Photographer Tara's style simple but deep

Endang Roh Suciati, Contributor, Jakarta

There are two ways to communicate with others: the complicated or the simple way. Photographer Tara Sosrowardoyo opts for the second option.

Simplicity. This is one of the most important characteristics of Tara's work.

His photographs present a subject set against a minimalist background. They are quiet, normal, but there is inner strength. A strength that encourages us to enjoy the pictures and then notice, piece by piece, the individual parts before wanting to delve more deeply into the messages they seek to deliver.

"I just want to simplify the pictures. I want to erase everything exaggerated," says Tara, who was born in New York in 1952.

Some people say that creating simple pictures that tell more is not easy. This is right. Tara has to work hard to remove unnecessary things or things that create complications, and emphasize the simple things. The result is esthetically striking pictures.

Through his work, the husband of Marina Mahathir, the daughter of the Malaysian prime minister, has set his style. The consistency in his approach is reflected in the approximately 50 photos on display in an ongoing exhibition here.

"When we see the pictures, they seem quiet and calm. But, they're not," says noted photographer Firman Ihsan.

Firman describes Tara's way of working as "hectic", but the end result is the opposite of the way he works.

"Looking over Tara's pictures, we get the impression of formality and full esthetic consideration," says Firman, adding that the pictures show Tara's ability to present life as naturally and as simply as possible, but at the same time revealing himself to be full of admiration.

Tara's search for simplicity never ends. An example can be seen in a pair of pictures titled Washington D.C (1984) and War Veteran respectively, which he took in Vietnam in 1994. Though each was taken 10 years apart in places far away from each other, they are destined to be a pair, despite the history of America and Vietnam in the past.

Washington D.C. pictures a man lying on the floor face down, facing still water, with a monument seen far away. The man is alone. He might be thinking, dreaming or doing nothing. It is simple, human and quiet.

"I do not know where that man came from but he was in Washington and his behavior reveals simplicity. People often misinterpret Americans as being anti-traditional values and religion. In fact, they are not as people think. They are traditional too," Tara says in his explanation of the picture.

Then, 10 years latter, when he was walking in a province in Vietnam, he found a Vietnam War victims' cemetery. There, he met the cemetery caretaker who told him that most Vietnamese families had lost members during the war. When they came to a certain grave, the caretaker could not hold the tears back, telling Tara, "This is my friend's".

"After observing closely, you can see there's a similarity here. Simplicity. These two persons are humble subjects. Common people. It's very human. I also found there were the same historical monuments in the pictures. Through these pictures, I found the same simplicity and humanity. We can find simplicity and humanity everywhere," said Tara, explaining why he made the two pictures a pair.

In creating his works, Tara depends on his intuition.

"My inspiration is a little bit strange. It usually appears when I'm taking the picture," he said.

Still, he believes inspiration can be sharpened by work. No matter how brilliant the inspiration is, he says, it will be dull if it's not being used. He believes that "inspiration is something we have to create".

When asked to take someone's picture, he does not fill his mind with a certain, predetermined way of thinking. "I come to the location without being burdened by prejudices. I come with an open mind," he says.

Still, he tries to learn about the subjects of his photos, although he does not conduct a lot of background research.

Some of Tara's pictures are of well-known figures, like President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, former president Abdurrahman Wahid, East Timor President Xanana Gusmao, all of which are displayed alongside unknown figures, such as those in Washington D.C. and War Veteran.

But in Tara's pictures, the public and important figures, and the humble people all seem equal, says Firman.

Tara, with his 25-years experience as a professional photographer, admits that he prefers to have people as the subjects of his photos as he can communicate with them.

And he prefers to allow people to be the judges of his work: some may like his style, others may not. "It's all up to how people see things," he explains.

Tara Sosrowardoyo exhibition: 1/2; Gedung Dua28; Jl. Kemang Utara, 28; Kemang, South Jakarta; The exhibition runs until Jan. 14