Painter Sidik explores Chinese painting
By Susi Andrini
YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Year of the Rabbit in Yogyakarta started with a Chinese painting exhibition depicting scenes of nature, animals, men, flowers and plants, as well as Chinese calligraphy.
The exhibition, called The Touch of Power in Chinese Painting, is being held from Feb. 18 until March 3 at the lobby of Hotel Phoenix in cooperation with Karta Pustaka cultural center.
The artist, Sidik W. Martowidjoyo, demonstrated his skill at the opening of the show. He painted Chinese characters which take the form of pictures with verses that express his grief about the crisis of leadership in this country. "Many people are confused now because of the uncertain situation," he said.
His paintings contain many teachings and reflections on life. Likewise his ink sketches in black and white paintings of chicks symbolizing the cycle of life. The smooth form of chicken feathers describes the beginning of life that is pure and clean. A lot of hope for the future, going down the long road toward adulthood and giving birth to new chicks. Life never ends at one point. There is always a mission and a new life to start or to continue. Like the painting of a lone chick. A self-description that life is a beginning. One may be old but one should never feel old and alone. "Everyday is the beginning of what we are about to do to make a contribution. Life is full of spirit," he said.
Sidik's beautiful painting of a goddess, Dewi Welas Asih, known in China as Kuan-In or Budhisatwamahasatwa in India, presents a princess who was willing to sacrifice her life to become a nun and live with ordinary people. There was also a busker playing the kitaro. He sang to entertain people but who knows he might be suffering himself. Life is also like a theater in which every person plays his own role.
Sidik, born in Malang, East Java in 1937, developed his skill in painting in his early childhood, but went into greater depth in 1992 only. When he was seven years old he studied Chinese characters in the Liang Chiao grade school in Malang. He then continued his study in a public high school. He developed his hobby writing Chinese characters along with painting nature in the form of flowers, animals, men and houses in a Chinese architectural style. Sidik, who often traveled to China, makes his paintings on special white paper called Shien-Zhe bought in China. The paper was hard to obtain but in the early 1990s could be imported from Singapore.
For his paintings Sidik needs special Chinese ink instead of oil or water paint. The ink takes the solid form of hard, finger- long black bars. In order to dissolve this solid ink one needs a concave receptacle and with a mixture of water and vinegar the material is rubbed to obtain black ink. A brush used to apply the ink to paper is round, supple and made of animal hair.
Black and white dominates the 46 works on display. However, actually many colors can be imagined by the discerning viewer behind the black and white. Sidik says that black and white are the basic colors and at the same time all the colors. Black and white represent simplicity but possess richness and strength. His brush-strokes are the manifestation of his internal experiences supported by his technique and skill.
He does not only use his eyes as a lens to see but also makes use of the eyes of his heart.
Sidik is holding a two-day workshop on the basic techniques of Chinese painting, ending Thursday.