Artist on probation for damaging painting

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta District Court sentenced a local choreographer to a six-month suspended jail term with a one-year probation period for damaging a painting valued at up to Rp 200 million (US$60,606).

On Monday, presiding judge Zulkifli Lubis found the defendant, Sri Sugeng Edhi Kwartanto, 41, also known as Teted Sri WD, guilty of damaging a painting by the late Hendra Gunawan. The painting was owned by the Jakarta Art Council.

"The sentence means that you don't need to serve time in jail. But if you commit another crime during the probation period you will be jailed for six months along with any additional punishment stemming from your new crime," Zulkifli said.

Teted accepted the verdict but prosecutor Lukimanto was still considering whether to appeal the judge's decision.

Teted was charged under Article 406 of the Criminal Code and Lukimanto had asked the court to sentence the defendant to six months in jail.

The judge said that Teted had torn the canvas and trampled on the painting, titled Aku dan Istriku Karmini di Lonceng Kedua (Me and My Wife Karmini at the Second Bell), as a protest against developer tycoon Ciputra's sculptures based on the painting.

He said Teted believed that the sculptures could spread Hendra's communist thoughts.

The painting was painted in 1976 when Hendra -- who had been involved in the Lekra art council, which was part of the banned Indonesian Communist Party -- was still in jail. Hendra died in 1983.

Teted damaged the painting, which was hanging on a wall in the Jakarta Art Council's office on Jl. Cikini Raya, on Nov. 24 last year.

Teted earlier said that his actions were spontaneous.

"It was like a ritual," he said. "I danced on the painting." (jun)