Setting 'modern Indonesian art' straight<\/p>\n
Het Ideaal Van Een Moderne Indonesische Schilderkunst, 1900-1995
\n(The Ideal of Modern Indonesian Painting, 1900-1995);
\nBy Helena Spanjaard;
\nHelena Spanjaard, The Netherlands;
\n276 pp + xii;
\n49.50 guilders<\/p>\n
AMSTERDAM (JP): Helena Spanjaard's study on modern Indonesian
\npainting has been discussed for a long time in art circles. It is
\nfinally available in Indonesia, although in Dutch but with
\nsummaries in Indonesian and English. The author managed to
\npublish it herself and it is available at the Erasmus Huis
\ncultural center. Any collector interested in placing his or her
\nworks in the larger context of art history in Indonesia should
\nread it.<\/p>\n
As a foreign publication, it is the third after ones by Claire
\nHolt (1967) and Astri Wright (1994) and the first written by a
\nEuropean who is also a trained artist and art historian. An
\nextensive bibliography refers to many more publications, foreign
\nand Indonesian.<\/p>\n
The 276 pages include seven chapters and, most importantly,
\nmore than 110 reproductions. These are used to illustrate the
\nmany points the author makes.<\/p>\n
Spanjaard has made some strong statements, including those
\nrelating to the debate on modern art.<\/p>\n
\"Modern art from Indonesia is usually classed by (Western) art
\nhistorians as \"Eastern Art\" and usually associated with
\ntraditional art forms as batik, wayang and painting Bali-style.
\nThis is a continuation of colonial thinking,\" she writes.<\/p>\n
The art of painting, she believes, was originally imported to
\nplease a colonial public. \"However, it would be better to qualify
\nmodern Indonesian painting as international, because it contains
\nelements of many cultures.\"<\/p>\n
The book guides the reader through history and explains
\nperiods and styles. Starting from the colonial period, much
\nattention is paid to rising Indonesian nationalism and the role
\nof painters in this context. The development of modern Indonesian
\npainting is treated in a sociological way, emphasizing the
\nimportance of the Persagi group, the first organization set up
\nwhich was oriented to modern artists here; the revolutionary
\nperiod in the 1940s and the search for a national cultural
\nidentity during the 1950s.<\/p>\n
The last chapter discusses the Indonesian movement she calls
\n\"back to the roots\" (1965 to 1995). This period is especially
\ninteresting because it shows the \"Indonesian cultural identity\"
\nhas many faces.<\/p>\n
Famous names are placed in an art history background, thus
\nenriching the perception of the onlooker. The illustrations and
\nexamples used have only one disadvantage: more than 110
\nreproductions cannot do justice to the richness of contemporary
\nart production. Only a few painters are mentioned here.
\nCollectors should not be tempted by this study to limit
\nthemselves to buying such named artists.<\/p>\n
Collectors with a real love for art can learn a lot from the
\npoint of view of an art historian which will enrich their
\nperceptions.<\/p>\n
It will also enable and hopefully engage them in the exciting
\ndiscovery of new, talented artists, more than clinging to
\npublished names.<\/p>\n
-- Boudewijn Brands<\/p>\n
The reviewer is an art collector.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/setting-modern-indonesian-art-straight-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }