Conducive culture a must for fine arts

By Tri Aru Wiratno

JAKARTA (JP): The recent Asian Fine Arts Exhibition organized by the Japan Foundation has works on display from Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand that represent typical modernism set against cultural and religious backgrounds.

Asian modernism, seen in local idioms such as wood, hairbuns, calligraphy and Chinese painting styles, plays an influential role outside of Western modernism and reflects and confirms the esthetics of Asian fine arts.

Last year's exhibition of fine art from Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries described the developments and growth taking place in each NAM country. The exhibition revealed means of facing the domination of the West and an assessment of modern and post-modern art based on parameters standardized in the West. It tried to explain that the development of fine arts in the world is not monolithic and that art esthetics in developing countries need not refer to the values of European and American esthetics.

As explained by Jim Supangkat, the exhibition aimed at avoiding the application of a standard. The curator endeavored to explore the peripheral areas that have been marginalized. (Republika, May 21, 1995.)

We are often stimulated to reformulate our fine arts esthetics in the context of one's culture and outlook on life. Art is capable of seizing, absorbing, feeling and presenting problems in the community while indirectly involving dialog, growth, awareness and identity.

The NAM countries should be able to communicate with advanced countries without the imposition of another country's values. A more egalitarian culture will result, allowing the development of a more tolerant culture and doing away with inferiority complexes about the things we are doing.

This confidence will affect our attitude towards the arts, both in the creation of works and in the holding of better coordinated exhibitions. Fine arts research should be undertaken without bias, as critics sometimes have not even communicated with the artists and at times wrongly assess their feelings.

An observer or curator should have an attitude that is flexible, communicative, humble and open to the revelations of an artist. They should be able to visit artists in their homes to get better information, as was once practiced by the Jakarta Arts Council in the 1970s and early 1980s.

Curators should not just sit behind their desks and select works based on what they regard as suitable for exhibition. They should not be interested in simply pleasing government officials, rich people and gallery owners but in developing the arts as a whole.

A better culture of discussion will lead toward problem solving and a richness in views. Differences in opinion mean that there is need for greater awareness but also indicate the dimensions of the art world.

Unsound competition should be avoided as it is often only an unimportant material value at the cost of a more conducive arts mechanism. The position of an artist cannot be eliminated just like that because he has his own world with his capability and loyalty in exploring his art world.

In the same way art observers and critics have their own positions in accordance with their dedication, sensitivity, careful observation and patience and in their desire for a better performance. It is not based on the values of power like in the world of politics.

An artist should be treated not as part of an exhibition project or an object for writing, but as part of good cooperation in which each side bears responsibility to do well and correctly as a manifestation of their responsibility toward the world of arts, not for group or personal interest, which is detrimental to others.

Artists need to be conscious of their credibility as creators. They must be loyal to their world and not sacrifice it because they desire to be famous and become rich rapidly and resort to bootlicking, elbowing friends and excessive dependence on others. Some artists, for example, feel they are indebted to the person who has asked them for an exhibition. Such an attitude harms the development and culture of the fine arts world. The result is a lack of motivation on the part of artists to continue creating works. They are too preoccupied with exhibitions to be exposed by the mass media.

People in official positions, observers or curators should give equal opportunity to artists to exhibit their art works for higher appreciation. What is happening now is that many artists experience difficulties in holding exhibitions. The high rental of exhibition halls makes it even more difficult for them to display their works in a solo exhibition. It is even more problematic for artists with an income just enough to survive to hold a good and representative exhibition for himself. Flourishing galleries accommodate profit-yielding works only. There are some who dare to exhibit experimental works out of concern for art.