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

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.