GROUP SEMBILAN IS COMING OF AGE

By Carla Bianpoen [10pt ML]

JAKARTA (JP): The 20th anniversary of Group Sembilan (the Group of Nine) is a milestone in the history of international women artists' associations.

Commenced as an act of friendship between women of different nationalities who needed to support each other with encouragement, the group can look back upon two decades of continuous activity.

A great deal of this continuation is due to Ratmini Soedjatmoko and Wiranti Tedjasukmana, two of the founding members, who have been unrelenting in maintaining the objectives of the group throughout these 20 years. The bonds of friendship forged in the course of time last up to this very moment.

In an era in which the pace of change is more rapid than ever, and the lapse in human relations takes its toll, the significance of an organization like Group Sembilan becomes all the more tangible. Indeed, the group has been a stronghold for its members in addressing their need for self-actualization.

This has been facilitated in the continuing exchange with the foreign members of the group, who are ever changing because of their temporary stays in this country.

This multi-cultural aspect is a distinctive feature of Group Sembilan. Exchanges of ideas with fellow artists from other countries, many of them nationals of the developed West, has had a significant impact on the group's dynamics.

"Communicating with fellow artists of such diverse backgrounds and levels of skill widen's one's scope tremendously," Timur Bjerknes, who in spite of living in Norway, still communicates regularly with the group's members, said.

Unique

Dolorosa Sinaga, a noted professional sculptor with international experience, is of the same opinion. "This group is unique in Indonesia. It provides for global interaction, inciting professional ambition," she says.

Misook Hong Cho from Korea, who has participated in the group's exhibitions 10 times, gets excited every time the group prepares for a show. She finds the anticipation, the frenzy and the usual lack of time to get everything done inspiring.

The absence of pronounced competition among the participants is something one would rarely encounter in the West, Kirsten Nieser-Schlaudraff, said of the group.

For the founders of the group, what counts most is the realm of friendship among persons who share the same love for the arts and who may feel somewhat constrained in addressing their artistic urges.

This is exactly what made Ratmini decide on the establishment of Group Sembilan. The opportunity presented itself when she met Carmen Lord again in Jakarta in the early 1970s. They knew each other from the days when they studied together at Washington's Corcoran School of Art.

Carmen came to Indonesia with her husband, Melvin Lord, who had been assigned to the World Bank's resident staff in Indonesia.

In those memorable hours of reminiscing old times, of jokes and gossip, they also came to speak of their need for artistic expression. Their busy social and family life, in addition to a teaching job for Ratmini, hardly left any time to concentrate on painting. "Yet I felt an increasing urge to do something I really wanted to do, and Carmen felt the same," Ratmini said.

Mutual encouragement was all they needed to take up the brush. Wiranti Tedjasukmana, who, after her husband had passed away, needed a little push to start painting again, was gently brought in by Ratmini. Timur Nitiadiningrat Bjerknes then followed. And Carmen Lloyd introduced other expatriate artists who had come to Jakarta to accompany their spouses. The first exhibition in 1974 included nine members, so the group was named Group Sembilan.

Turning point

Today the group boasts a growing sense of professionalism. At this point in time, the position of women is at a turning point and constraints in choosing painting or sculpture as a profession have somewhat diminished.

This is particularly evident in the works of the Indonesian artists in this exhibition. Dolorosa Sinaga, a long-time member of the group, is of the opinion that women artists today must seize this momentum, and prove their professionalism as an artist. Society will then gradually accept that values and standards are not carved in stone, and conventional perceptions about the place of women in society need adjustment.

Her sculptures at this exhibition are testimony to her views in this respect. A dancer in bronze, elucidating an advanced level of professional skill and artistic maturity, is exceptionally beautiful. Traditional and yet contemporary, elegant and yet strong, this dancer in bronze is a statement that contemporary values do not necessarily contradict basic standards in traditional culture.

