At 70, Bagong vows to continue his dedication to arts

At 70, Bagong vows to continue his dedication to arts

By Achmad Zaenal

YOGYAKARTA (Antara): At the venerable age of 70, Bagong
Kussudiardja, a versatile artist from Yogyakarta, has made up his
mind never to stop creating works of art.

His latest dance production, Sanggit (Interpretation), which
was performed in Yogyakarta last week and will be staged in
Surakarta on April 11, attests to the resolve of this gray-haired
artist.

"I will never stop working, although it is not easy to be
creative in the present financial situation," he said before
rehearsals for Sanggit at the Bagong Kussudiardja Dance Training
Center in Kasihan, Bantul, Yogyakarta.

Sanggit, a contemporary dance depicting current social and
political affairs, has been in preparation since last December.
Bagong said the dance was inspired by profound feelings which
struck him when contemplating the behavior of some members of the
political elite.

The dance, which lasts 40 minutes, does not overtly criticize
the establishment and carries the thought provoking message that
all human beings, including the elite, are humble in the face of
God and remain acutely aware of the passage of time.

Another important message alluded to in the choreography is
that the way to overcome difficulties is through the strength
acquired by unity.

He admitted the monetary crisis has had an adverse impact on
artists, including himself, despite his reputed professional and
material success among the artistic community.

"I receive financial assistance for the performance of
Sanggit, but I also have to use my own savings which I have
accumulated through years of hard work," he said, adding that it
had become difficult to find sponsorship in the present climate.

What weighs most on the artist's mind is that when members of
the Indonesian artistic community receive financial aid, some of
the money inevitably finds its way into the pockets of people for
whom it was not intended.

"Unauthorized deductions are a reality, I have experienced
this notorious practice myself," said Bagong, who is also famous
for his paintings and sculptures.

Although such practices hurt him in the past, he steeled
himself and resolved to continue working regardless. He shows the
same determination in the face of the present difficulties.

"I will also keep on producing works of arts irrespective of
the economic situation," he said with characteristic grit.

The decision to include three of his seven children in the
performance of Sanggit was not prompted by the present economic
crisis. All three are well respected in their own fields and were
included on their own merit.

His son Djadug Ferianto arranged the musical score for the
performance, and his daughters Butet Kartarejasa and Ida M. are
respectively the producer and assistant choreographer for the
production.

Bagong, who has dance productions, paintings and sculptures to
his credit, said the present economic crisis had been a bitter
experience for artists. Indeed, it has had an impact on many
people beyond the artistic community, with almost all strata of
society forced to practice self-restraint.

"In the current climate even wedding parties have been
postponed. Where does that leave dance performances?" he
complained.

Despite this adversity, Bagong, who received recognition from
the Thai government in 1987, once again emphasized his resolve to
continue working, although no end to the crisis is yet in sight.

"My work will continue, perhaps in the form of a painting or a
dance, or even a sculpture," he said.

The strong work ethic which Bagong has always demonstrated
since becoming an artist is inseparable from the experiences of
his younger days.

He is a former member of the Armed Forces and served as an
adjutant to a general in the Diponegoro Regional Military
Command.

Spending his formative years in the mentally and physically
demanding environment of the military strengthened the artist's
spirit and appetite for working and living. He is a survivor, a
quality which does much to explain how he has managed to continue
producing impeccable work, despite his age and the current
adverse conditions.

"It is an artists job to create. One does not deserve to be
called an artist if one stops producing works of art," he said.

His versatility has also helped him to fend of attempts to
label him as a commercial artist. What counts is my work, not the
words of others, he said defiantly.

"Let people say whatever they want to say. If I am ill, nobody
will come to help me. If I am in trouble, people will deride me.
If I have nothing, people will mock me. But that does not matter.
All that matters is that I can account for being an artist," said
Bagong, who is a meditation enthusiast.

In his book, The Spirit of Bagong (1994), he reveals: "I have
an old philosophy. Sans words and theories. These are my works."

He published the book to help people recognize and understand
his sculptures and paintings and his artistic personality.

Whatever people may say, Bagong, whose paintings have been
bought by domestic and foreign collectors, has pledged his
loyalty to the arts, a world in which he has worked through thick
and thin for over half a century.

"To me, art is the same as having a meal. It is my need and
the need of others," he said.