Hidden side of Ali Sadikin to be exhibited at TIM
By Johannes Simbolon
JAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, a best-selling biography and a compilation of press interviews have been published about Ali Sadikin, the former governor of Jakarta.
Now a photo essay has been added to the list, revealing a hidden side of his life.
The Other Side of Ali Sadikin is the work of Umar Widodo, a photography student at the Jakarta Arts Institute. It will be exhibited at the Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts Center until June 25.
The exhibition, part of Umar's most recent assignment, has received a deserved "A" from his instructors.
The exhibition's attraction is Ali Sadikin himself. Many visitors have come to see one of the few Indonesians who has made a real contribution to the country in the past several decades.
Ali was governor of Jakarta for two terms, from 1966 to 1977. He is still considered Jakarta's best governor.
During his tenure as governor, he legalized gambling and localized prostitutes, both of which sparked disputes. Many Indonesians hate him, but others admire his bravery. Ali proved to be a tough risk-taker and an angry but honest man.
After leaving office, Ali joined Petisi 50 a group critical of the New Order Administration. He quickly became the group's leader. The foreign press refers to him as the leader of Indonesia's opposition.
Subject
On Thursday, Umar told a press conference attended by Ali that he did not chose Ali as his subject because of his political stature.
"Bang Ali is important to me. In the first place, he founded the Taman Ismail Marzuki center, the institute where I am studying and where I am going to exhibit my works. He also built Jakarta, where I was born and raised," said Umar.
Umar mailed his request to Ali in September 1995. Ali telephoned within two days, stating that Umar could follow him anywhere and take photos anytime.
Ali said he actually does not like having his picture taken. His photo albums contain only pictures taken at ceremonies when he was governor.
"I accepted Umar's request because he said that it was for his studies. He also said that his father died when he was still a small boy. I am sympathetic towards him, because he has been an orphan since childhood, like me," explained Ali.
The photo shoot lasted from September 1995 to May this year.
The trademark photo of Ali commonly featured in newspapers shows him scowling and brandishing his fist.
"I often told the journalists not to publish the photo because it would create the misleading perception among the public that I can't smile. But the journalists always said, `It's a good picture'," Ali said.
Umar reveals a different Ali. Photos depicting him as a political activist include him debating with Adnan Buyung Nasution and posing with Permadi and Sri Bintang Pamungkas. But most of the photographs show him as a common man in moments of happiness, sorrow and playfulness. The pictures are human and touching.
Ali's life has been shot from all sides: Ali as a grandfather playing with his grandchild; as the father; as the husband who is brooding beside the tomb of his first wife; as the 69-year-old man who exercises diligently in order to stay healthy.
Umar's skill is also amazing. He sometimes uses only symbols, not the man himself. To illustrate that Ali's speeches draw crowds, he shot a crowd with a wooden notice in the foreground reading "The Challenge of Democracy. Discussion with Bang Ali". Although Ali is not in the photo, it symbolically and poetically illustrates the real Ali.