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An Insight into Art Forms of Indonesia

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Indonesia demonstrates a pluralistic art culture where not only traditional and modern art forms are pursued in harmony, but also the evolution of art forms can be witnessed through varied influences of foreign cultures and religions.

Evidence of spiritual art can be traced back to even 1500 B.C. in Indonesia through stone and wooden artifacts, which represented spiritual expression with aesthetics. These elements when combined with Hinduism effectuated Indonesian court art in 7^th century. The rise of westernized art came later when the country became a Dutch colony in the 17^thcentury. When the artists started traveling to European countries to study art
during 18^th and 19^th centuries, some of the modern forms of arts developed. Although the impact of religion and spiritualism still reflects in contemporary paintings, yet most of these artworks are a symbol of individual responses to social issues.

This post outlines some of the prevalent forms of painting in Indonesia over the past two centuries, the most popular artists of that period, and discernment into the contemporary art scene with present-day artists.

Romanticism – This art form was first used in Germany in 1700s, and is characterized by an emphasis on personal, subjective, imaginative, irrational spontaneous and transcendental. In simple words, a deepened sense of emotions and senses. One of the most famous artists who created paintings with Romanticism theme was Raden Saleh. He studied in Netherlands and traveled across Europe to enhance his skills. The following is
a famous painting by Raden Saleh, called ‘Lion Hunt’

(source: commons.wikimedia.org)

Expressionism – This is an art form where the artist focuses on expressing emotions subjectively through exaggeration, distortion, fantasy etc. The aim of the artist in painting here is to be expressive, not beautiful. Many modern artists use this spontaneous technique to depict their minds rather than the outside world.

Affandi is a well-known name in Indonesian art scene who made use of Expressionism to create more than 2000 pieces of art, which are displayed in a museum at Yogyakarta. Although Affandi started painting as a realism artist, he later moved to expressionism since, in his own words, ‘

Afandi used an exceptional technique to paint by directly squeezing the paint from the tube to canvas. It is interesting to note that he discovered this technique by accident. The anecdote behind it goes like this. Once Affandi broke his brush and to continue to paint, he squeezed the paint directly from the tube to the canvas and then, used his hands as tools. He later started using this technique as his signature style as he believed it gave more dimension to his work.

One of his paintings, created in 1950, called ‘The Artist and His Daughter’, shows a beautiful blend of realism and expressionism during the years when he was discovering his signature style.

(source: www.affandi.org)

Another painting by Affandi painted in 1967, called ‘Wisdom of the East’, shows the hand of God reaching across the ocean to the West,
while holding wisemen of East – Gandhi, Lo The, and Semar.

(source: www.affandi.org)

Another prominent artist, who is generally rated amongst the five maestros of Indonesian modern art was Hendra Gunawan. His painting style was a combination of western techniques and Indonesian aesthetics. He was not only a painter, but also a guirella fighter during Dutch colonial rule. He later became an activist against the ruling government and was incarcerated from 1965-1978. He continued painting in prison, on small scraps of canvas he had available. Hendra’s paintings have a unique vibrancy to them, despite his life situation and his poverty. The paintings usually show workers in their day-to-day activities, and the background of the paintings seems to be in motion.

His painting ‘Catching a Butterfly’ (source: https://www.cobosocial.com/dossiers/hendra-gunawan-revelations) shows a young girl in her innocence and purity, thus evoking emotional connection with admirers. Most of his paintings have this affect on viewers.

Mooi Indie (“Beautiful Indies”) – This art style was developed in Indonesia during the Dutch regime in the 19^th century. It was mainly a way for the Dutch government to increase the tourism appeal for Dutch East Indies. The colonial government at the time wanted to showcase a romanticized view of Indonesia and most artists were not allowed to express the reality, many artists believe that this style represents a slave mentality of
colonial era. In fact, one of the most important visual artists before independence, Sindu Sudjojono (1913-1986) coined the term ‘Mooi Indie’ and rejected this movement as “an idealised view of the colonial period and not a true representation of Indonesian society”. Nevertheless, numerous magnificent paintings were produced which showed beautiful, serene, heavenly, and peaceful scenes like mountains, rivers, valleys, villages in Indonesia. Today, the artworks produced in this genre are amongst the most expensive in auctions.

Abdullah Suriosubroto was a famous artist who painted Landscape art or Mooi Indie paintings. Notably, he had enrolled in a medical school in what is now Jakarta. But when he went to Netherlands, his interest shifted to fine arts, and thus was born a legendary name in Indonesia art history. The following painting of Priangan landscape by Abdullah Suriosubroto captures the exquisite beauty of landscape and immense talent of the artist

(source: commons.wikimedia.org)

Realism – This style of art, as the name indicates, depicts ‘real’ objects and scenes. Realism or naturalism, as it is often called, provides an accurate description of the anatomy of humans and animals, details of color and light, and resembles the real world closely. You could understand realism as photograph-like portrayal of objects, characters and scenes. However, it does not imply that the artist painting realism artwork did not paint
imaginary characters like angels, demons, flying horses, or ghosts. The imaginary and intriguing stuff often finds its way into realism although
the proportions and details of the objects and characters are accurate like in real world. For example, the artist may paint an angel, however, the body will be human like and the wings would be proportionate to the body. A ghost, similarly, would not be blown out of proportion and there would be detailed light effects to indicate that it is a dead person. Some artists and scholars refer to this type of realism as ‘Illusionistic Realism’. Realism as an art form began as a reaction to romanticism, hence, principally they are opposites.

