Fajar Sidhik still true to abstract

Ridlo Aryanto, Contributor, Yogyakarta

Nothing but a real change is lasting in a person's life. The road of destiny that artist Fajar Sidhik, 72, has chosen is a reflection of this truism.

In the 1950s, he opted for realism in painting following an outpouring of feelings in response to the seething revolution that marked Indonesia's struggle for independence.

"At that time, thanks to the great influence of Soedjojono and Hendra Gunawan, I preferred to paint various aspects of popular life, ranging from peasant women searching for head lice, various types of vendors in the markets, natural scenery, to Balinese women bathing naked in the river," he says.

He recalls, with a chuckle, that to be able to paint these Balinese woman, he had to stay in Bali for close on a decade.

Born in Surabaya on Feb. 8, 1930, Fajar Sidhik, a father of three, says that one of the works resulting from his studies of Balinese women, Rural Women in Bali, was finally snapped up by Bung Karno when the first president of Indonesia visited the Gedung Agung in Yogyakarta in the company of his guest, Soviet president Kruschev, in 1957.

Changes in people's lifestyles and the strong push of technological and industrial development have since then altered the natural state of Indonesia.

Fajar has lost many subjects that he could have painted in his realist style and understandably he has felt pangs of regret at the loss.

"When I walked in Tanah Lot or Sanur in the 1960s, I began to see quite a few automobiles but I had no urge to paint automobiles or motorcycles or airplanes. Honestly, I personally like automobiles and can always feel the beauty of these industrial products.

"Strangely, however, I've never been spiritually moved to make an automobile the subject of my paintings. If you ask me the reason, well, I'll say simply I don't like doing it. For me, to like doing something is really valuable," said Fajar Sidhik, a former member of the People's Artists Workshop (1952).

Fajar, who is of the same generation as artists Batara Lubis and Sutopo, returned to Yogyakarta in 1961 because Bali had lost its attraction for painting in the realist style.

"Symbols of modernism like hotels and cars ruined Bali more and more. People, notably the women, were barred from bathing nude in the river. So what's left?" he asks.

He began taking up abstract painting.

Interestingly, he always creates his own shapes, without reference to existing ones. His abstract paintings use his characteristic shapes: geometric shapes -- triangles, boxes, circles -- overlaid with a composition of bright and somber colors.

"Since I started with abstract painting, I've always been like a starving person or like one with an urgent need to urinate. My desire to paint has become uncontrollable and I have always felt the urge to paint and paint.

"In fact, in that period the public could not yet accept abstract painting. A friend of mine refused my gift of an abstract painting, saying that it would only spoil the house. So, you could not expect the public to buy your abstract paintings," he says.

Fajar graduated from ASRI (Indonesian Arts Academy, now renamed ISI), in Yogyakarta in 1965 and then taught there until he retired in 1995.

In the eyes of Suwarno Wesetrotomo, an art observer, the most important characteristic of Fajar Sidhik was his courage to remain consistent in his devotion to abstract painting despite the poor appreciation that the public then had for this kind of art.

"Fajar has braved all and has been very consistent with his choice until now. His decision to switch from being a realist painter to an abstract painter was really extraordinary. This decision has made him an abstract painting figure who deserves to be included in the history of fine art in Indonesia. He can be held up as a model of someone remaining consistent to his choices," says Suwarno, a lecture at ISI.

Although in the early years of his career as an abstract painter, Fajar spent most of his time painting for himself and simply let these works pile up, in the 1970s he was flattered when Adam Malik bought his work, Dynamics of Space.

"I was surprised as Pak Adam Malik was a step ahead of Bung Karno because he could enjoy abstract paintings," he says, laughing loudly and freely.

Although at first he took the risk that his works would not sell well and that he would have to rely on his salary as a lecturer at ISI, today his works are sought after by collectors.

Tempo weekly news magazine reported in its Aug. 25, 2002, edition that in 1996, two collectors from Jakarta bought up 100 paintings by Fajar for Rp 300 million. Later, his paintings began to attract more and more collectors and today one painting by Fajar can fetch Rp 25 million.

His fans have even gathered some 30 of his paintings and put them on exhibit in the Museum Affandi, Yogyakarta, from Sept. 28 to Oct. 5. Is Fajar pleased?

"I have always taken up painting happily. Whatever happens to my paintings, I'll always feel happy. But I have greater pleasure now because today abstract paintings are acceptable -- a response to the challenges I had dozens of years ago.

"I never care much about what people think of my work. What matters most is that I can continue painting with a happy and free mind," he says.

For Suwarno, it is this attitude that shows that Fajar cares little about the market for his paintings.

"If he had decided to remain a realist artist, he would have become a billionaire when he was much younger. We all note, however, that he has chose his destiny as an abstract painter."