Sculptors explore tradition to terrorism

Sculptors explore tradition to terrorism

Yusuf Susilo Hartono, Contributor, Jakarta

Efforts to dig deep into tradition, metropolitan settlement,
women's existence, terrorism up to the personal languages of
stones, marbles, metals, wood, fibers and resins are the main
features of 43 sculptures on display at an exhibition here.

Eight artists from Bandung, Jakarta, and Yogyakarta -- alumni
of Bandung's Institute of Technology (ITB), Jakarta Arts
Institute (IKJ) and Yogyakarta's Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI)
-- present their latest works in the last three years at the
patung@eg.com exhibition.

Though the exhibition's title seems playful, the works are in
fact serious creations of the artists -- Akmal (ISI), Altje Ully
Panjaitan (IKJ), Awan Parulian Simatupang (IKJ), Basrizal Albara
(ISI), Nyoman Nuarta (ITB), Sardito (ISI), Thony Tarigan S. (ISI)
and Yani Mariani Sastranegara (IKJ). Unlike the standard practice
of curators to make their displays fit the themes offered for
discourses, this time the exhibition reflects the artists' honest
and free expression.

As a native woman of Batak Karo (North Sumatra) descent,
Altje, now a Jakarta resident, endlessly explores women's affairs
related to her homeland against the issues of gender, human
rights, violence and the like, as reflected in two of her six
works, Oroan 2000 and Song of Songs, 2002.

Oroan, a mix-media sculpture, features nude women in five
separate boxes connected by a traditional woven scarf ulos. In
Batak, ulos represents a ritual gift in the Batak family.
Song of Songs features a bare-chested woman trying to reach her
foot prints with her hair, a bitter experience that should never
happen.

In the context of violence, sculptor Nyoman Nuarta displays
his work called WTC 2002, in which he tries to describe the
fierceness of international terrorism.

Nyoman, who has got a number of monumental statues to his
credit, touches our feelings with his depiction of some people
writhing at the end of a pile of debris. It was on the ground of
this tragedy that US President George W. Bush and his allies
attacked Afghanistan, toppled the ruling Taliban government and
tried to capture Osama bin Laden but to no avail. Nyoman Nuarta
has not created this statue as a means to state he takes sides
with the United States. Rather, through his piece, he declares he
sides with humanity.

While Nyoman Nuarta raises a global issue, Sardjito talks
about a local issue through his work titled Dewi Welas Asih (The
Goddess of Mercy), which is made of onyx mixed with copper. The
hard onyx is carefully carved into a heart shape with a hole on
the right and another one on the left. Then a copper mask
depicting a graceful face is placed on the upper part of this
shape, reflecting a hope for the presence of a merciful lady,
more merciful than any lady who happens to be in power now.

In the eyes of Basrizal Albara, a woman is stronger and firmer
than a man. This is understandable as he comes from a region
where the matrilineal system is still prevailing. So, in his
works, Wanita Gunung (A Mountain Woman) and Wanita dan Rembulan
(Woman and the Moon), the limbs are intentionally made bigger and
longer than usual.

For Yani Mariani Sastranegara, what is interesting to her is
movement. In her Midnight Serenade, 2001, she eloquently explores
the gestures and impression of the wind. Her works are always
neat, just like her daily appearance.

In this exhibition, though, Yani is not the only one exploring
movement. Tony Tarigan does likewise as shown by his works Kuda
Lumping (Hobby Horse) and Penari (Dancer). The works depict
movement though through the works he is trying to reveal his
concern over Javanese artists, who do not get respect from the
government but enjoy appreciation from foreign tourists.

Concern is an asset for artists to express themselves
artistically. For Awan Parulian, his concern is housing.
Everybody needs a house as a private space and for their own
existence but not everybody - especially in a metropolitan city -
can own one. At least it is this points that he wants to convey
through his work, Rumah 2002 (House 2002).

* patung@eg.com exhibition runs until June 9 at Edwin Galeri, Jl.
Kemang Raya 21, Kemang, South Jakarta. Tel. (021) 7194721