The works they serve, in average seem to indicate a higher class, if viewed from the age class (education) they was following. Most of them show the totality that is quite encouraging.
Suwarno Wisetrotomo
Romanticism That Is Inspires
ONCE UPON a time, a pair of high-arched Penjor stuck in the gate of Purna Budaya Building (Full Cultural Building) of Yogyakarta. Colorful flowers in pots arranged neatly both in the corners of the front verandah and indoors. Young people who on average had long haired with a ribbon attached to their clothes seem mingling with dozens of other visitors. It is not rituals event of Bali customs or wedding of a young couple from Bali family overseas, but there is an ongoing art events of the Spirit '90. Entering the second month of 1994 no fewer than 24 people of a young artist who was then aged 24 on average paraded to show of creativity.
Mc Donald's boss, Bambang Rachmadi and Dr. Oei Hong Djien are still predicated as a young collector look go to and from in and out of the showroom. Performance articles in the Purna Budaya Building which are the third exhibition of Spirit '90 group was rated as the most successful and shocking event. Imagine, almost all the works on display was being sold out. Fantastic.
Despite it is going on (only) five days (February 5 to 10, 1994) the collective exhibition has managed well to siphon attention of various parties, including the cultural and art lovers of Yogyakarta and surrounding areas. Cultural observer, Dick Hartoko, through several newspapers asserted that this is a new spirit of the '90s generation. Dr. Oei Hong Djien himself very appreciates the exhibition by the Spirit '90 due to it offers such a diverse and expressive works. Suwarno Wisetrotomo, faculty of FSRD ISI Yogyakarta cum fine art critic, as reported by media Kedaulatan Rakyat on Sunday edition of Minggu Kliwon, February 20, 1994, p. 4, asserted that:
One thing I noted interestingly is that they offer an expression of the conscience which is totally generous, full of confidence, potential and found a place (again) in the middle of painting lovers. Expression of conscience by which I mean is re-emergence of totally expression, tend to abstract and far from forms arranged strictly and other basic elements. Because, during the time, this arranged strictly impression—and therefore a work a loss of its expression and mysteries—that is almost always we meet in every event exhibition.
Spirit '90 is the name of art students group that formed 'automatically' because its members are a bunch of students a class in one generation that is the generation of 1990 painting courses (FSR) Indonesian Art Institute (ISI) Yogyakarta, which originally numbered 33 students. Stepping on the second year of college, when the oil-colour material on canvas came into common use, it is appears idea to make a schedule collective exhibition. This is it inaugural exhibition outside this campus serves as a forerunner to the birth of the Spirit '90, as the flag to facilitates activities of the collective exhibition. The first exhibition was in order to Safari Remaja Berprestasi (Achievement Adolescents Safari), in P3G of Arts Kaliurang, Yogyakarta. In the same year, exactly in December 4 to 7, 1991 it was took place in Kartapustaka Building the following second exhibition. Then at the third exhibition in early 1994 the name of Spirit '90 starts up to be plugged into the professional fine art scene.
Truly artistic journey is such a legend of 'way of the sword' Musashi. Artistic behavior is a choice of living that the ultimate aim is nothing but cultivate themselves into a 'better person' day by day. Person who is being trained continuously by process. Similarly the potential of Spirit '90 artists; in terms of process, they are in galvanizing of time. One indicator in terms of consistency, quantity of artists who are still active to paint is proven to be degraded, if it can not be said to be shrinking. In terms of quality (of arts), some appear to continue explore several techniques although it is still can not be regarded as top invention—to remind that collective exhibition of Spirit '90 is only one of each individual side project. We can see the process course of the members of this group at the tenth exhibition event of Spirit '90 which is still going on Santrian Gallery, Sanur, Bali, when this writing is revealed up.
After nearly five years of vacuum—the last exhibition in April 24 to May 26, 2005—Spirit '90 is now re-collecting itself. The exhibition titled ‘Dusta Suci’ (Sacred Lies) was held in April 30 to May 30, 2011 and was followed by 12 (twelve) artists including I Nyoman Sukari. More artists are involved, among others, Multazam ‘Zam’ Kamil, Moch Basori, Tomy Faizal Alim, I Nyoman Sukari, Joko 'Gundul' Sulistiono, I Made Wiradana, M. Sugian Noor, Teguh Ritma Iman, Hamzah, Haryanto, I Wayan Sunadi and Zulkarnaini.
