'Kompas' collection provides hints of art history

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): In conjunction with the 35 anniversary of Kompas daily, an exhibition of the newspaper's art collection is being held at the Bentara Budaya Jakarta (BBJ), opposite the paper's offices on Jl. Palmerah Selatan, Central Jakarta.

Ipong Purnamasidhi, the curator, said it is the first time, the collections are being shown comprehensively.

There are ceramics, sculptures, and paintings on display the show; it is the latter, however, that are of special interest. It is a comprehensive selection, including the works of modern Indonesian art masters, such as Affandi, Sudjojono, Trubus, Hendra Gunawan; those of important although less famous artists such as Dullah, Sudarso, Popo, Sadali, Gusti Sholichin, Nashar, Gambir Anom, and Basoeki Resobowo; and those belonging to younger artists like Lucia Hartini, Koeboe Sarawan, Nasirun, Faizal, Melodia, Entang Wiharso, Yuswantoro Adi, Made Sukadana, Putu Sutawijaya and many more.

During a visit to the New York Times, the late PK Ojong (1920- 1980), founder of Kompas, saw that the works of world famous modern and contemporary artists decorated the paper's offices. This inspired him to start a collection of Indonesian art.

This was the beginning of the Kompas collection. The exhibition includes paintings collected in Pak Ojong's days as well as those after he passed away in 1980. It shows the relationship between artists and the media. Pak Ojong once said that the very least support the media could provide for artists was through disseminating news and criticism about their works and exhibitions.

However, in addition to that, he said collecting their works would provide them with more concrete support. Not only would they be able to obtain the financial means to further foster their creativity, but they would also obtain great moral support and appreciation, which would strengthen their spirit.

A later Kompas editor once jokingly remarked that Pak Ojong only bought paintings when he considered the price cheap. If that was the case, then he must have had a kind of Midas touch, because many of the paintings in the Kompas collection are significant pieces in the history of Indonesian art, and they would now definitely fetch a considerable price.

Unfortunately, not all the works come with their acquisition dates. Hence it is unclear which works were collected by Pak Ojong, and which by his successors.

One work that most likely to have been collected by Pak Ojong is a humorous piece by Otto Djaya, showing a reception at the Merdeka Palace, dating from 1961.

Figures appear in profile talking to each other. There is figure reminiscent of Sukarno, dressed in his signature white and wearing a kopiah cap, taking to a very tall westerner with a large nose.

In the middle of the canvas, there is an Indonesian woman in a bright red kebaya. This is perhaps Fatmawati, Sukarno's wife at the time. Almost every male westerner is facing a female Indonesian, and every female westerner is talking to a male Indonesian.

But there is a female figure in a blue kebaya standing between the woman in the red kebaya and Soekarno, not really talking to anyone. Otto Djaya seems to be doing some naughty gossiping through his paintings.

Among the most interesting paintings in the collection is S. Sudjojono's Bukit Gersang (1982), showing the artist and his wife in the midst of arid boulders. Between two boulders, there is a metal structure that seems to be a kind of bridge. The artist squats in front of this bridge, while his wife stands behind him. To their side is a white ceramic vase, in which a flower blossoms.

In a distance, to the left of the canvas, there is a rather squat young kapok tree.

Most kapok trees reach towering heights. It is in fact the grandeur of the tree that inspires Sudjojono to include it in many of his paintings.

The tree, which usually grows alone in rather arid areas, seems to be symbolic of individualism and perseverance despite difficult conditions. The image of the young kapok tree, as well as the flower blossoming in the white vase, suggests a strong will to live and grow. It is the artist's personal expression.

Despite difficult economic conditions, the artist perseveres and his wife stands right behind him.

Gerilya'Guerilla is one of his paintings that depict a scene from memories of the war of independence using characters from the present. The main character, the leader of a guerrilla company is seated on a chair, smiling at a toddler in front of him.

Behind him is his wife and an older girl. Two younger men around them look indifferent. Even in times of war, there are brief moments when families can enjoy some peace and harmony.

The main character is perhaps a self-portrait of the artist. The model for the toddler is certainly the artist's daughter, Maya.

The model for the woman behind the main figure is Rose Pandanwangi, the artist's wife, and the girl is most likely modeled on Pandanwangi, his daughter. Although we can recognize the figures, their treatment is not in Sudjojono's typical refined style that he uses for most of his paintings of this series.

Here we can see some rather disturbing deformations, especially in the main character's face and that of his wife's.

For some reason their portrayal is much different from the depiction of the two young girls.

The rest of the painting is superb. There is strong yet delicate contrast between the shaded area in which the family convenes, and the surrounding hills bathed in full sunlight. The use of lighting even suggests that there is a moment of peace in the midst of the looming threat of war.

Unfortunately the painting is not in a good condition; it has been over-varnished and the signature and monogram have been reworked. It would be better if the painting was properly conserved and returned to its original condition.

Trubus's Nocturne, (1965), is a haunting painting. A woman, depicted in sharp realism, plays the piano with intense determination. Next to her is a girl looking at the musical score, depicted with impressionistic brushstrokes. Other figures towards the bottom of the canvas are shown in silhouette in the midst of darkness.

One of them seems to suggest a figure holding the bow of a violin. However, the face is eyeless, and appears like the face of death. The music that the woman plays is certainly full of disharmony. Is this a work that he painted just before his disappearance following the aborted coup of 1965? Knowing the provenance of the painting would provide us with more clues.

The collection as a whole stimulates us to want to know more. Unfortunately, there is lack of attendant information provided in the exhibition. The labels offer some technical information, but not much more. There is no collection catalog.

The time is clearly ripe for a comprehensive publication of the paintings and the history of their collection. In the meantime, the brief exhibition, which ends 25 June 2000, is a step toward that direction.