'Happy paintings' to go on roadshow to Moscow, Lisbon
By Mehru Jaffer
JAKARTA (JP): The search this time was for a little more humor, more color and some hope. The last three years have seen so much of anger and violence in the country that people seem to have made a shroud of sorrow and live life as if without optimism.
The Indonesia Fine Art Foundation (YSRI) wanted a change in the somewhat pessimistic scene that represents Indonesia today as it hunted around for "happy" paintings to be included in a traveling exhibition titled "A cultural journey to Moscow and Lisbon". And it proved to be no easy task, according to M. Dwi Marianto, curator YSRI who told The Jakarta Post that there is an ocean of talent in the country and to wade through all that art took some doing.
Numerous curators, art collectors and critics were consulted before 14 Indonesian artists were selected amongst hundreds to participate in a 10-day exhibition in October in Moscow and for another two weeks in Lisbon, Portugal. During this unique journey the painters will be provided plenty of opportunity to also paint while abroad, and to meet with fellow artists.
Earlier this year several Russian artists had spent time in Indonesia on the invitation of YSRI, painting and exhibiting here and on their return, in Moscow. The visit of Indonesian artists to Russia is to return the gesture first made by artists from there while the trip to Lisbon is intended as an exercise in further strengthening cultural ties between Indonesia and Portugal.
Arin Dwi Hartanto,22 is extremely excited over the fact that he is included in the journey. When he received a fax from the YSRI, informing him of his selection he had jumped with joy. A prolific painter from the fine art department of the Institute of Technology, Bandung Arin held his first solo exhibition last July.
Out of a series of 21 paintings titled Machine Head, three are included in the forthcoming exhibition. Although still young, Arin's paintings are soaked in nostalgia for those days when he was even younger. Since he is no longer able to play with toys he uses them to provoke him to paint and even glues pieces of playthings on to his canvas.
Arin is in no hurry to join the structured world of grownups as he finds it too logical, rational and very unflexible. He never wants his spontaneity to fade or his intuition to dim. He is fascinated with technology but instead of becoming its slave he prefers to play around with it, also using it as one of the most important inspirations for his painting.
Despite all the playfulness that Arin oozes, the end result of each canvass he has touched shines today with precision and a maturity that is rarely found in one so tender of age.
His use of the primary colors of white, black and red do remind one of the building blocks used by infants in every kindergarten but the dominant sweep of plenty of cream is what brings sobriety, even dignity to each of his canvas seen on display at a preview held at the Regent hotel.
Marianto points out to the works of Nyoman Masriadi. Just 26 years old but already a sensation in the country. Two of the three works that he has on display at the preview were sold out within minutes after the exhibition opened.
Before Nyoman there was a lot of totally abstract work being done. But Nyoman is unique for using figures and the human form in a very interesting way even as the main style of his paintings remains abstract.
In Nyoman, curators find a lot of humour, something that has become a rare commodity in these difficult days.
The Bintang Mitologi (Stars of mythology) series in oil on canvas by I Nyoman Sukari also stand out for the use of traditional themes conveyed through fresh strokes dipped in a brilliant combination of colors.
Happy colors and two dimensional profiles are the main attraction of the works of Bunga Jeruk while Edi Sunaryo's Bulan Sabit (Crescent) provides child like happiness just like the Halaman Kuning (Yellow yard) series of Rudi St. Darma. In Barong Bangkung, by I Gede Ketut Grantika naive fear combined with breathlessness and lots of fun is captured on the compound of a Balinese temple.
Astari Rasjid has gone totally traditional with Loyally Holding, a graceful portrayal of a princes like profile. The classical canvas enclosed within a gilded, gold frame that is an aesthetic delight was also labelled with a large red dot to say that it has ben sold.
The preview that opened on Aug. 23 remains on display till Aug. 28 at the Regent hotel.