Mind's eye of a national banker

Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

"At the time, it was a luxury hearse," said Sigit Pramono when commenting on a photograph he had taken of a pedicab carrying a corpse in a black body bag.

This characteristically Acehnese type of pedicab would not draw much attention under normal circumstances as it is merely a means of public transportation for the poor.

However for Sigit, the president director of BNI, the pedicab was special. "We were lucky to use the pedicab. It was quite a luxury," he said.

What made the pedicab even more special to him was that the dead body it carried was that of one of his employees killed in the Aceh tsunami, which destroyed two BNI branches.

The body was found five days after the disaster. Unlike the thousands of tsunami victims never recovered, Sigit's employee had a proper burial.

The photo of the pedicab is being exhibited at Sobo Cafe in Yogyakarta with 40 other photos of Sigit's that reflect his empathy for regular people. Although most of the photos are of landscapes and still life, some dwell on matters of human interest.

Most of the photos were taken when Sigit was on assignment or at social functions with colleagues. Sigit does not set aside a time to take photos, and carries his camera wherever he goes.

When he arrived in devastated Aceh, he felt deeply for his subordinates and the ordeal they went through, which is why he has taken part in relief efforts and raises funds for victims.

One becomes aware of a touching moment only when seen in the mind's eye. Sigit allowed full rein to his mind's eye before taking a photo of children in a slum area in Jakarta.

In the photo, which makes a deep impression, the eyes of the children reflect great optimism. With his ability to take such moving photos, Sigit, who was born in Batang, Central Java, uses his photographs to touch the hearts of charitable people to raise money for humanitarian and educational programs.

"There is nothing wrong with someone who happens to be called Sigit Purnomo, and who also happens to be the chairman of a well- known bank, to sell his photographs for a social mission," he said.

"I could be likened to a bright kerosene pressure lamp that attracts flying white ants. This is what I do with my photographs."

So far he has collected more than Rp 1 billion from photo sales at the exhibition in Yogyakarta, which runs through January. This amount was raised in no more than two hours.

At a previous photo exhibition in Jakarta, 10 photos sold for Rp 5.55 billion. "But please, don't accuse me of profiting from these photographs. Not one cent from the proceeds goes into my pocket. Just consider this photo exhibition something like a golf tournament that a government agency organizes to raise funds for social purposes," he said.

Why does Sigit use his photographs to help other people? Unlike many high-ranking officials who spend weekends playing golf, Sigit prefers to spend his spare time taking photographs.

Just look at the digitized date on the photos he has taken lately. Most were taken on a weekend. "I'm a banker who has photography as a hobby," he said.

Despite his insistence that photography is just a hobby to him, his photos deserve the kudos that they attract. Some photos that he took abroad reflect the local character and have been taken as very attractive compositions, with excellent technique.

That is why Aryono Huboyo Djati, the curator of Sigit Pramono's solo exhibition, said that apart from mastering photography techniques, Sigit was also very patient and careful when taking a photo.

"What makes you smile is that some collectors buying these photos, taken with his conscience in full play, have ongoing debts at BNI," said Aryono.