Colors of death in photographs, paintings

JAKARTA (JP): Kalimantan on fire! Forests take centuries to mature, but only hours to burn. Try to imagine the appalling size of the fires. They're much larger than images commonly seen in the media would lead one to believe.

"People have to feel the heart of the fire," Stephen Hill, director of UNESCOs Jakarta Office, said.

To share this feeling UNESCO and Posko Wijaya, a coordinating body set up to spread public awareness of the fires, organized an exhibition entitled Kalimantan on Fire at the Regent Hotel in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

The exhibition, which runs until April 30, exposes the reality of the death and devastation which is currently taking place through the photographs of Poriaman Sitanggang and the paintings of Enrico Soekarno.

Stark images displaying blackened silhouettes of the forest, people who have lost their homes and land, and orang utans evicted from their sylvan habitat by the flames drew the attention of a few hundred guests.

Artist Enrico Soekarno captures the sound and movement of the flames in his paintings. Using bold, fiery colors set off against chilling black and blue hues, Enrico succeeds in bringing a lump to the throat of all who cast an eye over his paintings.

The event serves the additional purpose of introducing Posko Wijaya.

The coordinating body has been set up under the auspices of BAPEDAL, the Environmental Impact Management Agency, to ensure that donations to East Kalimantan reach their intended destination. The Navy, and non-government organizations WALHI and Konphalindo are also involved in running Posko Wijaya.

The body acts as an intermediary for people or organizations who wish to send disaster relief such as rice and medicine to East Kalimantan. Posko Wijaya advises concerned parties on how best to send their contributions, and where and to whom they should be sent. (Marieke van Heek)