From the beginning of appearing idea to organize exhibition, there is no footstep signs of analyze particular discourse that occurs between the members, so the exhibition for one month does not contain the full intentions to interpret a particular moment or striking with a conical ideas into a particular discourse—other than simply an event 'reunion'. But here is the unique condition that occurred in the Spirit '90. According to Zam Kamil, Spirit '90 was formed by the sense of kinship, togetherness, pride and awareness that the process along the study period in the alma mater ISI, Yogyakarta is needs to be interpreted. In a long distance interview, Joko 'Gundul' Sulistiono also said the same, he emphasized one of the reasons his group survived until now is because of a sense of kinship.
As we knew, the world of Indonesia fine arts and Yogyakarta in particular, has a creative journey and a long enough history. The happen dynamicization is of course closely related to the circumstances of the surrounding coeval. Perhaps it is still fresh in our memory, standing era of studios or groups in Yogyakarta and Surakarta, such as, for instances, Pusat Tenga Pelukis Indonesia (Central of Indonesian Painters) (1945) led by Djajengasmoro, Himpunan Budaya Surakarta (Surakarta Cultural Association) (1945) led by Moerdowo, Perkumpulan Pelangi (Rainbow Association) (1947-1949) led by Sularko, Sanggar Seniman Masyarakat (Studio of Artist's Society) (1946) led by Affandi, which then turns into Seniman Indonesia Muda (Young Indonesia Artists) led by Sindudarsono Sudjojono, and Pelukis Rakyat (People's Painters) (1947) which finally broke up into Pelukis Indonesia (Indonesian Painters) or Kelompok Pelukis Indonesia Muda (Group of Young Indonesia Painters) (1952) led by Gregorius Sidhartha and Widayat whose most the members are students of Indonesian Academy of Fine Arts (ASRI), which is now become Faculty of Fine Arts, Arts Institute of Indonesia (ISI), Yogyakarta. Every era and society has its contexts. They represent the spirit of its time (zeitgeist) so that most of them carries unique characteristics of both aspects of the character to their discourses, as well as Spirit '90.
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| Hamzah-RUMAH KENANGAN Acrylic on canvas, 160 x 140 cm, 2010 |
Certain discourse or idealism often serves as the driving fuel to the pace of creativity of a group. In terms of Spirit '90, kinship and togetherness felt to be more important. It is not mean that this group is sterile at all from the battle of ideas and discourse among the members. Even the Spirit '90's Studio located in Ngadisuryan Street, Yogyakarta had been a history witness of how fierce creative battle among individuals through a variety of activities of both discussions and workshops which then continues to be exhibition periodically site.
Although there is no basis in the form of a collective agreement but it is often happen when there is individual has a tendency to a particular discourse or idealism, they prefer a solo line or form another group outside of Spirit '90. As Joko 'Gundul' Sulistiono, Hamzah and Yani Halim with his solo project, Zulkarnaini with his Sanggar Sakato or Moch Basori and Zam Kamil who took Nurul Hayat (Acil) to found Fighting Cocks Group. Nevertheless, other individuals such as I Made Wiradana, Teguh Ritma Iman, I Ketut Tenang, Zulkarnaini I Wayan Sunadi and other individuals continues to work by carrying each idealism.
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| I Made Wiradana-EVERYTHING OK Mixed media on canvas, 130 x 150 cm, 2011 |
In 1993 (should be 1994, trans.) this group (read: Spirit '90, trans.) held second (should be third, trans.) exhibition in Taman Budaya Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Cultural Park) which at that time it was still occupy Purna Budaya (Full Cultural) Building or which is currently renamed as the Hardjosumantri Kusnadi Cultural Center. The exhibition had became hot because it was continually interesting to talk about, to pout on and to be envied. Because in throughout history of the generation exhibition which notabene was a student, only the Spirit '90 which all the works on display was sold out in the opening night. And of the exhibition was then appear the names of young artists who suddenly become the idol of the collector, you name it I Nyoman Sukari, I Made Wiradana, Joko 'Gundul' Sulistiono, Multazam (Zam) Kamil, Moch Basori, etc.. And it is recognized or not, finally the Spirit '90 able to excite young artists to found a group, of which just to lighten the load to be easy to show off, to groups formed on the equation of ideology.
