Cartoonist Eddy Hermanto exhibits his serious side

Cartoonist Eddy Hermanto exhibits his serious side

By Wawan S. Husin

BANDUNG (JP): Gallery Bandung, one of the few galleries in the
West Java capital that "dares to be different", is exhibiting
about 30 works of cartoonist Eddy Hermanto. The solo exhibition
was opened by Tisna Sanjaya, a graphic artist and lecturer at the
Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), on April 28.

In his notes for the exhibition, Sanjaya wrote "... Eddy
Hermanto has exposed his inner world, and shows us in his
paintings some flattened and deformed figures. The figures which
are imperfect and as though unfinished.

"This must be his language of expression in witnessing
reality... His Berkebun di Atas Kepala -- the theme of his
exhibition -- can be viewed as his inner statement to others
(public and artist) in growing the cultural awareness of the
future. Cultural awareness that is also to grow from our inner
heart ... "

Visitors to the exhibition, which will be open to the public
until May 13, 2000, would be wrong to assume the paintings are as
humorous and light as his cartoon subject matter.

In his paintings Hermanto can throw away the "funny" image of
the cartoon. He has shown his own power and energy by using the
"ough", the onomatopoeic sound of people saying "o" sounds.

The figures open their mouths as though in surprise. It is
beyond one's expectations, and it is like talking to oneself. It
is also an act of witnessing. If one sees a person saying
something but the person's deeds are quite far from what he/she
said, then one will say or sigh "ough".

The "ough" sound then can become a semiotics of unfulfilled
expectation. It is a sign of disappointment. Then it may also
become a shouting, a crying out of dissatisfaction. An upset
expression created from witnessing the disharmony between saying
and doing. Between tongue and body and limbs.

The discrepancy is witnessed by the artist. A more serious
reaction? The shout can even become outrageous blame and
condemnation, or cursing. Witnessing Hermanto's works -- himself
a critical writer -- people should try to understand the
hullabaloo and chaotic cultural tragedy beginning in 1997 and
continuing up to the present.

A lot of mouths are open speaking of something divine, and yet
the situation has become a tragedy. It occurs when what is spoken
about is different from the hard reality of daily life.

Gardening on Our Head is a call to be intelligent and critical
in observing the situation. Like a warning; beware of your
mouths, and beware of the situation. Hermanto's background as a
teacher at a senior high school in Bandung and a newspaper
journalist in Bandung, Yogyakarta and Semarang led to his
creating an exhibition showing his intelligent and critical mind.

Hermanto, who was born in Garut, West Java, graduated from the
Teachers Training Institute (IKIP) Bandung in 1984. He was
involved in more than 20 group exhibitions for paintings and
cartoons in Bandung, Jakarta, Bali, and Italy (Fano Funny Cartoon
Festival Theme Cloning, Italy 1996).

His solo exhibition does not merely prove a "cartoonist needs
to be critical, intelligent and have a sense of humor" but also
that "paintings can be expressive when an artist witness the
reality ... "

Despite his calm and humble demeanor, Hermanto is a critical
observer. His background and track record show his sensibilities,
and he deserves acclaim.