Semsar's dream stays alive, despite his death

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Tabanan/Bali

Indonesia is mourning the passing of yet another prominent artist. Semsar Siahaan, a socialist-realist painter, passed away early on Wednesday at the Tabanan Hospital. He was 52.

Semsar succumbed to a heart attack only a day after being admitted to the hospital. His body, which was later adorned with Balinese traditional costume, was flown to Jakarta by his family.

Semsar was admitted to the hospital on Monday by his close friend Mahen Icha after the painter complained about sharp pains in his chest and passed out.

"We were looking at the work on his property at Kesambi village in Penebel, Tabanan. Suddenly, he complained of chest pain and fainted. We then took him to the hospital," said Mahen, who was Semsar's college mate at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in the 1970s.

Upon arrival, said Mahen, Semsar was immediately treated in the intensive care unit.

Mahen, whose house is adjacent to the artist's, said Semsar had been building an art studio on his 35-acre plot of land.

"He wanted to establish his own art school after completing the studio," Mahen added.

Hundreds of friends and artists gathered at the Ismail Marzuki Arts Center (TIM) late Wednesday. The body will be taken from TIM on Thursday at 11 a.m. to be buried in Menteng Pulo cemetery in South Jakarta.

Semsar's siblings from Jakarta, Citara and Sony, arrived in Bali on Wednesday noon.

"We had no idea what he was suffering from. We hardly see each other because we live miles apart," said Citara.

Semsar returned to Bali in May last year after spending six years in Canada and the U.S.

Mahen said that Semsar was depressed following his divorce and the death of his only son, and later decided to leave the country.

The death of Semsar, who had his leg broken after being beaten up by the police during a demonstration against the banning a Tempo magazine by the Soeharto regime in 1994, was also mourned by Tempo senior editor Goenawan Mohamad.

"My friends and I at Tempo will never forget what he did for us. He not only spoke about politics through his works, but also took part in it," said Goenawan, who was also the Tempo chief editor when the 1994 demonstration took place.

Renown poet and playwright WS Rendra said idealists like Semsar "no longer have a place in this world," and that he admired Semsar as a social and political observer as reflected in his work.

Mahen recalled Semsar as an anti-establishment artist ever since he was a student.

Semsar once burnt his lecturer's work in a protest against mainstream fine arts which he labeled "rigid".