Painters try to break free from the past

By Aendra H. Medita

JAKARTA (JP): It's hard to step out of the shadow of tradition, especially when it brings with it the imposing artistic renown of Bali.

Legendary Balinese exoticism still figures heavily in a joint exhibition in Jakarta of works of Balinese women painters, but some of the participants have broken free from the past.

Displaying the works of 10 artists, the exhibition clearly shows the strength of Balinese art is to be found among both men and women artists, although the latter must undergo a long process to gain recognition in the major discourse of Indonesian art.

Nature in all its splendor and everyday life on the "island of the gods", the traditional subjects of Balinese painters, still constitute an inherent strength in the works. These subjects seem to be an inexhaustible source for Balinese painters in finding inspiration, and something they have intensely cultivated over the years.

The paintings in the exhibition show great diversity in forms and themes. The artists have attempted not only to feature the strength of Bali, but also bridge the tradition in Balinese paintings and the present phenomenon in painting which is close to the Balinese modern painting style.

Some painters have shown even greater boldness in their attempt to adopt a contemporary style while still keeping the Balinese touch as polish. Their works tend to rebel against or even deconstruct the tradition of Balinese paintings.

Take, for example, I Said That's Forbidden by Gusti Murni Asih, who once studied drawing under the late Mokoh. The Balinese world is remote in this work as it is imbued with the strength she expressively pours forth in a very nonverbal manner. The work displays her wandering mind, swelling with its own power and, at times, verging on surrealism. Her work is testament to this quality.

Ni Suci Indri's works are also worth observing. Established beyond the context of Bali but rich with local tradition, her work, Traveler, depicting a journey, offers a form breaking loose from the uniformity of the Balinese style.

Another painter, Ni Made Kurnia Andika, can also be seen as a new step to "avoid" uniformity in "Bali-mindedness". However, Andika's imagination differs from both Murni and Suci; it is clear she blends her world with the visual reality of the present time. Examples of this are Purple Clothes, Girls and Together.

Special mention must be made of Ni Made Sudarwi, whose Honey Moon is also displayed in the exhibition. She offers another form in the context of Balinese women artists; her strength is reflected as the outcome of the wandering in her subconscious mind. This painting, which depicts a honeymoon, is likened to a supernatural and surrealist world with the monochrome of color, altogether a completely new style for a Balinese woman painter.

Other works clearly show a step forward in that they distinctly reflect an attempt to break free of the uniformity in the Balinese context, in which objects tend to be regarded as a mere routine in the sphere of "exoticism".

There are still some works which are faithful to the conventional strength in painting. Ni Putu Ani's Going Home, while not explicitly displaying the Balinese aura, clearly depicts the strength of a Balinese reality in which the panorama of Bali is acutely captured, complete with its beauty.

Works by Ni Made Sariasih and Diani A. Sinung, inspired by the legong dance, very clearly show the strong charm of Bali.

The world of the shadow puppet play and mythology inspiring the world of legends can also be found in works of several artists, including Ni Wayan Rotiani (Rama and Sita), Ni Made Suciani (Goddess of Durga) and Ni Nyoman Supini (Rajapala).

Even the old style of unique brushing and plasticity appears in some of the works, along with an entirely modern style featuring the themes of dancers, everyday Balinese life in terms of rites and atmosphere, in various dimensions.

Until now only a handful of Balinese women painters have become outstanding artists. Who knows, the ongoing exhibition may be a breakthrough for Balinese women painters. Of course, there is no hurry because the process is far more important than the goal. After all, isn't this the essence of being committed to art?

The exhibition of works by Balinese women artists is at Cipta Gallery, Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center (TIM) in Central Jakarta until Jan. 15.