CSIS displays 165 years of Indonesian painting in Jakarta

By Carla Bianpoen

JAKARTA (JP): The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) has entered its 26th year of existence and it appears that a much broader definition of the institution may be in the offing.

The comprehensive art exhibition at the center's building on Jl. Tanah Abang III No. 27 is evidence of this evolution. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. until Oct. 19, the show is one of the celebrations being held to commemorate the center's silver jubilee. Just as the idea to set up the center was launched by a handful of people, the art exhibition is the brainchild of a few, with Jusuf Wanandi as the catalyst.

As he said at the opening of the exhibition, he started collecting art works out of necessity. As a young activist three decades ago he was charged with raising funds, which he did by holding art exhibitions. With few buyers at the time, he felt a responsibility to purchase paintings with his own money.

"At that time paintings were not as expensive," he said. Over the course of time Wanandi has supported many artists in need. His love of art has grown and museums like the Neka Museum in Ubud, Bali, have benefited from his personal involvement.

Citing the motto of the Neka Museum's owner, Suteja Neka, that there should be balance in life, Jusuf feels that paintings restore his equilibrium in a world faced with rapid change. The same equilibrium can be felt at CSIS, where more than 100 works by 83 painters are on display, covering the years from 1830 to 1995.

The atmosphere of the exhibition hall inspires reflection. The works seek to depict the tenor of their times, a social and cultural stance, political thought and mental development. The show also includes rarely exhibited painters, such as Siauw Tik Kwie and Oto Suastika (1913-1988), who practiced painting at the Bataviasche Kunstkring.

Personal ties

Almost all of the paintings have a special relationship to Wanandi, who owns most of the works in the collection. His reasons for collecting vary. Sometimes it was because a work reminded him of his home in Sumatra, like Lake Singkarak by Wakidi (1889-1983). He happened on some during his trips abroad, and bought others from painters to help them out in hard times.

The early works of some of Indonesia's best-known painters are some of the most interesting. The paintings are simpler and more impressive in their rendition. One example is Old Times (1938) by Basuki Abdullah, who later became famous for his portraits of women. Simplicity is also evident in Affandi's early works, which do not carry the swirling spirals typically found in his later paintings.

Many of the paintings are of great historical significance. Works by the mooi Indie (beautiful Indies) group, for instance, contain features that stir a sense of beauty and romance. Dake and Dezentje are represented with depictions of nature, Hofker with impressions of a Balinese woman. The style was adhered to by many Indonesians painting at that time.

Rudolf Bonnet, Anak Agung Gde Sobrat (1917-1958) and I Made Sukada (1945-1982) did not only illustrated classical Balinese figures and faces. The works reveal the influence that Bonnet had on the development of Balinese painters at the time.

The same goes for Arie Smit, who founded the young artists group in Penestanan, Ubud. Le Mayeur (1880-1958), who married Balinese dancer Ni Pollock, is represented by a work depicting the interior of the house in which he lived with his Balinese wife, who also became his model. The light and atmosphere create what looks more like a Belgian than Balinese living room.

Balinese art was often collected under the guidance of Suteja Neka, who had a chauvinistic preference for fellow Balinese painters such as I Gusti Njoman Lempad (1862-1978). Works by Sujojono (1913-1986), Hendra Gunawan (1918-1983) and others signaled a new orientation in the world of art, influenced by political developments, national identity and the struggles of the common people.

Also interesting is how the frames attempt to give the works a certain "class". Intriguing, traditionally-styled frames in Dullah's Rose Apple Flowers and Fruits, for instance, have provided an accent to their still life subjects. And the simple old frame used for I Made Sukada's Dancer gives it the classic elegance it deserves.

Contemporary

The exhibition also includes contemporary works, selected items from the collections of Oey Hong Djien, Iliana Lie and others. Wanandi said that the idea was to have a comprehensive exhibition. Although he has a growing interest in contemporary art works, he has had no opportunity to include these in his collection. He therefore called on other art collectors to help fill the gap.

Works by leading contemporary painters include those by Teguh Ostenrik, whose installations Homo Spiens Bertopeng and Alam Bawah Air were a breakthrough on the Indonesian art scene; Ivan Sagito, whose surrealistic themes evoke a strange attraction; Amang Rahman, whose surrealistic style often has an endearing poetic touch; and Dede Eri Supria.

From overseas are works by Donald Friend (1915-1989), an Australian painter who lived in Bali until 1980, and Miguel Covarrubias (1904-1957), who is also known for his book Island of Bali, which was published in 1937.

Even though there are too many works to describe in this limited space, one hopes that the next CSIS exhibition will include more works, especially from the last decade. It is also hoped that the center will one day link art with other means of improving the quality of life in Indonesia.