Artist inspired by innocence of children

Artist inspired by innocence of children

By Pavan Kapoor

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the current rush of abstract and surreal
art exhibitions, where the mind is constantly challenged while
trying to scrutinize and fathom the artist's neurological
impulses, Suprobo's paintings surely feel like a splatter of
raindrops on a hot day.

Suprobo, one Indonesia's renowned realists, is currently
showing his works at the World Trade Center Lobby until July 30.
The exhibition of 40 paintings was opened by Guruh Soekarnoputra
on July 23, marking National Children's Day.

Since 1994, Suprobo has dedicated his art to the theme of the
innocence of children. Although the paintings are about children,
the viewer is never bored as each painting deals with a child in
a versatile array of moods and a different atmosphere.

Infusing the theme's atmosphere within each frame is perhaps
where Suprobo's intrinsic mastership lies. Creating a contrast of
white relief and the darkness beyond is sought purposely to hold
the focus on the child and it's usually ambiguous expression.

When asked the reason for his passion for painting children,
Suprobo says quite simply: "Children know no vices and so in
every movement, expression and action they are pure and
spontaneous. It is this innocence and spontaneity of expression I
aim to expose to art lovers".

Although all Suprobo's paintings are about children, there is
a certain obvious quality of gay abandon innate in the spirit of
childhood that is lacking in most of the frames. Bersandar
(Sitting back) shows a girl of about 8 years of age with a pretty
puppy face sitting on a white arm chair while looking almost
morosely sideways. The same mood prevails in Suleha and Dimakan
Sayang (Too good to be eaten).

Suleha, an oil painting of 40cm x 60cm shows a petite girl
with an enviable bone structure. She is wearing an amber shirt
and seems to be looking at the viewer in the eye. With bright
light from behind throwing her face into a shadow, Suprobo's
mastery is seen in highlighting each strand of hair and the
graceful curl wayward lock over the right cheek. However, the
seriousness of her expression stands out as one realizes that
there is something missing. Once again one feels a tug at the
heart strings for want of the gay laughter of a child.

Perhaps Suprobo intends to arouse the sympathy of people who
visit his artworks and help make a world in which children are
properly nurtured, loved and cared for and educated. The ongoing
crisis has affected the lifestyle of millions of children all
over Indonesia. Instead of playing with toys, they have to bear
too early in life the burden of becoming bread winners for their
families.

Suprobo makes each painting advertise this sentiment
effectively in the silent language that speaks louder than words
blared out on a microphone. He hopes to have set the ball of
humanity rolling that will arouse the conscience of people and
work in its own unique way toward getting people to involve
themselves in activities that would spread love and caring for
children.

One of the most outstanding paintings is Tolong (Help), in
which Suprobo has once again excelled in his domain. He portrays
the big eyes of an infant wrapped tight in a hanging baby cradle.

The big troubled eyes of the chubby baby leads the observer to
the fallen pacifier on the floor a couple of feet below. With the
mother far away the baby will probably yearn for the soothing
touch of the pacifier until the mother can leave her chores and
attend to the baby.

Another beautifully portrayed yet touching attempt to relate
the woes of a mute infant who has not yet learned to walk. The
ethnic brown of a traditional batik sarong is applied again in
the background, creating a monochrome effect in the upper half of
the painting.

This is the difference Suprobo has introduced in his latest
works as a mark of the initiation of the new millennium. A
glaring contrast with a monochromatic background that leaves a
lot of simply white canvas free as if easing the observer with
open spaces before grabbing the attention to the child's face.

In Bawah Bayang Bayang (Under the shadows), Suprobo has
created an interesting slant to his painting by keeping the left
side of the canvas white as it seamlessly fuses with the white of
the girl's dress. She looks with apprehension over her left
shoulder at the darkness of the shadows that lie beyond. Once
again, the enigmatic open spaces magnetize the viewer to focus on
the main subject.

Some of the other paintings worth mentioning are Membidik
(Aiming), Memburu (Chasing) and Keretaku Tak Kencang Larinya (My
train doesn't run fast).

Suprobo has been involved in various arts since 1995 when he
dedicated his time to painting children. He worked as an
illustrator for Puteri Indonesia magazine, as a graphic designer
for Prospek magazine and then as a graphic consultant for Majalah
Properti Indonesia.

Suprobo talks enthusiastically about his plans. He is building
a museum which will be dedicated to introducing the life of
children to the world of arts and hosting exhibitions of not only
paintings but also other art forms, such as sculpture, painting,
ceramics and batik. He is also keen to have discussions on films
and theatrical productions for children.