In this relation it is worth noting that Sinaga's Dancer was used as a model for a trophy presented in a modified version to the First Lady by the Minister of Women's Roles on the recent Kartini Day.

Like Sinaga, Iriantine Karnaya's sculptures are in bronze. "Both Dolo (Sinaga) and I have been affected by the impact of chemical substances in the material we work with, but that is the risk we have to take," says Iriantine, whose strength seems to lay in simple but expressive lines.

Tine, as she is affectionately called, said this is her first time with Group Sembilan. "I have taken a break from my preparations for a solo exhibition, as I was invited to join in this exhibit."

New direction

Different from her previous works, Astari Rasjid's current paintings appear to be hinting at the new direction her life as an artist has taken. In fact they seem to be a statement of what is essential to her. Her four works entitled Nexus, Ambiguous Borders, Intoxicated Red, and Unexpected Reposition, seem all to speak of a profound self-recognition, of liberation and of an intense need for communication.

At times with surrealistic tones, Astari's works show that she is intent on proceeding with an abstract style. Features of her recent works are a recurrent figure with pulsating symbols, separate panels to form one entity, bold strokes and outspoken colors. They mark a turning point of significance in the artist's professional life.

An advanced phase in artistic imagery is also noted in Farida Srihadi's works. Although her canvases are still divided into large colored surfaces, these now are more expressive, revealing a stronger confidence.

Wayang dan Bayang, Morning Glory, Four Seasons, and Sea Festival have some bold, swinging movements contrasting with somber colors combined with subdued gold prada. Standing before her paintings one is taken into the realm of meditation.

Timur Bjerknes' landscapes in watercolor are the best among her works displayed. Sensitive to the environment in which she now lives in Oslo, these works represent winter through the eye of the artist. The snow landscapes are like fairy tales, which one would like to be told again and again.

Wiranti Tedjasukmana's fanciful and beautiful depictions of traditional scenes are well known. And any change in style or treatment from her past high quality works is tangible only in additional patterns, somewhat brighter colors and an enhanced attention to finishing.

Ratmini Soedjatmoko's works tell of her interest in the diversity of textiles in Indonesia. Having exercised Japanese brush painting for a long time, she now finds herself in a totally different style. "In fact I wanted to paint abstract forms, but my brush has led me otherwise," she reveals. Friends in the group are encouraging her to work for a solo exhibition.

Diversity

It is interesting to note the diversity in styles and media through which the artists reveal their visions and their interests. Some of the foreign artists in this group find their main inspiration in Indonesian culture and nature.

Mubeccel Siber, a native of Turkey and a long-time member of the group, who used to be fascinated by the mysteries of the Borobudur Temple, has now shifted to the movements in Indonesian dance. Capturing specific positions with a keen eye, Siber has grasped the essential meaning of traditional dance. Subtle lines and gentle colors are her media for relaying this.

Kirsten Nieser-Schlaudraff, who is leaving Indonesia to return to Germany, has been inspired by the diversity of palms in Indonesia. One of her best paintings is the Pinang Raja, in which juxtapositions of little details inserted into the overall depiction of palms gives the work an added dimension.

Jill Roland-Gosselin from the United Kingdom is obsessed with the vibrations of color. Capturing impressions of the moment, she likes to work with water color. Her painting entitled Topi-Topi is particularly engaging.

Eliza Chau, who became a member of the group in 1986, but has lived and traveled abroad periodically since that time, also works primarily in water color. Eliza, who hails from Hong Kong and has studied art in Canada, enlarges the objects she paints in order to enhance subtleties of form and color.

Every time Misook Hong Cho exhibits with the group, there is another dimension to her works. Steadily advancing, the artist's imagery is led by the texture of the material she selects for her collages. Her colors are strong, the lines simple and clear, her finishing refined.

With their coming of age, Group Sembilan has grown into one of the most prestigious artist groups in Indonesia. As access is by invitation, the number of participants may surpass the original nine. However, it is policy to keep the group small enough to maintain the value-added dimension of personal interaction.