Humorous cartoons depict gloomy Indonesia at exhibition

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.