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.