Papuan artists to display their works<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): For decades, the artwork of native Papua (Irian
\nJaya) has always captivated ethnic art enthusiasts around the
\nglobe.<\/p>\n
The indigenous people living deep in the hinterland of the
\neasternmost territory are renowned for their unique wood carving
\nand primitive statues.<\/p>\n
In the coming days you don't have to go all the way to Irian
\nJaya to enjoy the unusual works of art. In fact, two indigenous
\nartists--tree bark painter Agustinus Ongge and woodcarver
\nIcnacius Nicolaus Owiok Halukare--have come here to Hotel
\nBorobudur to showcase their works. A Javanese artist H Hardi,
\nwill also display his Irian-themed artworks.<\/p>\n
The exhibits include bark paintings and the colorful koteka
\n(penis sheath).<\/p>\n
Organized by the Tokyo-based Indonesian Culture Plaza (GBI)
\nfounded by Japanese journalist Seiichi Okawa, who organized the
\nevent, the show will be officially opened on Friday (Oct. 20)
\nevening. It will be open to the public the next day until Oct. 26
\nwith viewing hours from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Apart from the
\nexhibition, a three-hour discussion with artists, art lovers and
\nobservers will be held at the hotel on Oct. 21 at 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
The two native artists were brought all the way from Papua by
\nOkawa for this exhibition.<\/p>\n
Through his 21 works, Icnacius Nicolaus Owiok Haluk from
\nSipkosi village in Wamena valley will showcase Papua's unique and
\nwell-known woodcarving.<\/p>\n
One of his extraordinary works to be put on display is a
\nstatue of a sitting mummy with its hands holding his legs while
\nits eyes are gazing down, as if in deep thought. The exquisite
\npiece wears a feather headband and a necklace made of pig's fangs
\nand sea shells around its neck.<\/p>\n
The 41-year-old Haluk is a self-trained woodcarver. He was
\nfirst inspired to create a woodcarving piece after seeing a tree
\nshaped like a human figure in 1981. His first statue was sold for
\nonly Rp 3,000 at the local market.<\/p>\n
His luck turned 11 years later when he brought his works to
\nthe house of the then Jayawijaya regent, who at first did not
\nbelieve Haluk really had the talent. But after seeing Haluk
\ndemonstrate his skills in front of his eyes, the regent became
\nabsolutely sure and he became the artist's sole buyer. Then he
\nsent Haluk to study woodcarving in Java in 1994. Since then,
\nHaluk has taken part in some local exhibitions.<\/p>\n
He was "discovered" by Okawa who was fascinated by the
\nartist's great talent five years ago.<\/p>\n
Okawa, a former Tokyo-based correspondent for Tempo weekly
\nmagazine and now head of Gamma weekly magazine's bureau in Tokyo,
\nset up GBI in 1998.<\/p>\n
Okawa has long been emotionally tied to Indonesia. In 1974, he
\nled a scientific study group from his university, Waseda
\nUniversity in Tokyo, to do culture-anthropology research in then
\nIrian Jaya and after working for a private television, he made a
\ndocumentary film at the border of Jayawijaya and Merauke.<\/p>\n
Since GBI was set up in 1998, it has held various Indonesian-
\nthemed exhibitions displaying, among other things, Asmat statues
\nand woven fabrics from Timor and Sumba. It has also held an
\nIndonesian children's stories festival and a young filmmakers
\nfilm festival.<\/p>\n
Bark painting<\/p>\n
Agustinus Ongge whose works also feature in the show is a tree
\nbark painter from Asei village near Sentani Lake in Jayapura,
\nwhere most of the tribespeople earn their living from art.<\/p>\n
Through his 21 paintings, Ongge will show his loyalty toward
\nhis ancestors' traditional motifs and patterns. Most of the bark
\npainting's themes are closely related to the tribe's spiritual
\nbeliefs while some display their daily activities.<\/p>\n
He paints animals such as lizards traditionally believed to
\nhave supernatural powers, the painting serving as a homage to
\nthese forces.<\/p>\n
Ongge creates his canvas from pouw tree bark that he gets from
\nSentani forest. In the process, he still follows the tribe's old
\nbeliefs, such as taking the tree bark only during full moon.
\nAccording to the myth, the tree bark will be broken if he does
\nnot stick to the belief.<\/p>\n
He makes his brush from rattan by way of pounding a piece
\nuntil its fibers turn soft like feather.<\/p>\n
Ongge's paintings are dominated by red, white and black,
\nsymbols of power. All of the colors are composed of natural
\nmaterials. Red is made from pounded mountain rock, white from
\npounded sea shells and black from charcoal.<\/p>\n
Ongge has taken part in several exhibitions, such as a trade
\nand tourism exhibition in Jakarta in 1992, Bali International
\nCultural Festival in Denpasar in 1994 and international
\nexhibitions in Darwin, Australia in 1998 and 1999.<\/p>\n
The painter H.R. Soehardi, better known as H. Hardi, will
\ndisplay some of his works, including painted koteka which come in
\nbright colors and different shapes and sizes.<\/p>\n
The 49-year-old Hardi, who was born in Blitar, started
\npainting in Bali in 1970 before continuing his study at the
\nSurabaya Fine Arts Academy and Indonesian Arts Institute in
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
He has taken part in various exhibitions both in Indonesia and
\nabroad. His last two exhibitions were held last year at the GBI
\nin Tokyo and his solo exhibition at Hotel Sahid Jaya, Jakarta.
\n(ste)<\/p>",
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