'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