Painters try to break free from the past

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.