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.