About 'Dusta Suci' (Sacred Lies)
Hardiman, a professor of fine arts in Ganesha Education University (Undiksa), a fine arts writer and an independent curator living in Bali, in the introductory notes of exhibition catalog captured literally the theme of ‘Dusta Suci’ presented by Spirit '90 group:
Today, we are witnessing a number of fine art works of the Spirit '90 that working on the issue of lies. An exhibition theme which is really interesting in recent social context. Of course, that must be seen from the works of artists of this Spirit '90 group is 'what is presented' rather than 'what is appears'.
Let us examine this work of group of Spirit '90. A bus metamorphoses into a war vehicle with large wheels and green color casts on it entire canvas; spiritual leader aligned with clowns, robots and Rangda; a master who faced tense and frightened; a city, the boxes which explicitly divides humans; night, cups coffee and a tense atmosphere; gambling, cocks and withered atmosphere; verbal texts, graffiti and collages are savage. In general, here's an image or a representation presented by the group of Spirit '90 about (result of) lie. To days, we are just in clutter, negative image, dark and terror.
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| Zulkarnaini-LAMPU MERAH Acrylic on canvas, 150 x 200 cm, 2008 |
Another statement that is not less extreme is stated by I Made Wiradana, "Stream of fine arts now, is influenced by China's fine arts lately dominates Asia. The providers of arts think only business advantages. So that the workarts is created in a humiliating and unfair. Spirit '90 wanted to criticize—corrects the development of Indonesian art from the artists who simply do humiliating and desecrating art itself. "
Hamzah, who daily teach in ISI FSRD Padang strengthens Wiradana's statement. "A work is a reflection of an era soul, then situations of era will implicitly implied in a work," said Hamzah.
Questioning stream of latest fine arts, however, Hamzah captured positive signal. He argued that slowly but surely arts will return to its portions. Because the artists have started to realize, an artwork is a reflection of the soul to the environment and the era in its path. They also work to devote ideas, intellectual and thought by inserting positive values, totality of techniques and just merely oriented to market orders.
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| Tomy Faisal Alim MIDNIGHT DI WARUNG KOPI Acrylik on canvas, 125 x 70 cm, 2010 |
Similar analysis made by Tomy Faisal Alim, "Since Indonesia is also struck down by economic crisis two years ago, and after a market correction and discourse surrounding the anxiety of curator overwhelming who seemed to determine the fate line of artists, arts workers or artists now restart to paint by heart, moreover the appearance of the galleries that fully do not require curator. I think this is a maturing process which is quite natural and not premature. "
Muhammad Iqbal, a prominent Islamic thinker cum poet from Pakistan asserted that the essence of arts is creativity that should really be able to decipher 'authenticity' of the artist, so his work is not a clone of the others (imitation) of the previous works of art and of the universe. For Iqbal artwork must be created 'what ought to' and 'what's there is not yet' and not merely describe 'what exists'.
There is a fairly well-known phrase of Iqbal: art is a sacred lie. Zam Kamil as one of the initiators of the theme ‘Dusta Suci’ admitted that he was so inspired by these Iqbal words. Iqbal has a unique observation perspective on the correlation basic of artists and their public, namely the aspect of 'manipulation of taste'. Often artists began its work by imagination, so that the public art—which is actually a bunch of human freedom—is placed right in the middle of the created world of the artist. When dealing with the majesty of art, the public feel the beauty, sadness or sense of other sentiment sensation. Through the beauty of creation, expression of will the of the artist's desire tend to want to master the art of public subconscious that contains a stack of collective memory, but at some point he actually gain meaning in different contexts, according to the spiritual experience of the public.
