Art lovers angry about damage to valuable painting
Art lovers angry about damage to valuable painting
JAKARTA (JP): Art lovers blasted yesterday the lack of art
appreciation they said led to a valuable painting being
vandalized at the Jakarta Arts Council office.
They were responding to reports a painting by the late Hendra
Gunawan had been vandalized or stolen. The painting was Aku dan
Istriku Karmini di Lonceng Kedua (Me and my wife Karmini at the
second bell).
"The council people have no idea how to maintain their
priceless collection," Teguh said.
As long as people do not care about masterpieces they will be
enjoyed only by private collectors, Teguh said.
Developer Ciputra, an ardent collector of Hendra's works, said
he was shocked by reports that Hendra's painting had been
vandalized or stolen.
On Tuesday, Jakarta Arts Council member Adi Kurdi found the
Hendra painting hanging on a council office wall had been ripped.
The 94.5 x 147 centimeter painting had a 30 cm tear. The
Council's office is on the second floor in the Taman Ismail
Marzuki arts complex on Jl. Cikini Raya 73, Central Jakarta.
It is not yet known if the original was stolen and replaced by
a copy, or whether it was the original which was torn.
Council chairman Salim Said said "somebody entered the office
during Saturday to Sunday, pulled the painting off the frame and
put it back."
A council curator, Sri Warso Wahono, and a painting
maintenance worker, Meizuar, insisted the vandalized painting was
the original. A painter, Hardi, had said the work was a fake.
Police are questioning council employees about the painting
valued between Rp 100 million (US$42,918) to Rp 250 million.
The painting bears Hendra's signature and the year 1976. He
was in jail then.
Hendra, born in 1918, was sentenced 10 years jail in 1968 for
his involvement in the banned Lekra, the Indonesian Communist
Party's arts body. He died in 1983.
Art critic Amir Sidharta said a lack of funds or space was not
an excuse for the glaring lack of security.
"Given the recent art thefts at the National Museum I am
surprised that the Council did not take any security measures,"
Amir said.
Two paintings by master painters Basoeki Abdullah and Raden
Sarief Bustaman Saleh disappeared from the National Museum and
were about to be auctioned by Christie's International in
Singapore in September. The culprits have not been identified.
The Arts Council houses hundreds of valuable paintings,
including seven of Hendra's works.
The office had only one night watchman.
Ciputra said a national gallery should be built because there
were so many art thefts and forgeries.
But artist Teguh said the people in charge of artworks were
most important.
"Our present museums are like warehouses," Teguh said.
(jun/raw)