Leo Kristi: Turning from musician to painter

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.