Sidharta carves his own path in art

Sidharta carves his own path in art

Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Jakarta

Expressions of a serious artist usually denote the ups and downs
of the stream that rushes through life, manifesting itself in
both the personal and social realms. The retrospective exhibition
of Gregorius Sidharta Soegijo's art at Bentara Budaya Jakarta
until Nov. 16 shows the artist's unwavering strength in thwarting
life's forces that appeared to have granted him only a few
moments of solace and "let go".

Emaciated shapes emanating strength in spite of everything,
primeval figures with harsh features and sculptures referring to
the traditional, such are the features of most of Sidharta's
personified 3-dimensional works in his retrospective solo
exhibition that culminates with his installation titled Jejak
Perjalanan (Traces of a Journey).

At 70, Sidharta affirms the age-old truth of balance and
equilibrium, a philosophy with which he grew up in the tradition
of his Javanese roots, now readjusted to the changing times.

Returning to the realms of his ancestors, Sidharta creates
three figures -- a woman Ibu Wadon, a man Bapak Lanang and
an in-between Paman Wandu, each marked by a mask in green, gold
and silver, respectively.

Made of clay, the 190, 205 and 205 cm tall figures look almost
raw and unfinished, evoking a sense of primordialism. Sidharta
explains they are metaphors for the earth, and the elements of
fire and water respectively.

When Wadon and Lanang stand face to face and the scale of
balance flows over to either side, then Wandu will act as a
balancing factor. Each must interact with each other to safeguard
balance, lest the universe break down in shatters.

Balance then, is the message that Sidharta wishes to underline
when he celebrates his 70th birthday on Nov. 30. It is also a
statement based on his life's experience, the impact of which is
visualized in the 70 masks that make up the installation's
background.

Considered one of the icons of modern art in Indonesia,
Sidharta looks back to more than 50 years of art involvement,
carving his path through cultural confusions colored by political
sentiments when he came back from Holland, a graduate of the
Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten/Maastricht.

He never faltered in following the voice of his own
conscience, even if he had to "retire" from the Yogyakarta Arts
Institute, taking on odd jobs to ensure his family's survival. As
the winds of change swept over the country, he eventually landed
as a teacher at the Bandung Institute of Technology and returned
to Yogya in 1998, where he now lives and works.

Departing from the modernist sculptural formalism of his
earlier years toward indigenous aesthetic values and traditions,
Sidharta's imagery often comes from the folktales and myths of
Java, while his painterly treatment and decorative elements
recall the long tradition of painted wooden sculptures and crafts
in Indonesia.

Sidharta became convinced that artists on this side of the
globe should not solely rely on western artistic tradition, but
should delve into their own rich artistic traditions as well.

He began to create symbols derived from eastern artistic
tradition. As he did so, he also questioned existing concepts
traditionally followed both in the arts and the society in which
he lived.

An outspoken example is his sculpture Dewi Kebahagiaan III, or
the Goddess of Happiness, showing features that would be fitting
for the usual image of a female commoner in the village or a male
laborer: course facial treats, broad shoulders, big flat feet.
Certainly not the usual picture of a goddess. But yes, that's
Sidharta: going against the stream. And why not? Happiness is
achieved after hard work, he says, and this doesn't exclude
anyone, not even a goddess.

Most of Sidharta 's sculptures in bronze provoke a sense of
the earliest times of the world. Missing any form of flesh, they
are all bones, with hollow eyeballs in an emaciated face. Yet
these living skeletons emanate strength.

Whether it is the flutist in Suling Gambuh, the drummer in
Pemain Kendang II, the dancer in Penari Topeng or even the
newlywed in Penganten Adat (2002), they all have that austere,
ascetic and out of the world look. No frills for Sidharta, just
the naked truth, the essence of life, the heart of the matter.

Nevertheless, the softer sides of life do pop up, now and
then, like in Dua Sejoli, reflecting intimate and deep emotions
between a couple, or Wanita Duduk II, which shows the flowing
curves of a woman's body, or Kuda Jelmaan II, where the rider
lies in splendid harmony and a completely carefree position on a
horse's back.

As well, many of his graphic art works shows an undercurrent
of tender care, such as in Sesaji untuk Arwah Tercinta (Offering
for a Beloved Soul) in which the meditative and the spiritual
take prominence.

Consisting of 36 sculptures and about 80 paintings and
drawings, the retrospective exhibition spanning over half a
century shows Sidharta as multifaceted artist, a sculptor,
painter and printmaker, who stands for what he believes. At times
he responds to changing perspectives, like his installation,
which can be interpreted as seeking equilibrium in the
interaction between humans and earth.

At face value, one might also have perceived the figures which
have the same shape and the same flat feet, as the artist's sense
of gender-equality. Yet, one cannot escape the continuing of male
superiority.

How else would one explain the green color for Ibu Wadon
(green having a negative connotation in the tradition of Javanese
masks) in comparison to the gold for Bapak Lanang? A masculine
orientation is further perpetuated in the work Pusat Dunia, the
Center of the World, featuring a man sitting triumphantly on a
turtle.