Maman's works show the bare basics of people's lives

By Tarko Sudiarno

YOGYAKARTA (JP) : Tertangkapnya Kambing Hitam (The Capture of the Black Goats), that is the title given to a painting by Maman Rahman in one corner of Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta. It shows two caught black goats: one is carried on the shoulder by Petruk while the other one by two persons walking behind him. Meanwhile, a crowd of people with the red-and-white flag forming the background are seen to be shouting, welcoming the three persons carrying home the two black goats.

Despite this shouting, whether supporting or ridiculing him, Petruk continues walking, ignoring the yelling masses. He even ignores the presence of two Jathilan dancers among the shouting crowd welcoming the capture of the two black goats.

Meanwhile, close to this painting there is another one, quite large in size -- 3 meters by 6 m, entitled Potret Anak Jalanan (Portrait of Street Children) and depicting the euphoria of thousands of people in the capital city of Jakarta. All layers of the community come to the streets in great joy along with the four punokawan, servants of royalty in a Javanese shadow puppet play, named Semar, Gareng, Petruk and Bagong, while Ledhek dancers are performing the Tandak dance along with the Jathilan dancers.

These oil paintings on canvases measuring respectively 150 centimeters by 198 cm and 3 meters by 6 m are reminiscent of the paintings by Djokopekik, especially his Indonesia Berburu Celeng (Indonesia is Hunting a Boar), which sold at Rp 1 billion in 1998. In Tertangkapnya Kambing Hitam, the characteristics of Djokopekik's painting are very obvious, for example the presence of Jathilan dancers and the depiction of the common people, not to say the painting style.

Tertangkapnya ... was exhibited at Bentara Budaya here between Jan. 20 and 27, 2000, along with 20 other paintings by Maman Rahman, who previously studied at the Fine Arts Secondary School (SMSR) and the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI). He admitted that in the paintings exhibited in this solo exhibition he wanted to capture the life of the common people to show how they lead their daily lives.

Regarding comments that his works resemble those of Djokopekik, Maman, born in Karawang, West Java in 1965, admitted that Djokopekik was one of his idolized painters. "Yet I am not the epigone of Djokopekik. I admire him the way I admired Hendra Gunawan and Sudjojono. I believe it is all right for a painter to take other artists' ideas in his painting process," said the painter who was awarded a gold medal from Kyoto, Japan in 1986.

Of all 1999 works of Maman Rahman exhibited this time, at least three paintings take ideas from Djokopekik's paintings on Celeng (Boar) and the reform movement. These are Potret Anak Jalanan, Tragedi Anak Zaman (Tragedy of the Child of an Era) (110 cm x 130 cm) and Tertangkapnya Kambing Hitam. The colors in these paintings resemble those in Djokopekik's paintings, which are dominated by somber colors and characterized by the presence of Ledhek and Jathilan dancers,

Maman, however, has always refused to be called as Djokopekik's epigone, arguing that as an artist he has not stopped being involved in a process.

"My works will not stop here and I will continue creating my works and involve myself in a process. Therefore, I have deliberately exhibited my latest works in order that they may be appreciated by art observers and collectors. In this way I may know the pluses and minuses of my works," he said.

In the meantime, Dr. Sindhunata, a writer on culture who has helped boost Djokopekik's reputation, was of the opinion that Maman's works were as a whole technically better than Djokopekik's. Young Maman can still develop further and can work on themes related to the people and social affairs, just like Djokopekik.

"One may say that Djokopekik does have a number of unexpected factors in his painting career. Among other things, he used to be imprisoned and considered leftist, two things that have catapulted his reputation and enable him to have a profound vision of the populace. Besides, he also nurtures a historical revenge, of sorts, upon the New Order government. All this was put down on canvas appropriately at an opportune time," said Sindhunata, writer of Anak Bajang Menggiring Angin (The Dwarf Leads the Wind).

Social themes are also found in some other works put on display in Maman's solo exhibition, among others, Kisah Budaya Rakyat (Story of People's Culture), which depicts the atmosphere during the performance of a leather puppet shadow play with the vendor of Endok Abang (red eggs) forming the foreground, Semalam Suntuk (All Night Long), a painting depicting a group of people with lusterless faces playing cards, Nasi Kucing (Cat's Rice), a painting presenting the atmosphere in food stalls found in great abundance here and Makan Siang dan Obrolannya (Lunch and Chatting), which depicts a group of tayub dancers having a rest.

Maman has realistically captured in his paintings the themes stemming from the lives of the common people. He does not add any dramatic flavor or exaggerate the situation. All lines and strokes in his works on the atmosphere of a daily life are natural, without any emotional burden. Therefore, his works are close to reality. Indeed, he has chosen dark colors to create the impression of gloom, just like the gloomy lives of the low-class people.

Social reality is an inexhaustible source of ideas to be put on canvas. Noted artists like S. Sudjojono, Affandi and Hendra Gunawan delved deep into these objects. In 1947 a number of Indonesian painters like Affandi and Hendra Gunawan even set up their own group, Pelukis Rakyat (People's Painters), and then in the 1960s some other painters set up their Sanggar Bumi Tarung (Earth for Fighting Workshop) here.

The artists joining these groups obviously had their own purpose or ideology in painting. During these periods, paintings were used as a means of struggle, agitation and provocation. In the 1960s, during the heyday of the communist-leaning Lekra (Institute of People's Culture), an art work had to fulfill the requirement of Meninggi dan Melebar (Heightening and Widening), namely higher in quality and encompassing broader masses. As a result, most of the works created then had their own distinctive political significance and motive.

Djokopekik, who underwent such a situation, is still faithful to such themes in his works. Just take a look at his works such as WTS Menagih Janji (A Prostitute Asks that a Promise be Fulfilled), Keretaku Tak Berhenti Lama (My Train Won't Stop Long), Kakek Veteran (Veteran Old Man) and Di bawah Pohon Beringin Hitam (Under the Black Banyan Tree). All these works have a clear vision in them and are wrapped in hidden idioms.

As for Maman, a contemporary painter, he has not had much political and ideological experience. Therefore although his works have the setting of common people, they have yet to contain a profound vision and mission.

In his introduction to this exhibition, a fine art observer, Agus Dermawan T, said that Maman's paintings depict the behavior and attitude toward life of the Indonesian people he sees in his own era. Movements Indonesians are observed at the low, most daily and ordinary level. In his canvases, events that can produce a boom to history, lives of unbridled pleasure and delight, or even something that may be hurting, are all absent.