Bali the object of desire for Dutch artist Husner
Bali the object of desire for Dutch artist Husner
By Maria Kegel
JAKARTA (JP): Paul Husner follows a long line of expatriate
artists, from Rudolf Bonnet in the 1930s to octogenarian Arie
Smit, who have made their second home in Bali.
Based in Ubud for the past five years, the acclaimed Swiss-
born Dutch artist has received several Dutch art awards, such as
the Urio Prijs in 1969, Willink van Collen Prijs in 1971, Jeanne
Bieruma Oosting Prijs in 1974 and Arti Medaille in 1987.
Although his birthplace is Basel, Husner, 59, spent much of
his life in Amsterdam, where he started his career as a
professional artist after completing his studies of graphic art
and painting at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy and painting at the
National Academy of Arts.
He later became a professor at the National Academy of Arts
from 1980 to 1988, teaching painting and drawing.
A member of artist groups Dutch Aquarelists Circle, Stuwing
and Arti et Amicitias, Husner's work is included in the fine art
collections of the Netherlands state, Stedelijk Museum of
Amsterdam, Neka Museum in Bali in 1998 and the Duta Fine Art
Museum in Jakarta in 1996.
Husner first came to Bali in 1984, and has been in awe of the
Island of the Gods since then.
"I love Bali deeply. Bali has considerably inspired me,"
Husner said.
An art stipend led him to work in Bali for two and a half
years from 1997 to continue his study of color, form and light in
the tropical environment.
In March 2000, Husner held a solo exhibition at the Ganesha
Gallery in the Four Seasons Resort in Bali, which was followed by
another exhibit bearing the Balinese theme at a joint exhibition
at the Cobra Museum in Amstelveen, Holland.
Noted art critic Agus Dermawan T., in an essay in conjunction
with Husner's exhibition opening on Saturday at Galeri Maxima in
Jakarta, said that Husner demonstrated a charming achievement
with the subject matter of Bali.
"In his eyes, Bali is no longer an exotic part, but a trigger
for his artistic instinct. Bali is not an object to be seen,
rather it is a stimulation for him to keep on exploring," Agus
said.
Before Husner's visit to the island, he made an observation of
what the trip would mean in the interest of his creativity and of
all who would enjoy his works, Agus said.
Husner's works, he added, are rich with tropical and bright
colors with shapes formed with spontaneity and naivete, and are
examples of his great admiration for Bali.
"His works constitute a response to or interpretation of Bali,
an island ceaselessly offering problems and stimulating him to
find answers to these problems."
For Husner, every side, corner object, lump of soil, stone,
tree, building and even every Balinese person and the movement of
Balinese tradition was art, he added.
Agus said with Husner's artistic achievement, which is marked
with strong character, the Dutchman was expected to contribute a
new resonance to the Balinese art arena.
Bali Paul Husner is at Galeri Maxima, Jl. Sultan Iskandar Muda
88-D, Pondok Indah, South Jakarta (tel. 720-9009) from Saturday,
June 23, until Aug. 23.