Mind's eye of a national banker

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.