Sculptor Sidharta holds a retrospective<\/p>\n
Text and photos by Tarko Sudiarno<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Gregorius Sidharta Sugijo, one of Indonesia's
\nmost prominent sculptors, is exhibiting his works in a
\nretrospective show at Museum Widayat in Magelang.<\/p>\n
The exhibition, which opened last Saturday and will run until
\nJan. 22, features 134 of his works that include sculptures,
\npaintings and sketches.<\/p>\n
Sidharta, 68, is presenting works that span from the early
\nyears of his career to his latest masterpieces, 1950 to 1999. He
\nsays he intends to introduce \"more of himself\" to the local
\npublic through the works on display.<\/p>\n
The artist, one of the first alumnae of the Yogyakarta-based
\nIndonesian Arts Institute in the early 1950s, dedicated most of
\nhis time teaching at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).<\/p>\n
He retired recently from his position as chief of ITB's
\nPainting and Sculpture Arts and is concentrating on creating
\nartworks.<\/p>\n
Only selected works are presented to represent masterpieces of
\neach year of his career. The statues on show are not very large
\nin size. Many of his best works have been collected by major
\nmuseums both in Indonesia and abroad.<\/p>\n
Among his monumental creations scattered around Indonesia and
\nAsia are a mural mosaic at Hotel Indonesia, Jakarta (1962),
\nrelief on pulp and paper production process at Blabag, Magelang
\n(1963), Garuda Pancasila eagle at the House of Representatives,
\nJakarta (1971), decorations of Sukarno's tomb in Blitar, East
\nJava (1978), the Proklamator Monument, Jakarta (1979), the Ocean
\nMonument in Tanjung Priok, Jakarta (1980), statue of children at
\nASEAN Park in Manila, and Balance and Orientation statue at
\nElgala Plaza in Fukuoka, Japan (1997).<\/p>\n
Some of his latest statues in the show are Pengendang
\n(Drummer) and Kelahiran Seorang Dewi (The Birth of a Goddess).<\/p>\n
Sidharta says that although he has retired from his teaching
\njob, he will not stop creating as an artist. He wants to exhibit
\nhis work at least once a year as a \"token of artist
\naccountability to the public\".<\/p>\n
He is worried that to stop creating would kill his creativity.<\/p>\n
He opened the exhibition on Jan. 15 to coincide with the 50th
\nanniversary of the Indonesian Arts Institute.<\/p>",
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