Humorous cartoons depict gloomy Indonesia at exhibition
By I Wayan Juniarta
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): When even the best cartoonists and the best cartoons fail to entertain, is it time to start asking just how troubled is our country?
The political elite in Jakarta are busy playing their "low- class, high-cost" primitive games. And the people are playing their roles as either passive sufferers or barbaric anarchists. Not to mention the rocketing price of basic goods, which has figuratively driven many housewives to madness.
Indeed, there is surely no longer any space available in this country for laughter and happiness.
That is the essence of a cartoon exhibition being held here at Gedung Titik Dua, Tohpati, from May 20 to June 15.
The exhibition of some 67 cartoons from 16 Bali cartoonists is appropriately titled Prihatin (Concerned). A picture of a boy wearing a Balinese sarong and headscarf, giving a military salute to the Indonesia flag at half-mast, is the central figure of the exhibition's brochures and leaflets.
"We just want this nation, especially the political elite, to stop playing games with the future of the people," commented a cartoonist.
He said the people were sickened by all the political maneuvers and countermaneuvers.
"And it is just a matter of time before the people's reservoir of patience and sense of humor is completely drained, then the political elite will know the real meaning of the bloody revolution," he added.
Senior cartoonists such as Gus Martin, Surya Dharma, Cece Riberu, Jango Paramartha and Gun Gun, and young cartoonists such as Putu Ebo, Ghost Harsantha and Grace are displaying some of their best works at the exhibition.
Through their works, the cartoonists vividly convey their messages.
On the exhibition's opening night, one of Bali's senior cartoonists, Jango Paramartha, arranged a dinner for the country's political elite. Yet, all the plates and glasses were deliberately left empty and the chairs were bandaged. The title was Bon Appetite Indonesia, May You Get Well Soon.
Another senior cartoonist, Cece Riberu, channeled his creativity into the Garuda, the mythical bird that is the symbol of the nation.
For Cece, the Garuda is on the verge of being fatally wounded, so he dressed the talons and wings of the bird with bandages. Then an intravenous feeding tube was hooked into the bird. A Garuda in the Intensive Care Unit?
Most of the exhibited cartoons convey similarly bleak messages. There is an image of a ball, symbolizing the people, being kicked around by the giant black feet of political conflicts and economic crisis.
Or a patient named Indonesia waits endlessly and hopelessly for treatment outside a closed clinic. Another ironic cartoon portrays a teacher trying to show his student a picture of interreligious harmony while dodging a bullet, from Ambon perhaps?
Not to be forgotten is an image of former president Soeharto on Indosiar's popular TV show Tali Kasih (Love and Affection), which arranges reunions between long-lost friends or loved ones. In the cartoon, Soeharto asks his fugitive son Tommy to return home.
Most of the cartoons deal with the disharmonious relationship between President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, or with Amien Rais, Akbar Tanjung and the members of the House of the Representatives.
With such themes, it is no wonder that the majority of viewers could only manage bitter smiles.
"Well, that's exactly the point we want to achieve. We want people to realize how critical and dangerous our situation really is," a cartoonist explained.
Perhaps the only joyous image of the exhibition was the official launching of Bali's first monthly cartoon magazine, Bog- Bog (Lies). The first edition of this free magazine was published last April. And the second edition is due by the end of this month. A mix of cartoons, funny stories, critical pieces and information on tourism, Bog-Bog boasts a circulation of 4,000, with the magazine being distributed in Bali, Jakarta, Manado, Bandung and Yogyakarta.
"We would like to present local people, and also foreign visitors, with an alternative media about Balinese people, the island's condition and tourism," said Bog-Bog chief editor Jango Paramartha.
The magazine is aimed at presenting topics that can overcome any language barriers, that are light-hearted, humorous and dare to explore many facets of tourism and development in Bali, Jango added.