Can part-timers be regarded as 'proper' artists?

Boudewijn Brands, Contributor, Yogyakarta

If you love to paint but cannot live from painting, what do you do?

Well, many get a job and paint in their spare time. Are there any galleries that want to exhibit their work? Mostly not; instead they are stigmatized as hobbyists or amateurs. A number of painters in Yogyakarta have organized themselves into a group that calls itself Sabtusiang (Saturday lunchtime).

It was founded early in 2001 by Sriyadi, Sigit Raharjo and Adi Taruno; they made a studio where they could work near the State University of Yogyakarta in the north of that city. You can paint there as a professional or take a painting course.

Over time, more joined. In January 2003, 22 members showed their work in an exhibition titled Gejolak Awal Jejak (which loosely translates to A Flaming Start). The second exhibition, in which 27 members participated, was also held at Museum Vredeburg in Yogyakarta under the title Mimpi Buruk (Nightmare), in May 2004.

The exhibitions lasted only five to seven days. The group is currently staging an exhibition where 25 members are showing their work this August at Hyatt Regency hotel, Yogyakarta.

Most of the participants have never exhibited before.

Some, such as art activist Oda Teda Ena, K. Dafi and Yundhi Pra, are also member of Kelompok Sepi; also, there are finalists from Indofood and Philip Morris art competitions. One of the founders has, in the meantime, found recognition.

A work by Sigit Raharjo was given an award in the Indofood competition and he can now live on his painting. He is also the organizer of the ongoing exhibition. He has stayed with the group -- a remarkable indication of solidarity.

He studied at the SMSR (art intermediate school) in Yogyakarta, after which he had to work. The prize made it possible for him to become a full-time painter. However, most of the other artists have had no formal training.

What is there to see? Most of the works are figurative, more or less realistic or close to realism: a man with his horse, a woman making jamu, traditional medicine (and, as it seems, in her best dress as well), several ladies either with flowers or a bird, precisely painted shells, fish, a market scene, a landscape and an angry old man.

There are some surrealist works: Kedamaian portrays a violin played by hands and an empty face only: it could be you! Deska has produced Pelindung with the head of an eel mysteriously placed on a pole. He received an Affandi award at the Indonesian Arts Institute and was selected for exhibition in the Indofood competition, both in 2003.

Triandri's painting Di Batas Waktu' (On the limits of Time), shows fleeting bodies in a large structure with floors on columns. Sigit Raharjo's work also falls into this category. In his Komoditi Export he makes a reference to the numerous Indonesian workers who feel compelled, through economic necessity, to seek work overseas. He does so by painting babies in cartons, ready to be sealed and dispatched.

Good works, incorporating Indonesian culture in a contemporary setting are Petruk Kantong Bolong and Alam Benda. Petruk is a figure in a wayang (puppet) performance, and Timur Adi Jiwanto has given him an inflated breast and a hand grenade. The still life realistically shows a container made of woven grass with an ethnic motive, but the surroundings are imaginary.

This painting emanates a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. The artist, Edy Sutarmo, learned from and exhibited with Dullah and lives in Bali.

Strange, but also original, is K. Dafi's (yes, he has a brother called Sadam!) Sudah Lahir (Just after Birth). Has he given frogs human faces or humans frog's bodies? The quality of these works, as of many others, is quite high.

A 17-page, limited edition, full-color catalog is available. Besides reproductions of the exhibited works and some introductions, it contains portraits of the artists and limited biodata including a short exhibition history.

Any curatorial comment or concept is lacking and would also be hard to include given the multitude of styles. After all, this is what working people make.

Let us hope that many hotel guests will see and appreciate the exhibition, then, maybe, someone might find another job opportunity.

Established galleries might also discover the artist of their choice.

Merdeka Painting exhibition
Hyatt Regency hotel
Jl. Palagan Tentara Pelajar
Yogyakarta,

through Aug. 31
tel. (0274) 7452872.