Artists use their brush for social criticism

Artists use their brush for social criticism

By Ahmad Solikhan

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Indonesian student activists succeeded in
overthrowing Soeharto's New Order government on May 21, 1998. The
authoritarian regime was seen as the cause of all the mess that
the country now has to clean up.

Corruption, collusion, nepotism and the use of military force
to impose government's will on the public brought about untold
sufferings for a great many years.

The student activists made people aware of their political
rights after being silenced for 32 years.

The freedom to create and produce art was also stifled under
the New Order government. Now, artists have regained the freedom
to express their ideas through various forms of art, such as
sculpture, painting, drawing, etc. Artists often depict actual
sociopolitical realities, such as oppression by the government.

The People's Democratic Party (PRD) in collaboration with
artists have founded Taring Padi People's Culture Institute. It
aims to revitalize the freedom of artistic expression.

Chaired by Yustoni Volunteero, a PRD activist, the institute
was opened on Nov. 26, 1998 at the headquarters of the Legal Aid
Institute (LBH) Yogyakarta. It was founded following Yogyakarta
artists' concerns that cultural development did not address
people's interest.

The gap between an artist and the community is perceived to be
growing apart. For example, the general public has never known
and understood what is meant by contemporary art like
installation which has been aggressively promoted in galleries
and cafes.

In order that art can win people's hearts, the Taring Padi
Institute mobilized 20 members to popularize contemporary art
among the people. For example, by holding art exhibitions in
rural areas, it is possible to portray in the artwork the social
problems of the local, and other, communities.

Art exhibitions should be independent and democratic. They
should not only involve artists but community members too should
be involved.

Thus the objective is to make art understood by the community
in general. "At present many art exhibitions can only be enjoyed
by certain people," Yustoni said.

Yustoni said the initial step to be taken by the Taring Padi
Institute was to reject the standardization of art so far sought
by the Cemeti Art House in Yogyakarta. The foundation sees this
as making it even more difficult for the general public to
appreciate art.

The first initiative the Taring Padi Institute took was to
hold an exhibition in July 1999 featuring 2,000 paintings using
wall paint and Bond paper. The works mostly measured 50 cm by 50
cm and were put up at strategic places, mainly on walls along
main streets in Yogyakarta.

The paintings were categorized under 10 titles and addressed
matters of sociopolitics, human rights and violence.

The Taring Padi Institute will hold similar exhibitions on a
regular basis to make people aware of social conditions in this
country," Yustoni says.

The institute supports the creation of art to make the
community aware of sociopolitical developments. Two large
paintings measuring 80 square meters under the title Evacuation
were displayed at the Tugu Proklamasi monument in Jakarta on Aug.
18, 1999.

The work was a collaboration between Taring Padi and the
National Commission on Human Rights. It portrayed the continuing
oppression after the New Order government fell. Every region saw
chaos and many people fell victim to it. There were images of
bloody incidents in East Timor, Madura, Aceh, West Kalimantan;
and the torching of churches and mosques and many other unsolved
violent incidents.

The strength in the lines on the paintings was expressive and
lively.

What Taring Padi has done is very similar to what the
(communist leaning) People's Art Institute (Lekra) did at the
time of the independence revolution.

However, ideologically, Taring Padi emphasizes the defense of
the common people against oppressive power holders while Lekra
tended to defend the country against suppression by other
countries.

These two institutes appeared at different times but it can be
said that they were both courageous in defending people's
interest.

Djoko Pekik, a senior artist who was a former Lekra member,
says the founders of the Taring Padi Institute were very
courageous and deserved praise.

If this institute really encourages artists to fight for
people's rights, it deserves support because many artists are now
only interested in pursuing personal gains and do not bother to
speak up against the repressive government.

However, Taring Padi must not end up like Lekra that was
muzzled by the New Order regime because it was considered as an
art institute that embraced communism. The institute must survive
as an independent art institute to fight for the common interest.

Nindityo Adipurnama, owner of the Cemeti Arts House, says the
criticism addressed to him by the institute is "very good and a
useful" input.

Adipurnama says Cemeti does not seek to standardize the arts
in Yogyakarta. It means to be "very selective" about the choice
of contemporary art it promotes.

Observers say that Taring Padi needs to cooperate with other
art institutes to learn more about the art world.

Using art as a tool for sociopolitical criticism is comparable
to a journalist writing an article. Taring Padi's desire to
portray the community's social conditions through art deserves
support.