A total of 88 artists exhibited their artwork to honor Jakob Oetama, presenting interpretations from the personal, to the humorous, and to the reflective.
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HARIS FIRDAUS / MEDIANA
·4 minutes read
A total of 88 artists exhibited their artwork to honor Jakob Oetama, presenting interpretations from the personal, to the humorous, and to the reflective.
One work depicts Jakob Oetama reclining in a hammock, while the fourth president of Indonesia, Abdurrahman “Gus Dur” Wahid, gives him a push.
Abdullah Ibnu Thalhah’s work shows Jakob and Gus Dur sharing a quiet moment. Beneath them is sunflower in perfect bloom. “I wanted to imagine how Gus Dur might welcome his friend, Pak Jakob, in the [afterlife],” said Abdullah, a painter from Semarang, Central Java.
Another painting called Gitu Aja Kok Repot was part of “Sugih Ora Nyimpen: A Tribute to Jakob Oetama”, a visual arts exhibition that opened virtually on Sunday evening (27/0/2020) at the Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta (BBY), presenting the works of 88 artists from various cities in Indonesia.
Earlier on Saturday evening, the Bentara Budaya launched a painting collection titled “Arah Langkah (Steps) Tribute to Jakob Oetama” as a virtual exhibition on its YouTube channel.
I wanted to imagine how Gus Dur might welcome his friend, Pak Jakob, in the [afterlife]
As reflected in its title, Sunday’s exhibition is a special event to honor Jakob Oetama, who passed away on 9 Sept, and runs through 10 Oct. The group exhibition opened to coincide with what would have been Jakob’s 89th birthday, and the number of artists participating in the exhibit representing his age at the time of his passing.
According to curator Kuss Indarto, the “Sugih Ora Nyimpen” exhibition intended to present the artists’ interpretations of Jakob as a person and his thoughts, especially in terms of his humanitarianism. Thus, the chosen theme was “Sugih Ora Nyimpen”, which translates to “the wealthy don’t save”, but actually means rich and generous.
The theme reflects Jakob’s generosity. “His generosity was part of his humanity that he actively practiced,” said Kuss.
Artists of several generations are participating in the exhibition, including senior artists like Kartika Affandi, Nasirun, Yuswantoro Adi, and Putu Sutawijaya, as well as young artists like Triana Nurmaria and Dwi Galuh Kusuma. “Insiders” also participated, such as Kompas journalist Ilham Khoiri and BBY curator Hermanu.
High Appreciation
One interpretation of the Kompas founder’s character was illustrated by Yogyakarta-based caricature artist Herpri Kartun. In his work Bapa Guru (Mister teacher), Jakob is drawn to resemble the wayang character Semar, carrying a kerosene lamp suspended from a short stick. He is surrounded by portraits representing a farmer, a trader, a football player, and an office worker.
“The figure of Pak [Mr.] Jakob holding a kerosene lamp is to symbolize that he enlightened other people. I chose the character of Semar, because he liked to lead and help those in need,” said Herpri.
Hermanu, who often picked up Jakob and accompanied him on trips to Yogyakarta, decided to portray a personal view.
Titled Tilik (Look), Hermanu’s piece shows Jakob and the places he frequented, such as his parents’ house, the Soto Kadipiro food stall, the old BBY building, and Borobudur Temple. Hermanu used old sketches in the composition of the painting, framed in a woodwork carving.
How highly the artists appreciated Pak Jakob
Meanwhile, Dwi Galuh Kusuma exhibited a manual typewriter in an interactive piece. In it is a sheet of paper with the BBY letterhead with the instruction: “When ‘art’ is typed, the [name] ‘Jakob’ will appear.”
BBY curator Sindhunata said that the artists themselves had initiated the exhibition. They had an extremely tight time frame to prepare the exhibition, only around two weeks.