Teguh Ostenrik brings his journey to canvas

Teguh Ostenrik brings his journey to canvas

By Aendra H. Medita

JAKARTA (JP): Through his works, painter Teguh Ostenrik has
recorded his journey in Amsterdam, symbolically presenting an
essential visual significance embossed with a spontaneous
abstract exploration.

The artist toys with the object of his journey by capturing
the strength of reality he records. But when the journey is let
loose within the frame of a work, it produces a more complex
impression. This impression may be more symbolic because it is
conveyed subjectively. But again, it is natural for all painters
to record their admiration for areas they have explored.

In view of the experience, artist Teguh Ostenrik, who has
turned 50 years old, is now exhibiting the records of his 1981-
1982 trip to the Netherlands.

Expression of his journey lifted human expressions dug from a
subway portrait. For Teguh, this is an important effect which
influenced his artistic style while in Amsterdam.

It is his fascination that finally influenced him to show
about 25 of his works in an exhibition titled Flying Horizon at
Erasmus Huis, South Jakarta until Jan. 13, 2001.

During his year stay in the Netherlands, after an earlier trip
to the United States, Teguh constantly searched for style and
meaning for his works. And he obviously did not simply drop by,
but enjoyed life in the country he visited and put everything on
canvas.

Teguh Ostenrik, who was born in Jakarta but lived in Solo for
30 years immersed in art, is known as a multimedia artist. He
paints, is familiar with video art and is also engaged in
installation art. Recently, he has even created a dance and
theatrical choreography titled Transcending Time, which was
staged at Gedung Kesenian Jakarta in Central Jakarta in November.
The artist also launched a book with the same title. Written by
Dr. Barbara Asboth, it is the story of Teguh's career.

Flying Horizon is part of Teguh's journey in reflecting life
through strong shapes and images, symbolizing spontaneous and
intuitive work.

In his exhibition, Teguh displays his works in a neat display.
The first impression upon seeing his works will lean towards
expressive symbolization.

Teguh's works also respond better to a contextual
understanding rather than the essence of shapes but it leans more
towards symbolic meaning than the abstract discourse of forms.

The artist also highlights more visual aspect rather than the
object he chooses to paint. The result is free rein to
spontaneous sweep of the brush. Take Pertemuan (Meeting), 1981,
where he presents harmonious brush sweepings. Without inner
strength, he has only drawn firm lines for what he would like to
lend significance toward the word "meeting".

Another strength is visible in his Pinocchio, After Lebanon
Die Kanaelan and Kepala Kambing (Goat's Head), all made in 1981.

These works display his spontaneous expressive power despite
the touch of more interesting doodlings, a humanistic touch
supplanting the verbal quality of the real symbolization.

In Sapuannya (His Sweeping), Melayang Lagi (Floating Again)
and Putana Cakram (Putana Disc), there is a strength whose
presence lies more in visual substance because these three pieces
seem to belong to the series created during his stay in
Amsterdam, showing that his spontaneous power is not carelessly
released. In essence, the piercing quality of these works is a
reaffirmation of lines to ensure that the shape that has long
been kept latent show the powerful aura Teguh has recorded.

The same is true of some of his other works, which do not have
much variation as they are more of an intuitive processes on the
part of the painter.

Take, for example, Flying Horizon, after which the exhibition
is titled, or his etches, Zyklus, Der ring, Celah (Gap) and so
forth. In these works, Teguh gets very close to using color as a
strong power, and even to making it seems "as if" it were
meaningful. When we see these paintings, we cannot quickly
understand them. However, it is exactly at this time that the
power of the essence of shape is actually playing its role.

However, only some of his works may be understood in this way.
This is a gift from his journey in art on the occasion of his
fiftieth birthday.