Dwijo's work shows dynamism of life

Vivid N. Savitri, Contributor, Jakarta

Once in a while when you visit an art gallery, you find yourself stunned as you stand before a real masterpiece among the wannabes. This happened to me recently. Or, to be precise, Dwjio Sukatmo's works did it to me recently.

Nothing new about his style, for it reminds me of Andri Masson's Massacre (1931), especially the way he strokes the brush and plays with cubic shapes. But unlike Masson's angry painting that depict violence toward women, both of Dwijo's paintings displayed in the Dekade 80 exhibition at the One galeri in Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, are about dynamism, vitality and enthusiasm for life and its sheer beauty.

And if Masson uses gloomy and dark colors in Massacre, Dwijo daringly plays with vibrant and vivid colors in all his paintings, particularly in Dinamika Jerusalem Dengan Bayangan Roti Kuda (The Dynamism of Jerusalem with the Shadow of the Horse's Bread).

"I got the inspiration for this painting when I was invited to exhibit my work in Jerusalem. There I witnessed how people really appreciate their ancient cultural legacy, especially old buildings and temples, by keeping them in good condition. Unlike Indonesians," said Sukatmo.

His trip to Jerusalem also inspired him to create yet another amazing work. Titled Dinamika Bharatayuda Dengan Jerusalem (The Dynamism of Bharatayuda and Jerusalem), this painting depicts the never-ending religious clashes in modern society, such as Muslim versus Christians and the classical clash between good and evil, which is represented by the word Bharatayuda, derived from the Mahabharata epic in which the Pandawa are at war with the Kurawa.

Born into a Javanese family in Surabaya in 1950, Dwijo started his career as a cartoonist with the local Jawa Pos and Surabaya Post dailies before turning full time to painting.

"It wasn't until I realized that I couldn't count on cartoons alone to express myself that I decided to paint," recalled Dwijo, who enjoys listening to music by Kitaro and Vanessa Mae while painting.

A fan of car racing and martial arts, especially judo, during his younger days, Dwijo's work really gives a new nuance to Indonesian painting. A distinctive style of cubism combined with surrealism are what makes his paintings stand out from the crowd. Thus, in the company of 587 painters from 74 countries, he was the only Indonesian painter who was invited to show his works during the Third International Biennale Raciberz 2000 in Poland.

Among Dwijo's favorite subjects are horses and eagles as he greatly admires the magnificent power and sheer beauty of their movements.

"I especially like eagles because they never speculate. They always carefully observe their prey before swooping."

Graduated in 1972 from the Surabaya Academy of Fine Arts, Dwijo believes that what ails modern society is a lack of moral values.

"People no longer look up to their leaders, not surprising given they're such corrupt and immoral leaders," he lamented.

"That's why I often feel the urge to express my values through my paintings using symbols, icons or figures derived from Javanese culture, or religious icons. So far, I've found that wayang (puppet) effigies are the best ones for such unspoken messages. It's also my favorite theme."

This theme can easily be spotted in his work titled Dinamika Naga Dengan Kuda Dan Roti Ke 36 (The 36th Dynamism of the Dragon with the Horse and Bread); there you can find how Dwijo masterfully blends a ballerina, dragon, wayang effigy and the face of a man -- supposedly Affandi (an Indonesian version of Picasso, who died in 1990) -- into a massive 2 meter by 1.5 meter acrylic painting on canvas. This painting is an adventure on its own.

A father of three and a grandfather of two, Dwijo also happens to be the only painter from the 1980s who found himself behind bars following the Malari protest in 1974 during the Soeharto regime.

"I was 22, still wet behind the ears," he jovially admits. "But the experience opened my eyes as to how we, Indonesians, delude ourselves by blindly believing whatever the regime says."

Lamenting the fact that most Indonesian painters, especially the older generation, have such a poor work ethic, he dreams of founding his own museum. "We painters are sometimes so lazy; rarely can we consistently paint creatively in a timely manner."

"When Picasso died, he left more than 2,000 paintings; imagine how often he painted during his lifetime. That's why I always try to discipline myself. One week, one painting. So, when I die at least the people can enjoy my vast collection."

At 52, Dwijo has more than 300 paintings stored in his home and studio in Surabaya, and hundreds more are gestating in his mind. "You just have to be creative all the time and seek inspiration from everything around you."

Always with John Lennon-style glasses, Dwijo has displayed his works in more than nine solo exhibitions and another 150 joint exhibitions, both local and international.

A recipient of the prestigious International Biennale VIII award in 1989, he is oblivious to the fact that he now belongs to the group of renowned Indonesian painters whose work is something to be reckoned with. "Well, actually, I've always known that I'm a 'big" Indonesian painter," he said jokingly while gesturing with his plump hands.

His open and direct manner, so characteristic of Surabaya people, is clear from his paintings, not only from his use of such vibrant colors, but also in the way he lampoons his subjects.

"Well, I can't help it. I was born in Surabaya, grew up there and am getting old there. So, I guess its just my character."

To be honest, his style, as in all forms of cubism, is notoriously difficult to describe. Not that the painter cares for such matters. But, alas, we humans always have the urge to put a label on everything.

Learning to appreciate Dwijo's paintings is a process that opens up entirely new ways of understanding how we see the world. Well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but it has some degree of truth, especially if we take a look at his Dinamika Kuda Dengan Roti Penari (The Dynamism of the Horse with the Dancer's Bread).

If his works are anything to go by, it looks as if Dwijo is blatantly and proudly shouting out, "Hey, it's me! A 'big' Indonesian painter."