are
\nlayered in a monochromatic degradation of blue, green, red and,
\nbrown. Nowadays, his fanatic collectors find his paintings softer
\nin color than those created five to 10 years ago when most of
\nthem were in bright colors.<\/p>\n
An interesting thing at this ongoing exhibition is that for
\nthe first time, Rastika displays reproductions of Barikan from
\nGegesik, a series of 16 frames. He has reproduced the paintings
\nby Sitisiwan (1865 to 1948), using Lontar offset reproduction.
\nLontar itself has reproduced these paintings from the original
\nworks, collected by TL Cooper. This painting features Cirebon
\nfolklore like Lukas Baurna, putra Jaka Larang (Lukas Baurna, the
\nson of Jaka Larang) and Raja Jin Tanjung Karobak dengan Rara
\nBulan, putri Laut Selatan (Genie King and Rara Bulan, the South
\nSea Princess). Such paintings were displayed in a house at a time
\nthat there was a wedding party or circumcision ceremony.<\/p>\n
The reproduction idea came from Iwan Ramelan of PT Fortune,
\nthe exhibition's sponsor. Many have supported this as Sitisiwan
\ndied over 50 years ago and Rastika has reproduced the paintings
\nin his own media and style so he cannot be accused of plagiarism.<\/p>\n
Regardless of whether or not this reproduction violates
\ncopyright, Rastika's exhibition this time is quite attractive. In
\nthe early years of the propagation of Islam, glass painting works
\nwere used as a means of carrying the message, but now Rastika
\nuses it as a medium of humor. This is especially interesting to
\nnote, given that Indonesians now find it hard to laugh as the
\nprice of daily necessities has risen.<\/p>\n
The exhibition will run through to Jan. 19, 2003 at Candrika
\nGallery, Pondok Indah Plaza I, South Jakarta (Tel: 75900763-762).<\/p>",
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