What is behind colors in painting?<\/p>\n
By Carla Bianpoen<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The use of color has always been of great
\nimportance to artistic expression in various cultures, but
\nrarely, if ever, have different interpretations of color been
\nthematic in a painting exhibition.<\/p>\n
A current exhibition at the Gedung Pameran Senirupa Depdikbud
\nat Jl. Merdeka Timur 14, Central Jakarta, features 14 colors
\nIndonesian painter Nunung W.S. and Els Wiegel from the
\nNetherlands have worked with, each in their own special way.<\/p>\n
Nunung, who works with the spirit of color to bring out her
\nexperiences has teamed up with Els, who has a conceptual frame
\nwork coupled with form, to share their fascination with color.<\/p>\n
Behind the Curtain is the exhibit's title which will run
\nthrough Oct. 13.<\/p>\n
Wiegel<\/p>\n
Els Wiegel, a graduate of the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in
\nAmsterdam, has meticulously studied form and color conceptions,
\nand has made her philosophic. One series of paintings reflects
\nthe individual meaning she gives to color.<\/p>\n
\"The color road I travel in my works starts with black,\" she
\nsays, referring to her painting entitled Mirror. Then she
\ncontinues to the next two paintings explaining that \"in the
\ndarkness you meet yourself,\" and out of the darkness every day we
\ntry to reach the feeling of light blue. A feeling of freedom,
\ninspired by our idealism and beliefs (Detail of Paradise),
\nfinally ending in a white star (Star of Love).<\/p>\n
Her conceptual framework of color starts with black. Then
\nfollows red, orange, yellow, green, turquoise, blue and purple.
\nThe colors which she uses for spiritual purposes follow the
\nsequence of pink, yellow\/gold, silver, red-gold, and ends with
\nwhite.<\/p>\n
This sequence is clearly visible in her collage of Jalan Warna
\nJakarta, in which she has assembled the little things she finds
\neverywhere she goes. This includes a piece of a black plastic
\nbag, pieces of cigarette packages, an \"aqua\" container, match
\nboxes and even Baygon containers. Her three masks in red, blue
\nand yellow, for which she has sought to find an Indonesian link,
\nare each covered with a white mosquito netting. They are called
\nThe three brides.<\/p>\n
Another work with Indonesian culture as a source is entitled
\nTemple for Black and White. Els Wiegel reveals that she has a
\npreference for contrast: Yin and Yang, black and white, plus and
\nminus. Sometimes multiple focuses in the art work confuses the
\nviewer, but of course this can raise awareness.<\/p>\n
Wiegel's works on canvas, cloth or in the form of
\ninstallations, seem to be heavily weighted on rational thinking,
\nand in is therefore valuable. But the artist, who has previous
\nexperience with color design of housing blocks, is evidently
\nstriving to complement her rationally set pattern of color
\nsequence to achieve effects \"fitting the conceptual framework\"
\nwith more spontaneity and personal expression.<\/p>\n
Nunung<\/p>\n
In contrast to Wiegel, Nunung W.S. uses colors as a tool to
\nbring out her inner feelings and experiences. These colors are
\nintuitively selected by going into her inner self. Intense
\nconcentration, often coupled with meditation, brings out a range
\nof colors, which are then blended with her feelings and
\nexperiences.<\/p>\n
Nunung's abstract expressionism, where yellow used to be
\npredominant and some calligraphy was visible, has arrived at new
\navenues where the spirit of her colors include shades otherwise
\nabsent in her personal spectrum.<\/p>\n
This growth has direct links to her study of the elements and
\nthe intrinsic colors found in traditional Indonesian cultures.
\nThe Shadow of Gunungan, for instance, is a large canvas with
\ngreen, gold and red colors reflecting an inner peace, a
\ncombination of hope and faith, all heightened by the gold in the
\nmiddle which probably refers to the beyond. Gunungan in the realm
\nof wayang is the symbol for the universe, the cosmic mountain,
\nwhich precedes every wayang performance. What is relayed by the
\nartist is not the actual performance, nor the form of Gunungan,
\nbut the atmosphere during the performance. By immersing herself
\nin the roots of traditional cultures, Nunung's works have
\nacquired an added value of self-recognition, particularly evident
\nin her relationship to shades of green.<\/p>\n
\"I have never been able to have green in my color spectrum,\"
\nshe reveals.<\/p>\n
\"I had an intuitive aversion to that color,\" she emphasizes.<\/p>\n
But after studying the specific nuances used in traditional
\nobjects, places and performances, and after concentrated
\nmeditation, she has at last found the green which soothes her
\nsoul. It leans towards turquoise.<\/p>\n
None of Nunung's canvasses actually need explanation. Viewers
\nare drawn by the self explanatory depth of colors. Some small,
\ninsignificant colors are the needed finishing touch.<\/p>\n
Nunung's works have no forms. Sometimes there is a subtle line
\nor forlorn dots to indicate direction. The lines differ in color
\nfrom the main colors enhancing the active powers in the painting.
\nHer canvases are large with wide colored spaces.<\/p>\n
Els and Nunung complement each other. Els' rational concept of
\ncolor has enabled Nunung to explain her intuitive color
\nselection. She says the knowledge of concept does not influence
\nher own way of selecting colors. For Els Wiegel, the intuitive
\nexperiences of Nunung W.S. give her an impetus to experiment
\nwithout the concept guide. In a symbolic act of sharing, they
\nhave jointly designed an installation which forms the threshold
\nbefore entering the world of color.<\/p>\n
Two huge banner-like curtains hang to the left and right of a
\nwooden panel. They are white and black, indicating yin and yang.
\nOn the floor is a collage of Indonesian and Dutch media cuttings
\ncoming together on a yellow background.<\/p>\n
Another joint installation is meant to combine the spiritual
\nclimb to the top of the Borobudur Temple with the color sequence
\nused with 14 colors.<\/p>\n
While Els' color frame starts with black, the starting point
\nin this installation follows Nunung's feeling for white. A total
\nof 121 earthen pots in graduated sizes filled with soil lead the
\nway up to the summit of bliss. In practice, however, it is just
\nan unconvincing narrow circuit.<\/p>\n
The fascination the two artists have for color will be
\nexpanded with a Color Dinner, at which a selected group of people
\nwill reveal their personal experience with a certain color. Each
\nof the 14 participants have been assigned a color used in the
\nexhibition. The participants are invited to come dressed in black
\nwith a visible indication of the color they have been asked to
\nrepresent. Each participant will have two and a half minutes to
\nshare their experience\/emotion with the color represented. Then
\nthey will eat the food that each participant has brought in their
\nassigned color.<\/p>\n
\"It is just a medium for interaction,\" explains Els Wiegel who
\nhas done this several times in Holland. In any case, there is an
\nelement of advocacy and raising awareness in the entire
\nundertaking, a kind of cultural transmission.<\/p>",
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