Leo Kristi: Turning from musician to painter

By Aendra H. Medita

JAKARTA (JP): When a musician holds a solo exhibition of his own paintings, it shows a daring process in achieving a new aesthetic expression because his works reflect the rhythm of the music he is usually identified with.

He is, Leo Imam Sukarno the painter, better known as Leo Kristi, well-known musician whose popular concerts feature patriotic themes.

Born in Surabaya, East Java, 51 years ago, Leo exhibits his paintings under the title of Tetrodotoxie at Indosteak Restaurant, Mulia Tower, Jl. Gatot Subroto, Jakarta, which runs from Sept. 22 through to Oct. 22.

Leo's solo painting exhibition is a breakthrough although some artists have also tried their hand at a medium of art unfamiliar to them. So it is all right, albeit unusual, for Leo, the musician, to exhibit the works of Leo the painter.

And Leo Kristi presents both of them simultaneously: a solo concert and a solo painting exhibition. On the evening marking the opening of his exhibition, Leo presented three full pieces in his solo concert: Tembang Lestari (Melody of Eternity) Laut Lepas Kita Pergi (To the Open Sea We Go) and Kaki Langit Cintaku Berlabuh (At the Horizon Rests My Love).

It is not by accident, though, that Leo has taken up painting. After leaving the School of Architecture at the Surabaya Institute of Technology, Leo enjoyed informal grooming in the fine arts.

In 1980 he stayed in Ubud, Bali, with noted Balinese painter, Nyoman Lempad. Later he made a trip around Madura island along with Affandi, Indonesia's painting maestro, and Aamang Rachman.

He has made long journeys at home from Sulawesi to Kalimantan, and abroad, visiting cities as far as Baghdad, Bangkok, Bombay, Jeddah, Mecca, Cairo and Madinah.

His penchant for travel has left indelible impressions on him, favorably contributing to his career in the musical realm and as an artist in general.

In his abstract expressionist paintings, popular idioms found in his music clearly present themselves. The impressions of his journeys find expression in his paintings and are given great prominence by his choice of bright colors.

Apart from establishing harmony in his works, Leo offers visual images of the themes present in his music. Take a look at his painting titled Gulagalugu Suara Nelayan (Gulagalugu a Fisherman's Voice). This evokes the memory of a song with a popular theme that he has often sung in his concerts.

Embodiment

The harmony created in the painting shows clearly how Leo has been inspired by the theme of this particular song. The painting looks as if it were an embodiment of rhythm present in harmony.

His two other paintings, Salam dari Desa (Greetings from the Village) and Biru Emas Bintang Tani (Golden Blue is the Peasant's Star) though, show that Leo has allowed himself greater freedom when working with his paintbrush on canvas. He shows an expressive solidness, which may be improved with more practice.

Of all 35 paintings in the exhibition, 10 share titles from his songs, evidence of how Leo has transformed one aesthetic medium of expression into another, giving the latter a fresh significance.

This transformation, in fact, is quite common in literary works. A number of poems, for example, have been turned into songs or dramatized.

Poems which have been subject to this transformation include Ajip Rosidi's Jante Arkidam, Sapardi Djoko Damono's Hujan Bulan Juni (June's Rain) Saini KM's Sukardal and a poem by Goenawan Mohamad, Kali (River), which musician Tony Prabowo has transformed into an opera.

Short stories or other artworks may also be subject to transformation of form in order to establish a new artistic expression.

Leo's paintings in the exhibition are, in their diversity, evidence of this aesthetic transformation.

One thing that must be borne in mind in the transformation from one artistic form to another is that if it hopes to achieve aesthetic essence it must be communicative.

In this respect, Leo is not a pioneer. Butet Kartaradjasa, a leading monolog actor, has earlier displayed his paintings along with poet Sitok Srengenge and short story writer Agus Noer.

As has Leo in introducing aesthetic transformation, they have delved into the essence of fine arts from their original aesthetic realms.