Works of local painters selected for Asian exhibition

Works of local painters selected for Asian exhibition

By Rina Rao

JAKARTA (JP): As part of its third anniversary celebrations,
the Grand Hyatt Jakarta presents "Indonesia's Excellence", an
exhibition of paintings by 20 Indonesian artists. The works
featured here are the ones selected to represent Indonesia at the
"Asia's Excellence" exhibition to be held in Singapore in
September.

The members of the selection panel (Agus Darmawan, Jim
Supangat and Kent Tan) must be complimented on their selection,
which is a broad but faithful representation of contemporary
Indonesian canvas. As Darmawan points out, one must bear in mind
that Indonesian paintings have a characteristic style which is
quite distinctive from the rest of the art world.

The modernization of art in Indonesia started with Raden Saleh
in the mid-19th century, passed through a period of intense
nationalism and progressed toward reflecting the soul of the
artist as an individual, always in the context of the collective
consciousness. So while the technique often reflects Western
influence, the subject matter is of local relevance.

Thus the 20 artists featured in this exhibition are all rooted
in Indonesian tradition, though some of them express themselves
along with Western concepts.

The relationship between the artist's intuition and reality is
not a formulated one. It is a relationship that is not rational,
direct or objective. Indonesian artists are strongly influenced
by sociocultural forces, elements like mystical images, lyricism
and awe-inspiring enchantment. All are manifestations of this
fact.

Barli Sasmitawinata, who first emerged during the
revolutionary period between 1940 and 1950, has three works in
this exhibition. Drying the Cloth, oil on canvas done in the
realistic style, uses a very local theme from everyday life, but
the Western influence in the artist's technique is clearly
visible in this work.

Abas Alibasyah represents the tendency towards the decorative,
where objectivity is not of prime importance. The colorful Kuda
Lumping and Wanita yang Bijak both in acrylic on canvas, both
with decorative and painterly qualities.

Abstract works

The only two purely abstract works in the show are both by
Heyi Ma'mun. The paintings, depicting an observation of nature
rendered quite lyrically, are strongly reminiscent of her teacher
A.D. Pirous.

Heri Dono, an artist who became eminent in the 1980's, has two
collages with acrylic on canvas, A Mother Gets Aid and Pembawa
Cakra Perdamaian. Creative and very symbolic, with influences of
post-expressionism, both these works make a statement. Heri
Dono's work usually includes traditions from mass culture along
with personal expression. The result is art that has imagination
and spirituality, and communicates at the same time. He mixes
symbols of mass culture with what Jim Supangkat calls 'low art'
to pluralize meanings, and reflects a diverse multicultural
approach with a touch of humor.

The works of Dede Eri Supriya and Sudarisman are in the
photo-realist genre. These paintings use a variety of images and
symbols, and sometimes a collage. The imagery in Supriya's
paintings revolves around social issues, and he often parodies
and questions urban life. Sudarisman's work is surrealistic in
nature. These paintings are competently executed and reflect a
major trend in Indonesian art.

Salim M. has interesting themes combining fantasy, realism and
intellectual content. Supriyadi's excellent technique and fine
aesthetic sense are reflected in his expressive and spontaneous
paintings, Gadis dan Burung Dara and Gadis Tenganan. Ida Hadjar's
The Javanese Family and Playing the Deviled Bamboo Horse reflect
an expressive style combined with good draftsmanship. His
expressionistic work balances emotion with a highly commendable
artistic distance.

A number of artists in the show present works that are purely
decorative but are, nevertheless, technically well-executed and
represent an important facet of contemporary Indonesian art.

"Indonesian Excellence" is a well mounted and well-selected
show and is a fair representation of contemporary art in
Indonesia. It is also commendable that the Grand Hyatt has taken
it upon itself to sponsor and host the show. One hopes this is
but the beginning of a major and consistent patronage of the arts
on their part.