Iriantine achieves her dreams in exhibition

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): A mere three years after her re-emergence as a sculptor, Iriantine Karnaya is presenting her work in a solo exhibition. Having entered the world of sculpture in 1969, the year 1996 is especially auspicious for her. The numbers 69-96 are the subtitle of the exhibition.

Iriantine graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1975. In 1970, she participated in a number of exhibitions in Bandung and Jakarta, but after an exhibition with other Bandung sculptors in Jakarta in 1977 she disappeared from the scene.

But she did not vanish entirely from the world of art. The following year she joined the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Indonesia, teaching fine arts. In 1986 she started teaching sculpture at the Jakarta Arts Institute.

Her work between 1977 and 1990 was limited to a mural and a wall relief which she created for the central Bureau of Statistics, completed in 1986 and 1988 respectively.

But she never stopped bubbling with concepts and ideas. Thus since she re-emerged as an artist in 1990 she has not stopped sculpting.

"Now I can realize the dreams I had during the years I was dormant," she said.

Characteristic of her style are pairs of morphic shapes comprising contracting textures. Many of her pieces, such as Charisma, Lenggang Jakarta, Model, and Tiga Empat Garis Sensus are compositions of organic forms and combinations of various surface textures.

"Space is important in my compositions. That is why I often create my sculptures in pairs. Once a couple is formed, spaces emerge between them," she said.

In Sejoli (Amorous Couple) she presents a pair of abstract bird-like figures; it is not certain whether they are meant to represent a pair of eagles, penguins, quails or some other type of bird. From the pointed beak, bold curvilinear lines flows to the four corners. The backs of the figures are imprinted with regular patterns representing feathers.

She gives the front of the figures a rough and irregular texture.

"I am lucky to be able to do this," she said, referring to the space between the two forms which comprise the composition entitled Torso I. It is evident that not only the positive element of the sculptural form is important to this sculptor. She is equally concerned with the negative space between and around the pieces in the creation of her works.

In Ozone, the exploration of negative space is taken to a fourth dimension. Two spheres, each treated with rich textures, are rotated on their axes using a mechanical device. The result is a changing composition of textures and negative space.

Although her works tends to be abstract, Iriantine's works are actually tremendously diverse. Her sculptures range from super- realistic representations of natural creatures, such as Sugar and Ants and My Leaf, to the formal compositions consisting of cylinders or prisms entitled Public Art. These visual compositions, created using painted metallic material with accents of primary colors, seem very cold and anonymous, and are undoubtedly Iriantine's weakest pieces.

Her reliefs are much more interesting. These monochromatic reliefs rely on light to form chiaroscuros which emphasize the shapes they portray. Reliefs seem to be the form she has liked best since her studies at ITB. Two works, Him I & Him II, for example, date from that period. They suggest the humorous facial mimics of clowns in a subtle manner. The third, Crescendo, is not a relief, but rather a composition of shapes made of a kind of volcanic rock that floats in water.

This sculpture was supposed to be presented in water, but due to various constraints this was judged unfeasible.

Other reliefs, such as Bawang Bombay and Pisces, are derived from Iriantine's daily life. One day, while she was cooking, she saw an interesting composition in a bulb of onions she had just cut open. She set it aside, and after dinner she brought it to her studio to create a relief based on that composition. The inspiration for Pisces was the aquarium at the doctor's.

"What is amazing about Tine is that she is able to draw inspiration from anything, anywhere. Even onions she can transform into sculpture!" said sculptor Dolorosa Sinaga, dean of the Jakarta Arts Institute's Faculty of Fine Arts.

Dolorosa was responsible for encouraging Iriantine to start working as a sculptor again. In 1993 they exhibited together.

News about how the deterioration of the ozone layer on Dunia dalam Berita became Iriantine's inspiration for Ozone. The next morning, she took her son's basketball and used it as a mold for her sculpture.

Iriantine's personal statement about Indonesian TKW, female workers sent abroad, is manifested in Lady in Waiting, a composition consisting of a female figure in bronze standing in front of an painted iron tubular frame, on which two bed sheets, also in bronze, are being blown by the wind. This is a completely different style from her trademark textural pieces.

"Unlike most sculptors who tend to be concerned about their personal style, Tine is someone who places emphasis on form rather than style. This is perhaps because she is open-minded," Dolorosa added.

Indeed, Iriantine is a do-er. She does not like to trap herself in the complications of conceptual or stylistic deliberation. Iriantine is very sensitive and observant in regard to world issues. Therefore, as a sculptor, she prefers to create spontaneously, intuitively.

Having worked continuously for six years since her re- emergence into the world of sculpture, Iriantine Karnaya presented her creations in an exhibit opening last weekend at Gedung Pameran Seni Rupa "Gambir" on Jl. Medan Merdeka Timur No. 14, Central Jakarta. The exhibition will continue until Sept. 21.