'Reform' painting vandalized

A painting depicting a scene at the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) during the downfall of President Soeharto in 1998 has been found vandalized by unknown people.

Several holes were found in the canvas of the one-and-a-half meter by three meter painting, which is among 15 works by painter Sampurno on display in the Reform painting exhibition at the MPR lobby.

An exhibition attendant, Ahmad Nuryani, said on Monday that he had reported the vandalism, which was believed to have been committed at midnight, to the Assembly's security department but had not received a satisfactory response.

The painting titled Bumi Gonjang-Ganjing (Chaos on Earth) depicts the Assembly building being overpowered by a green dragon and surrounded by hundreds of soldiers.

The other 14 paintings, which mostly portray red, green, yellow and blue fish, were given titles related to the reform movement as Ciganjur meeting, Semanggi Tragedy, Failed Monas meeting and Presidential election.

So far the paintings, on offer at prices between Rp 5 million (US$555) and Rp 100 million, have failed to attract buyers. --JP