Popo Iskandar still interested in cats

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): The works of master painter Popo Iskandar is currently on exhibit at Taman Ismail Marzuki's Main Exhibition Hall (Ruang Pameran Utama). The exhibition reveals part of his artistic life over the last 30 years.

Apart from his most recent works, those from previous decades are also exhibited. His paintings, known for expressive and seemingly spontaneous abstract bravura strokes, reached its peak in the 1980s.

Just as more intense abstracts are expected from the master, he has instead become less spontaneous. Many of his recent works tend to be more comprehensive, to a point that becomes descriptive. The painter seems to be much more careful and deliberate in his approach.

It is unfortunate that the exhibition was not set as a retrospective on the master of Modern Indonesian Art. Although the works exhibited date from 1965, not enough of the painter's early works are exhibited. A greater effort should have been made to obtain Popo's works from his collectors on loan for the exhibition.

Bandung's Influence

Only four of Popo Iskandar's works dating from 1965 to 1974 reflect his artistic development since he graduated from the Art School of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1958. The influence of his teachers' inclination toward the abstract seems to be solidly grounded in these works.

Two seascapes are depicted with short zig-zag lines and amorphous blocks of color. In The Sea (1965) fractals of blue peak between slivers in the predominantly white painting. Gray zig-zags, suggestive of waves, are painted on a block of red and light purple colors. Although similar elements are used in Sea at Sunset (1974), the latter painting is easier to decipher. It is divided into three parts, a background with the colors of the sky at sunset, a blue middle ground with zig-zags suggestive of the sea, and a foreground reflecting the crimson rays of the setting sun.

On a dark background, Aquarium (1969) is formed using two blocks of red. Two yellow elliptical forms are placed within the blocks. Above them are green stripes, while beneath them are yellow and blue borders, embellished with scroll motives. Although it is clear that the yellow objects represent fish, it takes a while to decipher that the artistic graphical composition depicts an aquarium.

Popo's cats

In the 1980s, following his post-ITB years, the cat became his predominant subject matter. Up to the present day, his name has often been associated with the figure of a cat.

Although none of the works from the 1960s and the 1970s in the exhibition portrays the cat, the painter has actually painted his favorite subject matter since 1963. At the time, an enthusiastic collector appeared -- the Brazilian Ambassador to Indonesia at the time -- who was so enamored with the painting that he dared to claim he would buy all of Popo's paintings of cats. This coincided with the artist's attention toward Expressionism.

The way Popo paints cats is indeed unique. Most of his works of the feline renders a black cat with some white stripes. A pair of green elliptical forms are used for its eyes, while a pair of brown triangles become its ears. The animal's supple body is manipulated to express its variety of moods and behavior.

The artist considers the behavior of cats to be much more interesting than that of dogs. To him, dogs are too predictable, "they always jump around to greet their masters," he says.

Cats are much more challenging. Sometimes they seem indifferent, at other times they rub their bodies intimately against you.

"I love painting cats because of their moody character, sometimes they are affectionate, sometimes ferocious, and at other times mysterious. To portray those inner moods, is the desire of Expressionists," he added.

Expressive

Popo's paintings are known to have a sound expressive quality, because of his effective use of abstract and spontaneous brush strokes. The figure of the rooster that appears in many of his works is formed using a red circle for the head, a yellow triangle for its beak, a series of multi-colored curvilinear strokes for the feathers, a pair of orange lines for its legs, and finally a pair of yellow curves for the cock's spur. Painted during his peak, Cock (1987) was formed using merely a circle for the head, a yellow circle for its beak, and two large strokes depicting its body.

Apart from his most favorite subjects, the artist's inner feelings are often expressed with explosive colors, such as appears in Multicolored Bouquette (1984) and Silent Night (1981/1987). In 1987, Indonesian art critic Kusnadi recognized Popo as a "sound colorist."

The artist's strength in using color is proved once again in his portraits of Hendra Gunawan (1983) and Affandi's Last Days (1989-1992). The colors in these two paintings are combined in such a way as to create an aura of disharmony. Hence, although bright colors are used, the pieces appear gloomy and sad, in accord with Popo's feelings toward his subjects.

Recent developments

In recent years, the prominent painter seems to have developed his figurative works. Although the subjects should appear more passive, The Sleep (1992) -- a piece depicting two boys napping -- is presented with much more dynamism than Two Boys on Horseback, painted four years previously.

The Back, which was started in 1974 but only completed this year, reveals his proficiency in abstraction. Divided into three, the subject is placed in between the red background on the upper part and the dark blue foreground on the lower part of the painting. The nude is sensually presented without explicitly revealing any private parts of the figure. Popo claims that he was once known as a talented painter of nudes but, respecting his mother's objections, he stopped painting them. Only after her death has he dared to work on a nude left from the past.

Popo's cats, roosters, and leopards that have become his most popular subjects in the 1980s remain predominant today. Unfortunately, some of his recent paintings fail to show a significant development in his work. Instead, he has become much more descriptive. In the past he boldly used simple amorphous shapes and curvilinear strokes to suggest the form of the head, neck, wings and the body of the rooster he portrays. Today, as appears in White Cock (1994), the parts of the fowl are formed with much more obvious shapes. The head connects to the neck, which in turn is connected to its thighs and legs. From the thighs, curves depict the wings. Everything is formed in completeness.

The leopards in his recent works appear to be another manifestation of his unique cats. Like the cats, the eyes of these leopards are green, the ears light brown, and their bodies contorted and elongated. The difference lies merely on the spots on their coats, and their legs which are depicted with more muscular curve.

Although many of his unique black cats appear in his recent works, there are also some works that show a change from his previous oeuvre. Today many of his paintings present faces of kittens. Some of his paintings show more colorful cats, the bodies of which are no longer formed using a single curve of color. Instead, the bodies of his new cats are carefully filled in with blotches or dots of color. The handling of texture seems to be more intense. Through his short strokes, various colored paints are applied layer over layer to create a thick impasto, reflecting the maestro's struggle to achieve perfection.

At a glance, we can sense an apparent decline in Popo's recent works. Moreover, many of his observers have become bored with his over-used cats, roosters and leopards.

Popo's recent works are not as successful as the works produced at the peak of his career. His Expressionist style has shifted from the explosive handling of his brush strokes. It is evident from his works that he is currently in deep contemplation. Nonetheless, by no means is he thinking of ending his artistic career.

Instead, he seems to be looking back, to his works in the past. In some of his works, he completes old unfinished works. Fishing Nets, for example was started in 1968 and only completed this year.

It is clear that the aging painter intends to keep on working. His recent cats and roosters reflect his struggle in achieving artistic perfection in depicting his current inner feelings. His deliberation in using colors and texture shows his position in anticipating the future. The artist is trying to proceed cautiously with careful steps. We can expect much more from Popo Iskandar, even though he prefers to continue depicting cats.