Students deliver political message with their art

Students deliver political message with their art

By Matdon

BANDUNG (JP): Five young artists have come together for an
exhibition with the provocative title "Dasar Babi-Babi. Hancurkan
Sisa-Sisa Orde Baru, Golkar + Militerisme" (You pigs! Crush the
remaining elements of the New Order, Golkar and Militarism).

The title and the subject matter are evidence of the huge
changes in the country since the resignation of Soeharto in May
1998, and the changing role of the military and the former ruling
political grouping Golkar.

An exhibition with such a title and theme would have been shut
down by the authorities if anyone dared to put it on during
Soeharto's authoritarian rule.

The students are Rahmat Jabbaril, Kisuhardi and Johore, who
are from the Underground Wagon Group, and Kuncoro Adi and Graham
Hawkins, two students of the Bandung Institute of Technology and
members of the Folk Network.

The theme of the exhibition has raised eyebrows and stirred
emotions. Many pamphlets posted on Bandung street corners and
shops were mysteriously torn down, which may be a sign that their
works are as relevant today as they would have been three years
ago.

Since 1965 and the ascendancy of Soeharto to power, the arts
were an instrument of resistance frequently curbed by the
government. Through the 1980s and 1990s, artists such as poet WS
Rendra expressed their anger at the government, as did Nano
Riantiarno, Ratna Sarumpaet and others from the theater group
Teater Koma. In the 1990s there emerged Tukul, Samsar Siahaan and
Mulyono, the founder of the Folk Network.

Imprisonment and sanctions did not silence them as they worked
to seek freedom for the people from military oppression,
capitalism and the legacy of feudalism.

In the eyes of the five fine artists in the exhibition,
Soeharto's fall has not brought positive change and people
continue to live in fear. In their works, they convey their
belief that those behind the changes today are nothing more than
opportunists and duplicitious "reformers". In their eyes, Golkar,
which was the machine that kept the Soeharto juggernaut running
on the track of absolute power, is the main cause of the
country's woes.

Rahmat, who has held protests in several cities nationwide,
said there was no significant fine arts movement in the country
since the New Fine Arts Movement of the 1980s.

However, he believes the fine arts movement, which was only
lauded if it was of benefit to the government's aims, said the
genre can be of value if artists realize the suffering of the
people and provide moral support.

Parodies

The artists each show between five to 10 of their works, all
of which are parodies of the situation in the country today. The
common theme in each is that the vestiges of the New Order will
only disappear once the Golkar power structure extending from the
center to the regions is destroyed.

Their argument is that the destruction of Golkar will also
reduce the power of the military , but efforts must be
nonviolent.

"Artists consistently striving for freedom through the fine
arts should give priority to 'attacks' without violence against
the New Order's remaining power," said Rahmat.

In their view, the arts must become artists' awareness for
reviewing ideological, political, religious and cultural problems
which must be evinced by the artists in the form of a new visual
art, not only in the moving of realities. Art should be capable
of giving guidance to the society for a better existence.

Rahmat held the Tomb Plastic Arts exhibition some time ago and
other exhibitions in several Indonesian cities. In early 2000 he
canceled his planned exhibition in the Netherlands but would not
explain the reason.

Kuncoro Adi, Kisuhardi and Johor, also from Bandung, often
hold painting exhibitions which are distinguished by their
showing their disappointment at the current situation in the
country.

Hawkins is an Australian who is also active in the Yogyakarta
Taring Padi Group. In his country of origin Hawking often held
exhibitions, and after settling in Indonesia five years ago, he
has become involved in various art activities.

They and other artists today must confront the following
questions: How can fine arts be utilized to destroy the New
Order's legacy? On which side must artists be in facing a
legitimate government? Yet these are not only questions for the
art community, but also for the public in looking ahead to the
future.

The exhibition is at the YPK Theater Building, 7 - 9 Jl.
Naripan, Bandung, until Jan. 27.