Sunaryo offers fresh abstract art

Sunaryo offers fresh abstract art

By Amir Sidharta

JAKARTA (JP): When you enter Moom Gallery, you will encounter
a wall that directs you toward a narrow hall to the left. At the
end of the hall, steps lead to the upper floors of the shop-house
in which the gallery is housed. The small gallery appears simple,
modest, and even modern. It seems to be a perfect setting to
feature Edi Sunaryo's paintings.

Edi Sunaryo of Yogyakarta, the decorative artist? Not Sunaryo
of Bandung, the abstract artist? No, not Bandung's Sunaryo. I was
referring to Edi Sunaryo of Yogyakarta, the decorative artist.

Edi Sunaryo is most famous for his monotonous, repetitive
compositions consisting of decorative patterns. Many if not all
of his work features a triangular form as the main subject. It
might seem that if you see some of his work, you have seen it
all. Certainly, that would be a superficial observation of the
artist's work, but that is the perception of many observers.

Edi Sunaryo was born in Banyuwangi in 1951. He obtained his
degree in art from Yogyakarta's Indonesian Academy of Fine Arts
(ASRI -- now ISI) in 1980. He was trained in the academic fine
art environment of Yogyakarta, where decorative art flourishes.
He also owes his interest in decorative patterns to his parents
and family. His grandmother was a craftsperson, while his mother
wove thatched mats. His father was a policeman, but had a great
interest in the wayang.

In this exhibition at the Moom Gallery, Edi Sunaryo shocks his
viewers by departing from his stereotypical appearance. In this
show, his canvases are dominated by empty contemplative voids
interspersed with minimal objects carefully placed in harmonious
and balanced compositions.

Certainly, departing from his typical triangular forms was not
easy. In Imaji Segitiga I (Triangular Image I), the artist shows
a triangular form tilted thirty degrees counterclockwise. The
triangle has a curved bottom, while its upper section is
truncated and set apart from the rest. To the right of the form
are black lines appearing to suggest a shadow of the form before
it was tilted. Red lines are carefully yet spontaneously
delineated as further aesthetic touches. The triangle remains,
yet there is clearly an economy of patterns, while more attention
is placed on design and composition.

Bulan Sabit (Crescent Moon) shows a white curve above a
horizon separating a dark sky and green earth. On the horizon are
vague highlights of grey, appearing like a reflection of the
moon. The sky and the earth are depicted using solid blocks of
color, highlighted with some subtle lines in red or orange. A
shape similar to the form of a boat is placed toward the lower
part of the canvas. Short strokes of white lines appear like
white tread fixing the shape onto the canvas.

In Fosil I (Fossil I), the artist renders a tilted
triangle-like form against a dark background. However, here the
triangle form disappears and is replaced by a fish-like creature,
pointing upwards. Within the form is a motif consisting of black
and white triangles, and close observation of the work reveals a
vague key.

"Now Yogya's Sunaryo is on an equal footing as Bandung's
Sunaryo," exclaimed renowned collector Oei Hong Djien. True, but
why even compare? In 1997, Edi Sunaryo obtained a master's degree
in fine art from Bandung's Technology Institute (ITB), and his
training at ITB certainly contributed toward his shift in style.

However, Oei Hong Djien claims that there is a more
influential figure affecting this shift, and it is not Bandung's
Sunaryo nor does the figure have anything to do with Bandung.

"I showed Sunaryo a book about Chinese artist Qi Bai Shi. The
Chinese master succeeded in filling his work with a small insect
while the remainder of the canvas is left empty without giving
the impression of emptiness. We then discussed that sometimes we
have to fill surfaces by making them empty, while on the other
hand filling the entire surface can also make it appear empty,"
explained the collector.

Titian (Bridge) shows two shapes painted in maroon on the
bottom part of the canvas. The two shapes are connected to each
by a straight line that is carefully delineated. A number of
simple lines are added onto the painted surface, adding a
charming and elegant touch. It is the emptiness of space that
affords us the room to be able to appreciate the artist's
balanced compositions, aesthetic quality and fine design.

Edi Sunaryo offers fresh, Zen-like abstractions in his latest
exhibition on show at the Moom Gallery, South Jakarta, until July
17, 2000. In this exhibition, he shows clear progress, especially
compared to his work from the mid-1990s.

However, the question is not what he has achieved so far, but
what he will be able to offer in the future. That is the artist's
real challenge.