'Reform' painting vandalized

'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