Arts and politics do mix after all -- at a price

By Franki Raden

JAKARTA (JP): In this era of the "New Order", the world of arts has mostly distanced itself from the commotion of politics. It has remained on the sidelines, whereas in the "Old Order", the arts were central to the public's daily life.

There was a significant change when the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center was established in 1968; arts became a modern dome, alienated from social and political life. Arts, in effect, became an ivory tower.

The artistic atmosphere then came alive with the flourish of experiments. Artists sought out their mediums of expression and became renowned in their own fields.

Theater has noted W.S. Rendra, Arifin C. Noer, Putu Wijaya, Remy Sylado, Nano Riantiarno and Budi Otong.

In the world of dance, noted figures are Sardono W. Kusumo, Suprapto Suryodarma, Ben Suharto, Deddy Luthan, Gusmiati Suid and Sukarji Sriman.

Among those who reached acclaim in Indonesian literature were Goenawan Mohamad, Putu Wijaya, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri, Danarto, Yudistira A.M. Massardi, Afrizal Malna and Leila Chudori.

The film industry saw the exemplary works of Teguh Karya, the late Syumanjaya, Slamet Rahardjo Djarot, Eros Djarot, Christine Hakim, Gatot Prakosa and Garin Nugroho.

Musicians looked to Trisuci Kamal, Slamet A. Sjukur, Sapto Rahardjo, Harry Roesli, Tony Prabowo, Embie C. Noer, I Wayan Sadra, A.L. Suwardi, M. Halim, Deddy Satya and Ben Pasaribu.

And in fine arts those who showed their worth included graduates of the Bandung Technology Institute, Institute of Indonesian Fine Arts in Yogyakarta and the Jakarta Arts Institute.

Apart from these artists one must also take note of movements such as the New Fine Arts and "Binal," the latter a protest form of the regular Biennial exhibitions.

All these examples indicate products of the New Order era, in which artists have used the opportunity to concentrate on the aesthetic and not involve themselves in politics.

This situation was largely true until the 1980s. However an interesting shift began in the 1990s and, most significantly, this year.

A widespread sense of repression across the social political climate pushed artists into following the steps of playwrights Rendra and Remy Sylado, director Syumanjaya, musician Roesli and painter Hardi in conveying protests in their works.

Long sleep

In short, artists have again placed their creative work in the context of politics.

And the immediate result -- more bannings of performances since the beginning of the 1990s.

Interestingly, repression has propelled political awareness among artists, whipped up from a long sleep since the victory of those grouped into the Culture Manifesto over the communist- oriented People's Institute of Culture and the nationalist National Institute of Culture.

This year especially showed artistic response to what they felt was wrong, triggered by the death of factory worker Marsinah. The second, stronger trigger was the June banning of Tempo, Detik and Editor. It was these issues that provoked politically oriented artistic works.

No less than Kusumo, playwrights Wijaya and Ratna Sarumpaet, Roesli and graphic artist Harsono expressed their response in dance, literature, theater, music and fine arts.

Dozens of works with similar themes popped up across cities like Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surakarta and Surabaya. Celebrated figures like Umar Kayam, Ashadi Siregar and Emha Ainun Najib issued a joint manifesto on culture which was critical of the government's oppressive tendency.

As quoted by the November edition of the Pijar bulletin, "The end to the right of existence of four media (including the later banned Simfoni tabloid), regardless of all reasons stated by authorities, have terminated the right of the public to take their part in being citizens."

The media bannings were indeed a shock to the art world. Tempo magazine and Detik tabloid were none other than artists' projects in the press industry.

Goenawan Mohamad and Eros Djarot, the respective chief editors, are renowned artists in literature, music and film.

The two publications gave due recognition to the contemporary art world, whereas the government, prior to the present officials in the Ministry of Education and Culture, has long been noted for its neglect of Indonesian art.

The media bans therefore immediately broke off the support and promotion of Indonesian modern art to the international arena.

How must a nation convince others that it is skilled in technology if its government only pays little attention to human resources and the creativity of its people? This was the issue that provoked artistic protests; the government has been considered insensitive to the prospect of local art, a fatality to us while we are committed to economic openness.

It is no wonder that artists have placed their works in the context of the power game, like they did in the "Old Order."

But even without the triggers of the Marsinah case and the media bans, artists should always express the atmosphere of their surroundings. The nature of the aesthetic realm which initially kept to itself in the "New Order," is too much of a luxury for a country that must till struggle hard for its future among more advanced communities.

The writer is a music composer and a musicoligist.