Arifin shares dreams, nightmares in new display

Mehru Jaffer, Contributor, Jakarta

Now that Zaenal Arifin has woken up from his sleep, he is ready to share with the world all his dreams, and nightmares as well.

His last exhibition was held in Yogyakarta back in 1997, where he proudly displayed his large art pieces, some measuring three meters by two meters. It is difficult to tell how much the occasion attracted or repulsed viewers, with its imposing exhibits in shades of black, white and gray.

The truth of the matter is that none of the paintings were sold and that came as such a shock to Arifin that, artistically speaking, he went to sleep.

His marriage of 15 years too broke up at that time and he spent his time wandering the lanes of Bali's Kuta, listening to the music of Santana, especially to numbers like Black Magic Woman.

When he felt like it, he painted on T-shirts and sold them. But mostly he concentrated on trying to recover from the tragic memories of an unfortunate incident that took place earlier in his life when his home and studio were burned down, destroying 22 of his paintings.

Hopefully all that is now behind Arifin, as the 46-year-old painter storms art lovers here with his colossal canvases.

Despite the fact that Arifin lives in Bali, do not expect pictures of pretty women or idyllic landscapes in colors of the rainbow from him, for his forte is faceless torsos with surreal muscles, gaunt limbs, the pupil of an eye as big as the globe and symbols of justice and learning lying in total disarray.

The attraction of Arifin's work is precisely in his power to make viewers shudder, even as they are unable to tear themselves away from his paintings.

Power Syndrome, the title canvas, is 1.9 meters by two meters, with a headless figure that resembles New York's Statute of Liberty.

The head seems to merge into a flowing, slush-like background and is replaced by the beak of a bird with an eye larger than an entire face. The torch of liberty is intact, but seen flying all over the canvas in different sizes.

In one hand the torso holds the strings of a yo-yo instead and in the other a bundle of American dollars, the size of the Book of Judgment itself.

Arifin definitely has problems with the concept of power.

Although born in Bandung, he spent his childhood in the beautiful surroundings of Bukit Barisan in North Sumatra. His father worked for the Indonesian military and the ambition of most of Arifin's classmates was to join the army.

Arifin was certainly inspired by his father, but not by his profession. It was the free spirit of the Minang people of West Sumatra that made him most proud of his family elders. It gave him the courage to branch away from the beaten track and to let his soul soar into a world of creativity, despite all the practical difficulties that he continues to face to this day.

The result is a series of stunning pieces of work over the years, like Wayang (shadow puppet), which Arifin painted this year, especially for this exhibition. The piece is a glaring example of the kind of creativity man is capable of, once the art of thinking for one's own self is discovered. The outline of the figure here is that of a traditional wayang but the body is wrapped in total fantasy.

Dreaming Under The Wing has the face of a foreigner covered in endless yards of black-and-white checkered cloth that the Balinese hold sacred. There is a flower in one hand of the figure and the face is swathed in a beatific smile that seems to soak in the fauna around.

The animal in the left hand corner has only a puddle of water left to drink from, and the upturned body, probably of a local, is naked.

It seems only natural to stand before Time and wonder if the black-and-white checkered cloth of the Balinese has not been converted into a headdress worn by people living in the Middle East.

And it is interesting to figure out who Baby Face is, as a body, suited and booted in a westernized way, is topped with a balding head, but has a child-like countenance and is seated on a rocking chair in what looks like a study, playing with a wayang figure. Perhaps the prettiest exhibit in the entire collection on display is that of a bare-breasted human being from a fast- vanishing past.

The extraordinary exhibition remains open till Oct. 16 daily, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at Bentara Budaya Jakarta.

Further inquiries at 5483008, 5480888 and 5490666.