The passing of painter Amang Rachman

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)