There were two notable artists in this genre in Indonesia - Basuki Abdullah (Abdullah Suriosubroto’s son) and S. Sudjojono.

Basuki Abdullah was a maestro artist and painted focusing on culture and tradition. He painted people, flora and fauna, themes of struggles
etc. He was known as a portrait painter, though he used to enhance the beauty of his subjects. An example of his work is – Fight between Ravana and Jatayu

(source: art-indonesian-art.blogspot)

This painting depicts a scene from the Hindu Epic Ramayana where Ravana is kidnapping Sita, wife of Lord Rama, and a bird called Jatayu is
trying to save her from him.

S. Sudjojono, on the other hand, was an activist. He wanted to depict social issues through his art and was the pioneer of socialist realism in Indonesia. His expressed his political views through his paintings and wanted them to provide historical and educational value. His painting ‘Comrade of Revolution’ is amongst his most famous artworks

(source: archive.ivaa-online.org)

Balinese Art – This form of art was introduced into Indonesia in the 14^th century through the Majapahit’s conquest of Bali. The initial works of art in this style were usually wood carvings and stone carvings. Balinese art was originally carved, painted or woven into objects of daily use. But later, it expanded, and several beautifully refined and intricate paintings were created, which resemble baroque folk art. These paintings often have the theme of battles between good and bad forces, the narratives originating from Hindu-Javanese epics, Javanese folktales and Buddhist texts. Most of these paintings were created as a collaborative work and hence, the artists are anonymous.

This painting is called ‘Wayan Kayun-Barong dance’.

(source: tarigallery.wordpress)

In current day, countless of galleries in Bali showcase phenomenal artwork from the famous modern artists as well as from the continually growing local art community. Some Indonesian paintings are displayed in museums and temples across the world. The oldest painting from the 15th century is a lotus painting with Ganesha’s figure and is now preserved at Pura Besakih.

Author: Manisha Bhati

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ART 101

Exploring Pop Art: Definition, Movement, and Notable Artists

Pop Art emerged as a vibrant and influential artistic movement in the mid-1950s, challenging traditional notions of art and embracing the popular culture of the time. With its bold imagery, vibrant colors, and incorporation of everyday objects, Pop Art brought art closer to the masses. This article explores the definition, key characteristics, notable artists, and lasting impact of Pop Art on the art world and popular culture. What is Pop Art? Pop Art, short for "popular art," was a movement that emerged in the United States and the United Kingdom during the 1950s and 1960s. It was a reaction against the dominant abstract expressionist movement, which focused on subjective, introspective, and non-representational art. Pop Art, on the other hand, celebrated the ordinary, the commercial, and the mundane, drawing inspiration from mass-produced consumer goods, advertising, and popular culture. What are the characteristics of Pop Art? Appropriation and Repetition: Pop Art often incorporated images and objects taken from popular culture, such as product packaging, comic books, and celebrities. Artists manipulated and repeated these images to highlight their significance and challenge the concept of originality. Bold Colors and Simplified Forms: Pop artists used vibrant, eye-catching colors to attract attention and evoke a sense of consumerism. They simplified forms and employed graphic techniques, reminiscent of advertising and comic book aesthetics. Irony and Critique: Pop Art often conveyed a sense of irony and critique by juxtaposing disparate elements, subverting traditional art forms, and challenging societal norms. It questioned the boundaries between high and low culture, art and mass production, and the commercialization of society. Leading Artists of the Pop Art Movement Andy Warhol: One of the most iconic figures associated with Pop Art, Warhol employed screen-printing techniques to reproduce everyday objects, such as Campbell's soup cans and Coca-Cola bottles. His work explored themes of consumerism, fame, and the cult of celebrity. Roy Lichtenstein: Lichtenstein is renowned for his comic book-inspired paintings, featuring bold lines, Ben-Day dots, and speech bubbles. By appropriating and enlarging comic strip panels, he elevated popular culture to the realm of high art. Claes Oldenburg: Oldenburg's sculptures took ordinary objects and transformed them into monumental works of art. His oversized sculptures of hamburgers, typewriters, and clothespins challenged the viewer's perception of scale and materiality. Richard Hamilton: Considered the father of British Pop Art, Hamilton explored the relationship between art and technology. His collage-like works incorporated images from advertising, cinema, and popular magazines, reflecting the media-saturated society. Impact and Legacy Pop Art's influence extends far beyond its initial emergence in the 1960s. Its vibrant and accessible style has had a lasting impact on contemporary art, design, fashion, and popular culture. Pop Art paved the way for subsequent art movements such as Neo-Pop, Street Art, and the appropriation art of the 1980s. It blurred the boundaries between high and low art, challenged the traditional notions of artistic value, and emphasized the democratization of art. Concluding Remarks Pop Art revolutionized the art world by breaking away from the abstract and introspective tendencies of the time. It celebrated the everyday, the commercial, and the popular culture, making art more accessible to a wider audience. Through its use of appropriation, bold colors, and irony, Pop Art continues to captivate and inspire, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary art and popular culture.

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ART 101

Exploring Art Medium: A Fusion of Category and Material in Art Creation

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