The task of publicizing graphic art

By Chandra Johan

JAKARTA (JP): Graphic art, or the use of a printing technique to produce art in multiple copies, has yet to gain the popularity of painting. Awareness of the art among the public remains limited, and there are few collectors.

Many art observers contend that it is time to increase the number of exhibitions of graphic art -- including shows spanning the country -- to fuel the development of the art.

The tools needed to create the art mean it cannot develop as easily as painting did in studios from the 1940s to 1970s. Thankfully, however, academic institutions such as the Indonesian Arts Institute (ISI) of Yogyakarta and the School of Visual Art and Design of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) already have complete sets of tools and have produced several accomplished graphic artists, most of them relatively young.

Some of the graphic artists are doing their part to promote the art by starting small studies, among them the graphic art studio Red Point, managed by artists who are ITB alumni. Experienced artists have founded Gugus Grafis.

Despite the developments, people like Dwi Marianto, Diddo Kusdinar and many others claim the status of graphic art in the country remains stagnant.

The pessimistic attitude is expressed in almost every exhibition about the art, most recently in the discussion held by Lontar Gallery a few months ago in relation to the graphic exhibition Teleport. It led to complaints and expressions of futile anger. Who knows to whom that complaint and anger was directed?

The major graphic art exhibition Bias Sahaja (Simple Refraction), showing in the three cities of Jakarta, Bandung and Yogyakarta, opened last Nov. 15 at the National Gallery and is another effort to promote the art among the public. Like the previous exhibition, many artists, numbering at least 40, took part.

It started with the usual introductory notes (what is graphic art?), gave an explanation about its origins and, last but not least, received complaints.

One of the senior coordinators of the exhibition's organizing committee, Diddo Kusdinar, said the effort to create appreciation among the public was continuous, done through educational institutions as well as the government, foreign cultural institutions and art centers. However, Diddo said fine art galleries -- especially those which are commercially oriented -- do not play a role in accommodating and offering the works of graphic artists to the public.

Diddo is probably right, because fine art galleries in Indonesia cannot really be called "visual art" galleries, as in developed countries, where there are bound to be a number of galleries that have prepared a place for graphic works. Our fine art galleries can generally only be called "painting" galleries. Not to mention graphic, and other fine artworks like ceramics and statues which are not ready to be integrated into galleries in Indonesia.

However, it must be remembered there are also many graduates from graphic art studios who live wholly in this world. Generally, if they do not work in the applied art field (as a designer), they prefer to participate in the art of painting and tend to choose this profession or the profession of graphic designer, whether it is because the tools are easier to get or this field is already appreciated by the community, so it is "safer".

The lethargy in the field can also be seen in the activities of its artists, individually rather than as a group like now. As they say, life is survival of the fittest and only the strong survive. Individual activity of a graphic artist could be said to be rare, even nonexistent. If it exists, it is done by senior artists like Haryadi Suadi, T. Sutanto or Soeromo, or artists who are clearly idealistic and have high integrity, such as Marida Nasution.

A comment by Firman Lee, a graphic artist who, for whatever reason, did not participate in this exhibition, must be considered.

"What must be done by graphic artists nowadays is not merely group exhibitions, but solo exhibitions, as is the case with painters. I am sure the galleries will get used to it in the future," said the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) lecturer, who has exhibited his graphic works at Lontar Gallery.

Although many artists participated in the exhibition, only a few senior artists were involved, among them Haryadi Suadi, T. Sutanto, Diddo Kusdinar, Setiawan Sabana, Hidayat, and Chairin Hayati.

There were also several artists who are starting to get a name, like Tisna Sanjaya, Agung Kurniawan, Herry Dim, Redha Sorana, Marida Nasution and Mella Jarsma. The rest are artists with integrity and dedication to the field, including Devy Ferdianto, Agung Hanafi, Johannes Christiawan, Kurniasari, Oscar Sastra, Aminuddin Siregar, Anne Nurfarina, Arie, Arif Hidayat, Arif Yuristiawan, A. Christine, Bambang Witjaksono, Daru S, Deden Hendan, D.E.S.S.W.A.F, Dian K.A., Dina.R, Dirgo B.N., Eddi Prabandono, Elly Wardana, Erwin Indrawan, Fuluz, Githa Rizal, Innocentia, J. Christiawan, Kokok Es, Kurniasari, Mewiyanti, Nuning D. A., Roumy T, Sonny, S. Pahlevi, Yari T. Hudayana and Yopi Gunawan.

Although there are many participants, the exhibition did not surpass the exhibition in 1987 in Bandung which had 50 artists.

A few older graphic artists like AD Pirous and Kaboel Suadi, for example, were absent in the exhibition this time. A few others who participated previously are not involved anymore.

More than 100 works are exhibited. Most used the technique of wood-cutting (wood and hardboard). Screen printing was second most popular, while the third was etching, dry point or mixed media. There were only four lithographs. The number of techniques used looked unchanged comparing it from period to period. This also shows the difficulties of the participants in experimenting with graphic tools that are not easily purchased by them, such as the lithograph machine.

The exhibition showed many styles and trends -- as many, it could be said, as the number of participants. If we could discern the differences simply and quickly, perhaps we could get several groups.

Receiving the most attention was the category of fantasy and absurdity, represented in the works of Haryadi Suadi, T. Sutanto, Agus Kondeskeh, Dirgo B. Nugroho and Johannes Christiawan. Social criticism infused the works of Arif Yuristiawan, Daru. S. and Eddi P. whose works are on the same level with formalism and realism. The rest are decorative (Hidayat, Anne Nurfarina) with the least attention paid to abstract (S. Pahlevi) and optic-art (Diddo Kusdinar).

The exhibition, which closes on Nov. 26, may trigger greater awareness about graphic art and, if it not too daunting a task, could spawn more exhibitions to spread the word.