Unique fiber art on display<\/p>\n
Asikin Hasan, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Fiber artist Biranul Anas, 54, is staging a solo exhibition
\nfor the first time at the Edwin Gallery, Jakarta, from Nov. 1 to
\nNov. 11. It is a very rare and interesting event for the arts in
\nIndonesia, which has been strongly dominated by painting
\nexhibitions and its target market.<\/p>\n
Fiber art is closely related to its primary media, such as all
\nelements derived from fibers, both factory-made varieties like
\nthread, rope, acrylic and fiber glass, as well as basic fibers
\noriginating from nature: bark, stems and so forth.<\/p>\n
Using fibers for art has a long tradition among various ethnic
\ngroups and races around the world. Tapestry, for instance, has
\nbeen around in Europe for centuries, where it has been used to
\nwarm up interiors.<\/p>\n
Fiber art was once considered equal to \"kitsch\", lowly items
\nwithout emotional or moral content, and was therefore not
\nregarded as art. But times have changed and the way people
\nperceive art has changed as well.<\/p>\n
By staging the exhibition, Anas wants to emphasize his
\nviewpoint on contemporary art: a new awareness in viewing today's
\nrealities.<\/p>\n
He presents 37 works, which are mostly mixed media pieces
\ncreated using weaving. Most of his colorful creations are in a
\nvertical format and are strongly imbued with freshness and
\nmerriment, while several are glossy and shiny, incorporating
\nbeads and gold.<\/p>\n
As the majority of his works tend to be abstract, it is
\ndifficult to identify the meaning unless one reads the title
\nunderneath, such as: Maghrib di Agra II (Sunset praying time at
\nAgra II) (2000), Sekitar Padalarang (Around Padalarang) (2001),
\nTaman Putih (White Garden) (1999) and Piano I, II and III (2000).<\/p>\n
If the titles were hidden, people could appreciate the
\ntidiness, harmony, rhythm and contrast in his compositions.<\/p>\n
The only forms one can understand as representing the elements
\nof nature are the circles for the moon and the many-angled forms
\nfor the stars, as can be found in Tiga Purnama (Three full moons)
\n(1998) and Bintang di atas Taman II (Stars over the Garden II)
\n(2001). The rest are cracks and splinters that obviously
\nrepresent mountains, boxes, half circles and so forth.<\/p>\n
Apart from being abstract, Anas tends to make various
\nassociations through hidden messages in his titles. As can be
\nseen in three of his works - all with the same measurements, 65
\nby 80 centimeters, displayed in a row - titled: Subuh (Daybreak
\nprayers), Maghrib (Sunset prayers) and Isya (Evening prayers).<\/p>\n
The three works contain irregular images with grades of bright
\nhues of blue, white, red, yellow, dark blue and black. In
\ncontrast, triangles and quadrangles appear in the middle. His
\nworks are infused with strength and his balanced consideration
\nfor harmony, rhythm and the right emphasis of bright and dark
\ncolors as the center of attention.<\/p>\n
Using media on woven materials - which were produced in 2001 -
\nthey seem to suggest the change of day into night or the
\ntraveling of light into darkness. One can further continue the
\nassociations with the contrasts of righteousness and wrongdoing,
\nlife and death and the like.<\/p>\n
In some of his works, Anas endeavors to abandon the normal
\ntapestry tradition by deleting horizontal weaving, so that the
\nfinal result looks transparent, similar to a net. Roto, measuring
\n200 by 60 by 300 centimeters, is the only one of his creations
\nhung from the gallery's ceilings.<\/p>\n
From the entire exhibition, one still gets the impression that
\nAnas has not yet been able to free himself completely from
\ntraditional painting techniques.<\/p>\n
This is particularly evident in Gunung Mas (Golden Mountain)
\n(2001), a 150 by 150 centimeter piece, made of mixed media on
\nwoven material.<\/p>\n
Here Anas uses not only factory-made and natural fibers, but
\nalso piles it up with pieces of wood covered with 24 carat gold
\nplates, which brings to mind the painting style of Ahmad Sadali
\nmore than it does an experiment in rebelling against the
\nestablished tapestry tradition. Its abstract images also stress
\nthe fact that Anas is strongly attached to the spirit of
\ngeometry, which in the past was the signature of Bandung's
\npainters.<\/p>\n
Compared with today's trends, Anas's works can be categorized
\nas being neat and orderly. Though he has explored the medium to a
\ncertain extent, he is yet to jolt us with surprises, just like a
\npainter does when he breaks away from the familiar canvas norms.
\nAnas seems to make less than maximum use of the element of
\nsurprise, which actually is possible through his works.<\/p>\n
Concerning materials, Anas is still immersed in threads and
\nother similar types of materials. He has not attempted to use a
\nharder material, say fiber glass, which would enable him to place
\nhis creations not only on the walls, but also on the floor and
\narranged creatively in more than one way. Like an installation
\npiece, perhaps.<\/p>",
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