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| Haryanto-IMAJINASI KUNCI, Oil on canvas. 2011 |
Just take look at how expressive facials followed by melting oil-color with a bandage of depth colors in the work of Binatang Mitologi (Animals Mythology) and Alam Kuning (The Nature of Yellow) present of I Nyoman Sukari or Everything OK by I Made Wiradana; rough strokes on Hamzah's Rumah Kenangan (House Memories); interference (tucked) squiggles of and Enigma and Perempuan, Batu dan Tuhan (Woman, Stone and God) works of Zam Kamil; graffiti and savage squiggles Just for Fun and This Is not Art works of Joko 'Gundul' Sulistiono; typical dimensional strokes by Tomy Faisal Alim in Midnight in Waroeng Kopi (Midnight in Coffee Shop); or mating 'calligraphy' and pointillism techniques followed by medium exploration on Moch Basori's work titled My Body and Fertile is a piece of encourage property treasures stored in a safe box named Spirit '90. A stainless steel safety box which when the lid being opened spouts spectacular magic that arouse sensations, feelings of palpitates, terrified, downhearted keep together with memory of poetical moment our daily life.
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| Joko Sulistiono-EVERYDAY FOR FUN Mixed media on canvas, 140 x 200 cm, 2011 |
The opening of the Spirit '90's exhibition in Santrian Gallery going on simple started on time at 18.30 WITA (Central Indonesian Time Zone) and was attended by approximately 260 (two hundred sixty) invitations, journalists and guests of Griya Santrian villas. There is I Made Astawa or often called Pak Dollar has a great merit to realize the ‘Dusta Suci’ exhibition. Pak Dollar revealed that he has known the Spirit '90 when they were exhibited in Bali Art Center in 1995. Some personnel of the Spirit '90 from Bali is his senior class when he was studying in Secondary School of Fine Arts (SMSR) Bali. "In his era, the Spirit '90 provided something new for development of homeland arts. Their works have a different style and each has its strengths. I want to show again the Spirit '90 to the public of fine arts in Bali because this group has contributed to trigger the spirit of Balinese artists especially those who take the path of contemporary fine arts when exhibited in Bali Art Center in 1995."
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| I Wayan Sunadi-POWER OF NATURE Mixed media on canvas, 65 x 77 cm, 2011 |
Hardiman, alumnus of UPI, Bandung who is currently undertaking research on female figures of contemporary artists in Indonesia adds, was a special feature Spirit '90 as a group is able to survive since 1990. Moreover, each of its members also exist individually. Viewing from the aspect of the process, each individual had to find their selfhood through continual years exploration. Suwarno Wisetrotomo, one who had so intense following the development of Spirit '90 expressed his hope of this group, "As it name implies, I hope they can keep spirit to continue be creative, explorative, intelligent and articulate. Only in such ways they can be meaningful in the midst of the hectic life of fine arts."
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| M. Sugian Noor-BEKAL DARI LANGIT Oil on canvas, 150 x 100 cm, 2007 |
That is the Spirit '90, a romance narrative and phenomenon of Indonesian fine arts. It has been two decades this group coloring history of homeland fine arts. Amid thunderous roar of the commodification of national and international arts as well as more rapidly art discourses lately we expect Spirit '90 do not staggered lost its way. Twenty years of age if perhaps the age of maturity to follow in the footsteps of idea fights and also art discourses of the country and the world. There is nothing wrong if what Suwarno Wisetrotomo and Dr. Oei Hong Djien expect above is a representation of homeland fine arts public expectation grounded to the shoulders of this group. Bravo Spirit '90.
Historiografi:
1. 1991 “Safari Remaja Berprestasi”, P3G Kaliurang, Yogyakarta.
2. 1991 “Angkatan '90”, Gedung Kartapustaka, Yogyakarta.
3. 1994 “Spirit ‘90”, Purna Budaya, Yogyakarta.
4. 1994 “Membuka Pintu”, Studio Spirit Ngadisuryan, Yogyakarta.
5. 1995 “Ekspedisi”, Art Center Bali.
6. 1997 “Reuni #1”, Purna Budaya, Yogyakarta.
7. 2001 “Spirit ‘90”, INA Gallery, Jakarta.
8. 2002 Pameran & dialog seni “Ritus Kangen”, Purna Budaya, Yogyakarta.
9. 2005 Reuni #2 Spirit ‘90 “The Survivor of Spirit”, FM Cafe Sosrowijayan, Yogyakarta.
10. 2011 Reuni #3 “Dusta Suci”, Santrian Gallery, Sanur, Bali.
May, 2011
DEDI YUNIARTO
(http://www.senimana.com/berita-187-pameran-senirupa-spirit-90-di-bali.html)
DEDI YUNIARTO
(http://www.senimana.com/berita-187-pameran-senirupa-spirit-90-di-bali.html)
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