Russian painters create Indonesian canvas<\/p>\n
Yusuf Susilo Hartono, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Scorching sunshine, beautiful, tropical panoramas and Indonesia's
\ncultural diversity are all things of great interest to Russian
\nartists.<\/p>\n
Understandably, when some Russian artists took part in an
\nexhibition of Russian paintings held at Borobudur Hotel in
\nconjunction with the 55th anniversary of Indonesia's independence
\nin 2000, they took this opportunity to explore areas in Java,
\nMadura, Bali and Kalimantan, where they painted or made
\nspontaneous drawings.<\/p>\n
Two years later, a different group of Russian artists traveled
\nto Sumatra for the same purpose.<\/p>\n
Currently, their paintings of Indonesia are being displayed at
\nthe Indonesian National Gallery. Also exhibited are some
\npaintings exploring objects from Russia and some other countries.
\nAs many as 24 Russian artists are taking part in this event.<\/p>\n
Over 150 paintings, in various media, styles and sizes by the
\nRussian artists, are on display.<\/p>\n
These artists obviously have mastered realist painting basics,
\nthanks to their formal studies at various art higher learning
\ninstitutes in Russia, such as the Moscow (formerly Stroganov)
\nInstitute of Fine Arts, Surikov Academy of Arts, Surikov State
\nInstitute of Fine Arts, Sirikov Art Institute and Russian Academy
\nof Arts. Famous both at home and abroad, they are actively
\nengaged in expeditions and exhibitions abroad such as in India,
\nItaly, Nepal, Germany and Canada.<\/p>\n
Anisimov, who is president of the Russian Bureau of Creative
\nExpeditions and president of Russian-Indian Roerich Art Club,
\nfeatures boats at Pangandaran, fishing in Bali and boats in
\nBengkulu in his works, handmade woolen tapestries. This thickly
\nbearded artist well understands that the sea, boats, fish and the
\npoleng (checkered) cloth are cultural and religious elements that
\nplay an important role in local people's lives. These works are
\nfar better than his previous paintings.<\/p>\n
Sculptor Alexander Belashov sees Indonesia as a haven for
\nflora and fauna. Look at his oil painting, made on canvas, titled
\nIdyll\" (2000). In a park full of flowers and colorful plants,
\nbirds, butterflies, lizards (or, perhaps, monitor lizards),
\ngrasshoppers and monkeys carrying their young live in harmony.<\/p>\n
Hopefully, he is not satirizing Indonesian politicians --
\ninvolved in bickering every day -- and telling them to learn from
\nthese animals how to live in peace.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Gennady Glakte has recorded Bali through its women.
\nThey are depicted carrying offerings, naked, along with men and
\nresting in the company of birds and dogs. The women's figures
\nlook stylized, as can be seen in children's paintings.<\/p>\n
These paintings show a great leap compared with his previous
\nones, such as Pink Morning (1987) and Poet and Muse (1992), both
\nhighly academic in nature.<\/p>\n
Then four different painters explore the Borobudur Temple in
\ntheir work. Stanislav Nikirev uses millions of pencil dots on
\npaper to depict the temple. Vitaly Mironov uses a great burst of
\nlines and daring colors. Vladimir Pereyaslavets is absorbed in
\ndetail, while Georgy Poplavsky captures the temple with pencil-
\nmade reliefs on paper.<\/p>\n
Another Russian painter, Irina Makarova, in her work titled
\nDream about Madura (2000), features the local bull race, not in a
\nlinear way, but through several yellow, red, green and blue
\ncircles. The position of the bull, the gamelan players and the
\ndances, as well as the mosque, seem to start from the middle and
\nthen spread to the edge. Besides, yellow and blue shadows of
\nsickles are also found in this work.<\/p>\n
In Morning time Blitar, graphic artist Olga Yausheva features
\nthe esthetic moment about a cow being slaughtered under a fan-
\nshaped banana tree on a bright morning. She successfully plays
\nwith the shadow of the banana stem and midrib to create the
\nimpression of time and volume. This painting is as interesting as
\nMorning in Bukittinggi (2002).<\/p>\n
\"I'm greatly amazed by the great natural beauty of Indonesia,\"
\nshe said while in Jakarta along with Anisimov and Konstantin
\nInozemtsev to represent other Russian painters who could not be
\npresent at the exhibition.<\/p>\n
If their work on Indonesia is compared with their paintings
\nthat have Russian themes, there is a difference, particularly
\nwith respect to colors.<\/p>\n
Erica, a Yogyakarta-based artist now studying fine art in
\nRussia, said that this difference was attributable to the
\ndifference in climate and seasons. She said her own works, which
\nwere made in Russia, have shown a shift in colors because she saw
\na lot of snow.<\/p>\n
The Russian objects present in this exhibition range from
\nimportant sites like the Kremlin and Trubnaya Square in Nikolai
\nBurtov's works, the vessels in a beautiful sea in the works by
\nKonstantin Inozemstev to the interior of an imposing church in
\nthe work of Alexander Vorokov.<\/p>\n
Officially opened by President Megawati Soekarnoputri, this
\nexhibition is being staged jointly by the Ministry of Culture of
\nthe Russian Federation, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of
\nthe Republic of Indonesia, the Embassy of the Russian Federation
\nin Jakarta, the Russian-Indonesian Cooperation and Friendship
\nSociety and the Russian Bureau of Creative Expeditions.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the organizing committee, Tong Djoe, said that the
\nexhibition was held both as a means of diplomacy to strengthen
\nbilateral cultural relationships and to welcome Megawati's
\nupcoming visit to the Russian Federation.<\/p>\n
The exhibition is ongoing at the Indonesian National Gallery, Jl.
\nMedan Merdeka Timur 14, until April 17; it is open to the public
\nfrom 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.<\/p>",
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