Ratmini exhibit: Revelations of her identity

Ratmini exhibit: Revelations of her identity

Text and photos by Carla Bianpoen

JAKARTA (JP): At 70, Ratmini has finally stepped out of the shadow of her late husband. At least, this is the first reaction one has to an initiation to her retrospective exhibition, which opens today at Galeri Cipta II, Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta.

In fact, the more than 70 pieces that manifest Ratmini's artistic creativity, reveal how her activities in art were closely linked to her role as a wife and mother. A gift to Ratmini on her 70th birthday, the exhibition also reflects the wish of her three daughters that Ratmini be known as a person in her own right. A diary featuring several of her works is sponsored by The Jakarta Post, to mark the opening of the exhibition today.

For Ratmini, the question of women's rights has evidently never been a dominant issue. Family was her priority. She was always by her husband's side. Whether it was as a member of the Ford Foundation Trustees, as a speaker or participant at seminars, as an ambassador in the U.S. and Japan, or as an active member of society, she was with him. She was also a perfect mother in the eyes of her daughters.

"To care and be my friend, that has probably been the greatest impact of Mom in my life," Galuh, her youngest daughter, says.

Known as a grassroots worker in the nation's development, like her two sisters, Galuh further asserts that "from her we learned how to be fiercely practical, independent and creative".

Nana, Ratmini's eldest daughter, sees her mother as an example to follow.

"Through the example of her life, my mother has shown that it is possible for a woman to put the happiness of a spouse and children first, without loosing her identity," Nana says in a poetic tribute to her mother, which she wrote for this occasion.

Wondering whether she could ever achieve just half of what her mother has, Isna, Ratmini's second daughter, sees her mother as a woman who was a perfect spouse, an ideal mother, and a valuable member of society.

Nevertheless, Ratmini disclosed in a personal interview, at times she felt overwhelmed by her activities as a wife and a mother. At such moments she thought, "What about me, is there any space left for myself?"

Intellectually advanced and used to having a job outside the domestic domain, dealing with the household alone was not fulfilling her personal aspirations.

"I did not want to be a housewife only," she explains.

After a miscarriage, she discontinued her teaching profession to concentrate on having a family. But Ratmini, who is a specialist of etiquette, would never make a great fuss to claim her rights. Instead she quietly looked for loopholes.

She had taken to painting, a hobby that was triggered in her younger days, when she was selected to go to the Netherlands for a teachers training course for drawing. When Soedjatmoko, her husband, was posted as an ambassador in Washington, D.C. from 1968 to 1971, she joined a painting course at the Corcoran.

Painting became her tool to further her personal aspirations. Her social interests kept her from being selfish, so she shared this with other women who were experiencing the same constraints and had the same aspirations. They gathered in what they called Group Sembilan, now well known and appreciated as a group where professional and semi-professional artists work together in a unique competition-free atmosphere.

The art

It is no surprise then to find a parallel between the course of Ratmini's artistic creativity and the course of her personal identity. Unlike her later works, her early paintings show surprisingly strong lines and stark contrasts. Monstera, a spontaneous abstraction of the Monstera leaves that beautify her garden, seems to reflect the enthusiasm of a free and youthful vitality, while Persepolis, which has forceful lines and a combination of stark colors, is telling of strong determination.

Further artistic experiments show vibrant colors and impressionistic renditions. A cubist-style arrangement of bottles in green shows bold lines; a scenic view of the East River, New York, against a red sky and white rooftops, reveals an atmosphere at nightfall; the gates of a mosque in Saudi Arabia, and a view of pilgrims' white tents on the slopes of mountains in the holy land elucidate her sentiments of spiritual awe and peace.

Rarely shown in recent exhibitions, several of these early works are among the best in the collection.

"My paintings are a kind of travel log," she says, pointing out that while some people use their diaries, she uses a brush.

Ratmini's paintings also mirror her interest in the various countries she has visited. A painting of a Buddha statue in Nepal denotes her surprise at the difference between the Nepalese and the Indonesian rendition of Buddha. A visit to South Africa resulted in works focusing on African women. Her seven-year stay in Japan is marked by many paintings made with the Japanese brush. Her later works, mostly realistic renditions, indicate impeded movement.

Ratmini reveals that her best artistic period was the 1970 to 1980 period.

"I was young and strong, and ambitious enough to think that I could combine family, painting and a career," she says.

Daily realities may have slowed down part of her ambitions, but she actually never gave up moving. She actively takes part in Group Sembilan exhibitions, trying hard to adjust her hand to yet another style.

"I don't consider myself a professional painter," she says.

But as the exhibition shows, many of her early paintings show a substantial professionalism. Although she laments that she has been unable to move her hand the specific way required for the Japanese brush, her friends are certain she will go on trying. At this point in her life, Ratmini remains firm in pursuing her aspirations.

"I have to go to where I like my own paintings," she says, indicating that action goes on.

The exhibition will run until Nov. 20.