Oscar's photographs capture eerie echoes from Angkor
By K. Basrie
JAKARTA (JP): It was April 1996 when Oscar Matuloh called the Antara head office in Jakarta to extend his visit in Cambodia.
"I'm already here, and I think this is the right time to cover the famous complex of temples and royal buildings at Angkor," he proposed to his boss.
"Well, go and do it. You have five extra days, Oscar," was the reply.
The senior photographer at the national news agency quickly packed his luggage and rushed from Phnom Penh to Angkor with his gear: Nikon F4 and FM2 bodies, two lenses of 35mm and 105 mm, a flash and 50 rolls of mostly black and white film.
"I didn't go with any bulky bag, just a vest, so I could move around easily," Oscar says.
After a day's cramming on research materials with the help of tour guides and books, he began to record the decline of Angkor from its heyday to what it is today.
At the urging of Yves Ollivier, the director of the French Cultural Center in Jakarta, some of Oscar's works are now on display at the facility on Jl. Salemba Raya 25 until Nov. 25.
"If it wasn't for Yves, I, like many of those in this profession here, wouldn't have the courage to show my works to the public," says Oscar, whose perennial clothing ensemble is black T-shirt and pants.
The exhibition, opened Nov. 7 and running through Nov. 25, is his first solo one.
Forty black and white prints and framed pieces are exhibited for viewers to absorb and interpret the message, with a brief caption underneath each work as explanation.
Oscar says his collection is intended to reveal the decline of a city, nation and dynasty.
Angkor was Cambodia's capital between the 9th century and 15th century. The famed Angkor Wat is one of the 70 temples in the 100-square-meter complex,
Oscar invites viewers to explore and "listen to" the grandiose remains of Angkor, hence the exhibition title Suara dari Angkor (Echo from Angkor).
A quick glance at the impressive exhibition quickly tells us it was produced by someone who has not only handled cameras for many years, but who also has a strong artistic sense.
The photos evince the immense wealth of Angkor, its buildings and surroundings from different angles and compositions that no camera tricks could have achieved.
One photograph that stands out is of two monks conversing on the terrace of a temple, their elegant hand gestures standing out.
The background has a clear depth-of-field.
"I shot this picture without their knowledge," Oscar recalls.
He says he fitted his camera with the 35mm lens and then slowly approached the monks. Without drawing their attention, Oscar aimed his lens at another object, but quietly turned toward them and started clicking when they were in frame.
"The monks screamed loudly in a language I really don't understand after they knew that I had taken pictures of them," Oscar says.
Exhibition visitors can also see Wat Thmey, a picture of a small boy opening the door of a building packed with some of the skulls of the 25,000 monks who were murdered by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge regime.
Looking at this particular work, one could easily conclude there were two suns in Angkor, unless Oscar used a reflector.
Another irresistible work on display is the shadow of a six- handed Buddha in the lower half of the picture, which is largely framed. In the top half, far away in the background, is a temple.
The rest of the works detail old giant trees, statues, reliefs of adjoining walls, and life today at Angkor, including its people and animals.
"Most of the photos talk about the somber, lonely and romantic mood of Angkor. I think Oscar caught the mood," commented a female freelance photographer.
Their strength comes from the use of black and white prints and the rich history of the subject, she said.
"Only two or three of them are brilliant. The others just look like ordinary press photos to me."
Ollivier commented: "Oscar's works are not for tourist leaflets. They give us a view which is so personal and invite us to share Angkor, which is full of mystery.
"They are not only reportage photos, but an opinion of a typical artist. The photographs are indeed a beautiful traveling agenda."
The small space allotted for the exhibition and the food odors coming from a nearby canteen detract from Oscar's works. The 40 pictures are poorly arranged close to one another.
Lack of focus in the dialog between Oscar and art critic Jim Supangkat in the catalog makes any message he tries to convey incomprehensible.
Hopefully Oscar's next exhibition, about his native area of Tana Toraja, will be much better organized.
Suara dari Angkor received strong support from several parties, including his office, Jakarta Jakarta weekly magazine, Matra monthly magazine, and six other photography-related business firms.
The photos will be displayed in Phnom Penh in March next year.