Rizek's work in RI was his formative period

Rizek's work in RI was his formative period

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): Austrian painter Emil Rizek (1901-1988) started
to establish his mature artistic style during brief stays in
Indonesia between 1929 and 1934. Around seventy of his paintings,
on exhibit at the Duta Fine Art Gallery on Jl. Kemang Utara 55 A,
are evidence of this formative period.

Born in Vienna in 1901, Rizek studied art at the academy of
arts in Vienna. The most influential of his professors was Carl
Fahringer (1874-1952). Fahringer, who had lived and worked in the
Dutch-Indies since 1921, persuaded Rizek to visit Indonesia.

At the age of 27, the young artist arrived in Indonesia in
December 1928. On the Deck of the 'Tjermai' , a brightly colored
rendition of the atmosphere aboard the ship that he took to
Indonesia, stands witness of his high-spirited enthusiasm.

The figure of a man lying asleep in a chair seems a little
awkward and clumsy, but there is a strong perspective view to the
front of the ship indicating the artist's determination to move
forward and progress.

He traveled through Java, Bali and Sumatra. In his first
paintings during this trip, shapes are formed using various
blocks of color. This can clearly be seen in the way the figures
are treated in Going to the Market (1928). In his linocuts of
1929, the use of block reappear in a more appropriate medium.
Later, he painted in various impressionistic styles, from the
calmer sceneries and rural scenes, to the more expressionistic
depictions of dances or rituals. His market scenes clearly
attempt to document his impressions of his trip. Rizek often
purposely avoided focusing on a particular object. He often
placed the main subject just off-center in his compositions. The
artist further avoided focus by including insignificant figures
in the foreground of his paintings.

Festival in Front of the Temple at Night (1929) conveys a
sense of mystery reflecting his reaction toward the eerie temple
dance. In addition to the impressions of the dancers, he includes
symbolic elements which are not immediately recognizable.

Rizek became a member of the Batavian Art Circle (Bataviasche
Kunstring), and exhibited there in February 1930 with Dutch
painter H. van Velthuijsen.

Referring to Rizek's forceful expressionistic style, a
contemporary critic wrote: "he paints like an animal devouring
his prey."

He left after 15 months touring the islands. Four years later,
in 1934, he returned and traveled to Maluku as well as through
Java and Bali. He spent most of his time in Bali.

Rizek's Indonesia paintings comprise just a small part of his
works. Rizek's world travels inspired many more paintings until
1970. His works from these journeys have been exhibited around
the world.

His paintings of Indonesia are certainly an important part of
his artistic development. They were displayed at an exhibition
entitled Impressions of Indonesia at the Vlkerkunde Museum in
Berlin in 1987. Not long after, in 1988, the artist passed away
in Vienna.