Students assess teachers' artwork

JAKARTA (JP): The tradition of visual arts does not distinguish whether art works are created by teachers or students because their appreciation cannot merely be based on a linear, mathematical or hierarchic approach.

There is no guarantee that a visual arts teacher will be able to produce more superior works than his students, even though he is more experienced, has more "flying hours".

Can creativity and sensibility be measured on the basis of the producers' status?

That is why the 12-day Contemporary Visual Arts Exhibition of the works of Jakarta Art Institute teachers, currently being held at Galeri Nasional, Central Jakarta, is a courageous act and deserves to be admired and tested. The exhibitors -- in their capacity as artists, not teachers -- are willing to have their images assessed.

"This needs moral courage," said Toeti Heraty, the Jakarta Art Foundation's education chairwoman.

"Imagine, their works are being evaluated by their students. Is it true that they have advantages? They should, because they, as teachers, should know much more than their students."

However, the exhibition is not a show of force. It is being held to show the institute's role in the art industry's development. Even now, many people in society still do not know that, for example, making a comfortable chair needs a study on both ergonomics and esthetics. Such studies are part of visual arts' education.

Visual arts knowledge is also needed to produce everyday utensils such as cups, calenders, garments, books and traffic signs.

To make the traffic sign "P" -- which shows where cars can be parked -- for example, should involve graphic design.

With the artwork displayed at this exhibition, which will run until Oct. 10, the teachers show what they have taught their students.

There are two groups of work in the exhibition: designs (applied art) and pure art. The institute also covers another field of study: craft.

The works of pure art displayed at the exhibition include contemporary works of sculptures (by Wiyoso Yodoseputro and Dolorosa Sinaga), paintings (Firman, Farida Srihadi, Astari Rasyid, Tantio Adjie, Simon, Hafid Alibasyah and Anna Zuchrain), pure graphics (Denny Rusanto, Sukamto, Prinka, Trisneddy Santo, Aditya Tobing, Jimmy and Ivan Suhendro), drawings (Wagiono, Prinka, Boeling Priyadi and Tarmizi Firdaus), and installations and collaboration works (Iriantine Karnay, Mini, Maya, Indah and Sari).

The exhibition is also displaying photographic works by Fendi Siregar and collaboration-installations by Erlien Susanto's group.

Many of the works indicate that they have deviated from formalism, in terms of concepts, techniques and media being used.

Sukamto's graphic collage works, Dolorosa's and Iriantine's sculptural installations, as well as Adjie, Anna and Hafid's paintings, for example, clearly display deviations because they show no obedience to the rules of formalism.

Such works are apparently not easy to sell because they are based more on the spirit of exploration.

They also show that some of the institute's teachers, especially those involved in pure art, still have a high spirit for exploring new directions.

The works on designs -- for interiors, garments, graphics and crafts -- indicate that they have been made to meet demands from companies and hotels.

The dictum "Form follows function" seems to dominate the designs, particularly those for interiors.

Information on the division for designs is inadequate and the number of exhibits is very limited.

Some of the craft being exhibited is quite interesting, like Widi's chair made of wood, wire and iron, whose design does not follow the dictum of "Form follows function".

Even though the chair looks clumsy, it has been made ergonomically and offers comfort.

This exhibition does have shortcomings, particularly in regard to information and the classification of works, considering that not all visitors understand details on visual arts.