Indonesian writers locked in battle with development

Indonesian writers locked in battle with development

By A.D. Donggo

JAKARTA (JP): A famous man of letters once said, "Government
support of the arts is dreadful, for prosperous artists will
never create a valuable piece of art."

Leo Tolstoy made the remark, though it is still not quite
clear what was on his mind at the time.

Tolstoy lived in the 1800s when Russian tsars were ruling the
country. He died in 1910, seven years after the government was
toppled in a revolution in October 1917. Tolstoy was a prosperous
man. He owned many hectares of land in Yasnaya Polyana, east of
Moscow.

In that region he built a home, which is now a museum. He
lived there, wrote there and was buried there in an anonymous
tomb. It was there that he created two monumental works, Anna
Karenina and War and Peace.

Was Tolstoy a poor man when he wrote the now-famous books?
Although we cannot answer this question with complete confidence,
a biography states that he was a man of affluence. The fact that
he was rich must have been, more or less, the reason why he could
create his work in peace.

So why did he make the above statement? Maybe at the time he
had problems with the tsar, who may have limited the freedom of
writers. Writers listen to their inner heart during the creative
process, not someone else's.

Tolstoy's opinion has supporters and detractors. There is the
question of whether wealthy artists who enjoy government support
and other perks create worthy pieces. Most everyone, including
artists, likes to live in comfort, no matter what people say.

I do not mean to be impudent by saying that an artist can only
create a masterpiece when he or she is hungry. Can an artist
create in peace and produce something good when the spouse or
children are begging for food? Some can, though it would be
difficult.

The uncertainty spawns another question: Do artists have to be
supported by the government or any other party?

Let us take a look at the following sample found in Umar
Kayam's novel Para Priyayi (The Aristocrats). On page 5, Kayam
explains which parties made the publication of his novel
possible: Gadjah Mada University, Yale University, the Ford
Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation and Goenawan Mohammad.

Based on his acknowledgement, it becomes clear that without
their support, Kayam could not have published his novel. We are
certain that Kayam accepted the donations without any conditions,
but if he had, what might have happened?

Tolstoy might have worried that artists receiving government
support would have to create their art to satisfy and please
their benefactor.

This problem is not new to Indonesian artists.

The question, discussed by many, is whether Para Priyayi is a
quality piece. Quality is relative and often it is just a matter
of taste or the author in question.

But promotion can also play a role. Para Priyayi was promoted
continuously and marketing may have played a decisive role in its
success. This is representative of the present situation in
Indonesia.

I bring up the matter because Kayam has not benefited
financially entirely from the support extended to him. Many have
the impression that Para Priyayi was written in a rush. It has
too many problems and, they say, the novel should have been
written in three parts to give it more substance. It should have
started with history, which was only briefly mentioned in the
story. But he did not.

What about those writers who never receive financial support
or have rejected it? Is there any Indonesian artist who has never
received some form of support? I believe there are many, such as
Chairil Anwar, Sitor Situmorang, Pramoedya Ananta Toer, and maybe
Y.B. Mangunwijaya. As far as I know, none has ever received
assistance from the government or any private party regarding the
creation of their poems or novels, and none live in luxury. This
is especially true of Chairil Anwar, who was regarded by many as
nearly destitute, though he created great poems which are still
being read to this day. Chairil Anwar's works have become
immortal.

If we look at our own situation, mostly in the field of art
and culture, we have been locked into a constant battle with
rapid economic development. A greater part of the Indonesian
nation is enjoying the country's achievements.

In a time of relative prosperity, many expect great works of
literature and art to be produced. But we do not know if a better
economic situation has weakened or improved the creativity of the
writers.

Some politicians feel that the current situation has created
an atmosphere that can kill human creativity, though I think it
is naive to blame the economy. However, we have to admit that no
work of importance has been created in the last two decades.
Certainly not in literature. We don't know whether it is because
the writers are ignorant or facing certain limitations.

Some writers say that if they have to consider many aspects
such as economics and political circumstances, they will not be
able to create anything until the end of their life. It is an
extreme opinion, but how about one's inner heart? Artists usually
stand up for marginalized people and against injustice. But if
the artists display these feelings explicitly in their work here,
someone is usually offended.

An artist's position is often an uncomfortable one.

The writer, a former journalist and editor, is now a freelance
writer and novelist.