Spirituality gives meaning to Yanuar's works

Spirituality gives meaning to Yanuar's works

By Putu Wirata

DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Following a series of successful
exhibitions, artist Yanuar Ernawati is holding an exhibition at
Chedi Gallery here.

The 40-year-old painter from Padang, West Sumatra, is
exhibiting 24 of her artworks at Chedi Gallery from Jan. 16
through Feb. 26.

Among the major exhibitions she took part last year was Women
in the Realm of Spirituality at Jakarta's National Gallery and
subsequently in Pontifical University Gregoriana, Rome. Featuring
16 Indonesian women painters, the show in October attempted to
illustrate the spiritual concept of Indonesian women.

Yanuar, a graduate of the Fine Arts Institute of Yogyakarta,
also participated in the Indonesian Bienniale XI, Galeri Cipta
and Cemara Cafe 6 in Jakarta.

The 24 paintings exhibited at Chedi Gallery were selected
before she took part in the Indonesian and European exhibitions.

The works she created between 1995 and 1998 are a reflection
of humanity values she painted in pale colors that suggest
mystery. The themes are of great variety including a self-
portrait, memories, love, masked faces, parental spirit and the
life cycle.

Yanuar is eager to explore the mysteries of the human being.
She paints people as social beings. Her works are rich in
spiritual nuances. With her work she speaks about people: their
behavior, power, love and so forth.

In Bersembunyi di Balik Kedamaian (Hiding Behind Peace), she
tells of the struggle of thought. It consists of white shade with
black strokes. The objects are Jakarta's National Monument
(Monas), the nearby Istiqlal grand mosque with a man's figure
lurking in it; his eyes cold, suspicious and threatening. High up
is a female figure pierced by the tip of the monument.

White, the color of peace, is dominant in this work. The other
objects like the monument, Istiqlal mosque, people and buildings
are dark and "frightening".

Bersembunyi di Balik Kedamaian expresses irony, quasi peace,
because the reality is hatred and animosity within people in the
community. This piece was inspired by the tension that reigned in
Jakarta ahead of the May 1998 riots which were followed by
president Soeharto's downfall.

"I was in Jakarta when the rioting broke out," Yanuar
recalled. "Signs that violence would occur had occurred several
days earlier when the government repeatedly asserted that student
demonstrators would be suppressed. At that time, the economic
crisis was deepening every day and life was unbearable for the
poor."

She added, "This nation needs a motherly leader,
metaphorically."

Yanuar fells the situation has not changed much. While
conflicts among different groups in society are widespread during
the economic crisis, a much idolized leader is yet to come to the
rescue.

What Indonesia has, she said, is a government which lacks
moral legitimacy and consequently civil unrest escalates.

Berebut Kebebasan (Striving for Freedom), acrylic on canvas,
95 cm by 95 cm, 1995), features three human figures hovering
toward a target point called "freedom".

Yanuar said that what inspired her to create the piece were
letters she received from friends in China, Britain and Hong Kong
which discussed freedom as they perceive it.

"We discussed problems facing Indonesian women. My colleagues
from the West insist that women must struggle against male
domination. But for women in Indonesia, the struggle does not
depart from the gender conflict," she said.

Indonesian women and men, she agrees, should have equal
rights. In the Indonesian perspective, she said, women's rights
are already present and are not something which have to be
snatched from the hands of men.

It is, apparently, the spiritual belief that gave her the
confidence to go West. She said that when she took part in last
year's exhibition at Pontifical University Gregoriana, she was
greatly inspired by the religious artwork in Rome.

She strongly believes that it is the spiritual touch that
makes people from other cultures appreciate her works of art and
she does not really care if the works belong to the expressionist
or impressionist schools.

With spiritualism content in her work, she toils hard to make
her creations on a par with big names in Europe and the United
States.

The strongest characteristics of the works she exhibits at
Chedi Gallery is the great variations of shapes that form tales
about life as she clearly illustrates in Hembusan Nafas Kehidupan
(The Breath of Life), Merentang Tali Kehidupan (Pulling the
String of Life), Topeng-topeng Terbuka (Lifted Masks), Manusia
Bertopeng (Masked People) and Siklus (Cycle).