Come what may, local artists go on with the show
By Chandra Johan
JAKARTA (JP): Painter Irawan Karseno, who prefers to call himself a "picture seller", is grappling with the ugly effects of the monetary crisis.
He has the same headaches as other employers now scrutinizing their bottom lines. There are several staff in his studio, who help in fixing canvases and packing finished paintings to be supplied to offices or the young professionals who make up his buyers.
Or, rather, were his purchasers. The market has vanished. After golden years of exhibitions in hotels, banks, galleries and office buildings, orders have shriveled to a trickle in the past few months.
Other painters are inevitably feeling the pinch, but several say they have not been severely shaken by the downturn.
Dan Hisman, Sri Warso Wahono, Sulebar and the relatively unknown but productive Yoes Rizal were almost one in the opinion that they are not unnerved by the crisis. They say their stocks of materials remain sufficient and claim they were never motivated by rewards in the once-booming art business.
"This situation is most definitely felt by those who were conditioned by the market," said Dan, who sold three of his works at an auction in Singapore several months ago.
Some observers argue the local art market -- often considered highly irrational in its amazing purchases of entire offerings of painters -- spoilt many artists, contributed to a collapse in their idealism and fostered a rise in poor quality but commercially viable artworks.
Mamannoor, an art observer from Bandung, is of this opinion. But he believes even the most serious collector and idealistic artist would not be spared the effects of the crisis.
"Whoever the person is, he or she thinks of the stomach first, then of art. I am that way, too."
He added that the economic quandary of artists was understandable.
Taxi
"In boom or recession periods, an artist ought to be realistic," said Irawan, "If it is necessary, I'll become a taxi driver in order to live, and let my painting live.
But not here, I mean in America. My friend can send his in- laws $500 a month..."
As he talked, he held up a tube of acrylic paint, which cost Rp 37,000 several months ago.
It is now priced at over Rp 90,000.
Irawan said he found inspiration even in these tough times. Artists, he said, should reform their ways -- mentally, intellectually and materially.
Come what may, Sri Warso said he would never waver in his resolve to paint.
"Painting must go on, even it means eating tiwul (cassava meal). After all, I used to live a hard life."
Sri Warso won't have to eat lowly tiwul just now. He still has considerable savings after selling 17 paintings last year, priced from Rp 4 million to Rp 42 million each.
Painter Jeihan might recall his hard times too in dealing with the crisis. He used to tell of the days when he sold fried chicken to feed his family and to buy painting equipment, before he became rich and famous for his portraits of hollow-eyed subjects.
Sri Warso added that it was usual for artists to support their families from other means than selling their works.
Many of these same artists reject, however, labels that their art is a pastime.
"Recession or not, it is all the same for me," said Dan, who is a civil servant. "Even during the boom period, I was not one of those artists whose works sold well."
Most of the artists believe the crisis will only undermine their colleagues lacking mental strength and strong grounding in their field.
An artist's life, they contend, is always fraught with crises.
"Unfortunately, there were so many artists who forgot about their existence and their destiny, especially during the boom periods," said Yoes. "The world of art nowadays does not touch the intellectuals and exploration anymore, but only the decoration.
"So, if luxurious buildings no longer need decoration anymore because of the crisis, must art die, too? This is very tragic."
Yoes, who said he never benefited from luck, will exhibit with American artist Joan Somers at the Lontar Gallery in the near future.
The crisis has not quashed the artists' spirit.
Sri Warso said he would mark his 50th birthday with an exhibition. Irawan plans to exhibit without thinking about profit margins.
"This is the moment of returning to the beginning," an enthusiastic Irawan said. "Reformation in all aspects. Several media are not dependent on imported things. Gunny sacks or coal from the kitchen could be an alternative.
"Why not? It's all art."
This was said by Jim Supangkat and the late Sanento Yuliman a few years ago, who claimed "media enrichment" would prove to be the important "truth", while the boom era would result in "impoverishment" in the art world.