'The Realistage' celebrates revival of realism

'The Realistage' celebrates revival of realism

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Magelang, Central Java

The realist style that began to develop in the painting world in
Europe in the 19th century and reached its peak in Indonesia in
mid-20th century is currently experiencing a revival in the
postmodern era.

The presence of realist imagery can be found in many of the
paintings of today's artists, including those who are
participating in a roadshow exhibition titled "The Realistage"
being held at the H. Widayat Museum until Sept. 24.

Officially opened last Saturday, the weeklong exhibition
features 42 paintings from 26 artists of differing reputations
and generations from across Java, Sumatra and Bali.

They range from noted artists like Agus Suwage of Yogyakarta,
who is also a winner of the 1996 Philip Morris ASEAN Art Award,
and Astari Rasjid of Jakarta, to rising young artists like Yogi
Setyawan from Magelang and even relatively unknown artists whose
works are considered to have special charm.

"In selecting the participating artists, we did not focus on
one particular community of artists. That's why we have also
presented some whose works are not yet recognized nationally,"
the exhibition's curator, Mamannoor, explained.

The "Realistage" in Magelang, which is managed jointly by the
museum and the Bandung-based MatraMedia Art event organizer, is
the last stop of the roadshow, which has already toured Bandung
(West Java) and Malang (East Java).

"The title can be read in many ways. It can be either read as
'the realist age', 'the realist stage', or 'the real is stage',"
Mamannor said.

In this particular exhibition, however, "the real is stage"
best suits the theme. As art, painting is considered as the stage
of the real in which the real is perceived as the stage of the
symbolic and imaginary worlds.

In this case, according to Mamannoor, the selection of the
works to be exhibited was based more on content and the way the
works depict their subjects realistically and not solely based
upon their realist style.

In Agus Suwage's Potret Diri sebagai Banaspati (Self-portrait
as Banaspati, five panels of 145 cm by 80 cm each, oil on canvas,
2005), for example, the artist's self-portrait is only depicted
as the white silhouette of a human body, in five panels, that
eventually transforms itself into a flame.

This reminds one of Banaspati, a character in Javanese shadow
puppet shows, who can transform himself into a flame and
functions both as a protector and a destroyer at the same time.

This particular work of Agus Suwage, who has had 13 solo
exhibitions over the last 10 years across Indonesia, as well as
abroad, is seen as a reflection of the real position of humans on
the earth and their simultaneous roles as both destroyers and
protectors.

Yogi Setyawan's works Dawet Legen Ngisor Waru (Sweet beverage
under the waru tree, 150 cm by 110 cm, oil on canvas, 2005) and
Pijat Urut (Massage, 150 cm by 110 cm, oil on canvas, 2005) are
completely different visually.

Presenting realistic objects taken from the daily activities
of a traditional Javanese community, they are depicted in a more
humorous way.

A graduate of the School of Fine Arts of the Indonesian
Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta, Yogi is known for his
humorous way of depicting everyday objects in his paintings. Many
see his works as a mixture of the Hendra Gunawan and Sudjana
Kerton styles.

What may be considered the true realistic style can be found
in the piece by Rosid of West Java titled Bercanda ( Joking, 150
cm by 200 cm, pencil and acrylic on canvas, 2005), which depicts
a brown-and-white cat looking over a transparent glass bowl with
orange decorative fish inside.

It can also be seen in the work of Dadan Gandara, also of West
Java, titled Bagaimana Masa Depan (What is the Future, 120 cm by
180 cm, mixed media on canvas, 2005), and that of Dadang Rukmana
titled Pose Tiga Model (The Poses of Three Models, 75 cm by 50
cm, watercolor on canvas, 2005).

The works exhibited in "The Realistage" may in general be
further grouped into three categories: personal, social and
symbolic.

This particular style of painting has had its ups and downs in
Indonesia, and began to exercise influence here in 1938
following the establishment of the Association of Indonesian
Painters (Persagi -- Persatuan Ahli Gambar Indonesia).

Raden Saleh was one of the pioneers of this style. Other noted
figures have included Sudjojono (1950s), Hendra Gunawan and
Sudjana Kerton (1980s), and Dede Eri Supria (1990s).

Museum H. Widayat

Jl. Letnan Tukiyat 32

Kota Mungkid

Magelang

Central Java

tel. (0293) 788251

e-mail: museum@hajiwidayat.com

website: www.hajiwidayat.com