When business meets art: Indofood Award<\/p>\n
Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Deviating from the usual practice to select the winners out of
\npictures of works sent, the jury for the 2nd Indofood Award
\nCompetition selected winners directly from paintings submitted.<\/p>\n
Out of 2,800 photos of works by 1,249 painters, the jury
\nselected 89, of which they asked the real paintings from the
\nartists. This meant an extra delivery cost added to the Awards
\nbudget but that was a consequence to avoid the trap of
\nmanipulating pictures.<\/p>\n
That Indofood Awards has a serious commitment to encouraging
\nthe development of genuine artistic achievement is evident not
\nonly from the cost they are willing to take upon them, but
\nperhaps more so from the vision of the company's management.<\/p>\n
Eva Riyanti Hutapea, the company's president director\/CEO
\npointed at the congruence between art and the concept of
\nIndofood's products.<\/p>\n
Fitting with the concept of Indofood products which are based
\non knowledge, health and art, art inspires to make vision and
\naction compatible, she said during the award presentation.<\/p>\n
The jury, consisting of art collector Dr. Oei Hong Djien, poet
\nand cultural prominence Taufiq Ismail, prominent art writer, art
\ncollector and curator Agus Dermawan T., and art lecturer and
\ncritic DR.M. Dwi Marianto, was led by well-known artist Prof. Dr.
\nSrihadi Soedarsono M.A.<\/p>\n
How does an artist view the changes during five years of
\nReformasi, 1998-2003? This was the theme that contesting artists
\nhad to focus on in their works for the competition.<\/p>\n
While each tackled one aspect in the tumultuous ramble of
\neveryday life, it is the wounds and the cracks caused by
\narrogance, hegemonic practices and the push into a sense of
\nalienation tearing the country apart that color the map of
\nReformasi.<\/p>\n
Such is particularly palpable in Agung Hanafi Purboadji's
\nRatapan Ibu Pertiwi (Motherland's Cry), 2003, a map of Indonesia
\nsewn scars all over the map, even going over the words adil
\n(just) and makmoer (prosperous). Teguh Wiyatno's stirring
\nportraiture in Kabar Hari Ini of the liberated voice of man since
\nthe fall of the repressive regime, vibrates with the flows of
\ninformation now set free, and read by both the poor, the marginal
\nand the settled elite, while I Wayan Suklu in Menembus Labirin,
\nMenggelinding dan Menghempas Dinding (Going through labyrinth,
\nrolling and smashing the wall), 2003 describes the country as a
\nball set loose, rolling on until it bounces into the wall. Is
\nthere still a sense of solidarity amidst the freedom of voice
\nresulting in virtual confusion of tongues, or are we trapped like
\nfish in the bamboo bubu (trap) as pictured by Gusti Alit Cakra in
\nhis Ibarat Ikan Terperangkap Bubu (Just like a fish trapped by a
\nnet)?<\/p>\n
Evidently, amidst all the perceived chaos and brouhaha, the
\nouter voice has not yet entirely beguiled the inner voice and the
\ninner strength. Melodia's Mimpi-Mimpi Yang Tertunda (The
\npostponed dreams), evokes compassion for the becak driver, for
\nwhom consumerism and the advantages of technology remain a far
\ncry, while Yayat Surya's Aura Perubahan (The aura of change)
\nnotes the hidden energy that is in the process of coming to the
\nsurface.<\/p>\n
They were among the eleven winners, selected under
\nrepresentational, symbolic and abstract categories, standing out
\nbecause of their ability to evoke feeling, empathy, compassion,
\nand a touch of the romantic within a somber outlook of the
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
Teguh Wiyatno's water color painting captures the essence of
\nthe Reformasi period in a wonderful depiction of the people's
\nfreedom and enjoyment of an overflow of information, at the same
\ntime giving the notion of horrible things happening every day, so
\nmuch so that one would rather cover one's face, like the man in
\nthe painting. Setting his narrative amidst white clouds emerging
\nfrom a pitch black background lit by what looks like fires,
\nconveys a sense of the surrealistic, and a gradual doubt haunting
\nhuman insecure existence.<\/p>\n
Usually painting still lifes of the becak (pedicab) that has
\nbeen evicted from the main roads in the big city like Jakarta,
\nMelodia is now stretching his imagination a step further by
\npresenting not only the vehicle and its driver, but also the
\ndreams of the poor amidst the profusion of nightlife.<\/p>\n
Billboards denoting the good life with consumer goods for the
\nhaves form the background of the becak driver for whom a life
\nworth living forever remains a dream.<\/p>\n
Money carrying the pictures of two presidents indicate the
\nchanging of the guard without much change in the situation of
\nmost of the people.<\/p>\n
In the case of I Wayan Sujana, who calls himself Suklu, a
\ncontraction of Sujana and Klungkung, an area in Bali where he was
\nborn, the inclusion of his work as an award winner shows an
\nincreasing tendency of current curators and critics towards the
\nbasic local.<\/p>\n
Suklu managed this year to be accepted in the CP Open Biennale
\nwhere he submitted works made in the mode of basketry.<\/p>\n
At the same time, he was among the top ten in the Indonesia
\nAsian Art Awards (formerly Philip Morris Art Awards) with a work
\nlikening basketry, but made in mixed media. In the Indofood
\nAwards competition, his work, which gives the notion of
\nhandicraft, is a canvas blending acrylic, rattan and aluminum.<\/p>\n
Winners of this competition, each receiving Rp. 20 million,
\nwere Teguh Wiyatno, Catur Binaprasetyo, Melodia, and Ronald
\nManullang in the representational category, Ardison, Suraji,
\nHayatuddin, Agung Hanafi Purboaji in the Symbolic category, I
\nWayan Sujana (Suklu), Yayat Surya, and Gusti Alit Cakra in the
\nabstract category.<\/p>\n
With the IAAA, socialized by Yayasan Senirupa Indonesia since
\n1994, changing into a bi-annual event, and reportedly moving
\ntowards a a tri-ennial event, the annual Indofood Art Awards will
\nbe among the most important vehicles for Indonesian artists to
\nchannel their artistic urges and measure their might.<\/p>\n
While this year's competition was an all-painting affair, next
\nyear the Indofood competition will include 3-dimensional works,
\naccording to Agus Dermawan T., the event's adviser. If that
\nhappens, it will be another breakthrough in the usual practice.<\/p>\n
Pancawarsa Reformasi Indonesia
\nExhibition of works of winners and finalists
\nGaleri Nasional, through November 17, 2003<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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