The passing of painter Amang Rachman

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian surrealist painter Amang Rachman can now be remembered only through his work. The 70-year-old painter passed away on Jan. 15, 2001, leaving numerous records for the country's art history.

Born in Surabaya on Nov. 21, the artist is survived by his wife and four children. He also left 40 of his latest works in his studio in Jl. Klai Kepiting, Surabaya.

According to one of his children, as quoted by the Kompas daily, Amang passed away after suffering a minor heart attack.

His death came as a surprise since the artist still had big plans. According to his child, Amang was planning to hold a major exhibition and publish a book this year.

Amang told the writer of this article two months before his death that his work reflected his life.

"I learned about the art of painting through literature, my artistic talents have driven me to live in the world of painting," he told the writer in an interview, which will be published in a book titled Dialog of 100 Indonesian Artists.

According to painter and fine arts observer Sriwarso Wahono, the country has lost one of its greatest artists as Amang was known for his strong devotion to humanism.

"I feel a great loss because we were very close," Sriwarso said.

Herry Dim, a painter from Bandung and the author of Jawinul Jalan-Jalan di Rimba Kebudayaan (Jawinul Is Walking in a Cultural Wilderness, 1995), found Amang to be an artist who had his own realm.

He said Amang was not a follower of other surrealist artists such as Andre Breton and Dali. "For him, his loneliness is everything," Herry wrote.

Amang was very close to everyone in the art world. In the literary world, for instance, he was close to Trisnoyuwono and Toh Muchtar in Bandung, and also to other noted literary figures in the country. In the painting arena, he was considered a senior because of his works and dedication. (Aendra H. Medita)