Antique radios lower collector's blood pressure

By Ridlo Aryanto

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Ask Godod Sutedjo, 48, a decorative artist from Yogyakarta, who his most loyal friend is and he will reply, "the radio."

"A radio receiver can keep me company when I stay up late. It is my most faithful friend and is never fussy," he says.

For Godod, a radio receiver needs proper care and attention. If you tune it regularly, it will give you useful information and entertainment, but otherwise, it will protest and you only get to hear a harsh grating sound.

"This unpleasant sound will only make your blood pressure shoot up," says Godod, who claims to be an artist specializing in drawing paintings on quiet reflective scenes of nature.

For Godod, an old radio receiver and blood pressure are closely related. He has his own experiences regarding this. Sometimes Godod has to do without his nocturnal sleep to finish painting and will, as a result, see his blood pressure rise, sometimes exceeding 200 mm Hg. If, in this situation, he can listen to his favorite radio broadcast of a leather puppet show from his Gatotkaca, a Philips radio in his collection, he is sure to experience a reduction in his hypertension level.

"If you suffer from hypertension, its best to listen to the radio in the quiet of the small hours, sitting lazily on the bench, and then you will feel a drop in your blood pressure level. This is as effective as going to the doctor," he says.

Realizing the important role that an old radio receiver can play in maintaining his health, Godod, a graduate of the Indonesian Fine Art Academy (ASRI) in Yogyakarta, is always fair when showering "his love" on the old radio receivers in his collection.

His house in southern Yogyakarta is now home to some 50 old radio receivers of various makes and manufacturing years. On average, these radio receivers were manufactured between 1940 and 1957.

"Your love must be equally enjoyed by all of your radio receivers. They must be turned on regularly, otherwise they will be "sulky", just like a girl that her boyfriend rarely visits," Godod quips.

Godod was born in Wonogiri, Central Java, on Jan. 12, 1953 and has two children. In 1972, while he was a student at ASRI, he got an assignment from his 3-D design lecturer to produce a fine art design out of used objects. Young Godod found in the flea market, an old radio receiver in an artistic shape.

"It was sold at Rp 7.50, already expensive enough for a student like me," recalls Godod. Godod was interested in buying the old radio receiver but he was broke. It was still difficult then for his paintings to find buyers. Still, Godod had his own solution.

"I braved everything and earned money as a wondering minstrel at Ancol art market. I got enough money to pay my college fees and buy the old radio receiver," he says.

Later, Godod also traveled to a number of cities to earn money as a wandering minstrel and go in search of old radio receivers in flea markets in Jakarta (Jl. Surabaya), Semarang (in Poncol market) and Solo (Triwulan market). He also visited an old place he regularly went to in search of old radios somewhere in Beringhardjo market, Yogyakarta.

Godod intensified his search for old radio receivers when he completed his studies. By then art collectors began to be interested in his paintings and were ready to buy his works sold during that time at a high price.

"I then had enough money and old radios were easily obtained in flea markets, but don't think that it was easy for me to search for the right old radio receivers. Most radios in flea markets are irreparably broken. And unfortunately, I have never known anything about electronics. So I chose radio receivers based on their manufacturing year and exotic style. Then I usually left them with my regular radio repairman somewhere in Godean," says Godod, who is also known as an organizer of art work exhibitions and courses.

Radio prices have varied from Rp 7.50 in the past to Rp 250,000 nowadays. "Last month someone wanted to pay Rp 3 million for one of the radio receivers in my collection but I didn't want to let it go."

Godod's collection is quite complete in terms of trade marks and types. Some of them are, for example, Philips radio receivers which Godod has individually named Bin, Mlinjo (1953) and Manik- Manik (1954).

One of the most unique in his collection is a Philips radio receiver, model BX 638 A he calls Gatotkaca (1952). This Philips is nicknamed Gatotkaca because on its front part is a band with a star in the middle, just like the Antakusuma vest belonging to Gatotkaca, a hero in Javanese wayang folklore.

Old radio collectors usually give a certain name, like Mlinjo or Manik-Manik, to their old radios to mark these radios on the basis of their physical features.

Godod has a good reason to be proud because 40 of his collection of some 50 old radio receivers, most of which run on electricity, are still in good condition. They can produce a good sound when turned on. Another unique characteristic is that all the old radio receivers have a handle to be manually turned round when you want to listen to them.

"These radio receivers give a better impression of being old. Besides, they are more exotic and artful models," says Godod, who disclosed that he learned to appreciate old radio receivers from Wardoyo, an old painter. "He didn't only tell me how to draw a painting but has also been my consultant in choosing old radio receivers. He has good taste in the design of old radios."

In his hunt for old radio receivers, Godod prioritizes the physical designs rather than, for example, the countries of origin or the manufacturing years. So he often cannot tell you exactly when or where an old radio was made, or the brand name. Many old radios have the name of the country of origin but not the manufacturing year. Godod likes an old radio receiver not just because of its entertaining broadcasts but also because he can enjoy its beautiful shape.

Godod has two special cabinets to store the radios in his collection. If they are not put in the cabinets, rats and cockroaches will gnaw at the dark brown or black ebony boxes.

Although Godod must set aside some time to look after his collection, he will never sell any of them. Some of these old radio receivers no longer produce a clear sound but Godod enjoys their grating sounds.

"When I fall asleep while listening to a broadcast of a leather puppet show, this discordant sound is sure to wake him up. This sound will tell me when I have had enough rest so that I can be fit again in the morning," he says, laughing heartily.