Paintings by Slamet Basuki,
at Café des Artistes, Jl. Bisma 9X, Ubud. Tel: 972706.
At the beginning of the 20th Century a new art movement was to emerge which would revolutionize Western art. Led principally by Georges Braque (1882-1963) and Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Cubism dispensed with traditional perspective and the depiction of three-dimensional space. The term ‘Cubism’ came from a comment made by Matisse about Braque’s ‘little cubes’, which reduced landscapes and figures to somber monotone cubic shapes. Three-dimensionality was to be suggested by exploring the different planes and facets of a subject. Overlays of images, showing the subjects from a variety of viewpoints, were also to become a feature of the art style. The dialogue between representation and abstraction to redefine three-dimensional space was eventually to lead to complete abstraction.
In his exhibition, ‘Kubism’, Javanese artist Slamet Basuki pays homage to this decorative and geometric art style by presenting a series of canvases which could loosely be called ‘Neo-Cubist’. Born in Magetan, in East Java, in October 1955, Slamet studied at the Art Market Ancol in Jakarta from 1985 to 1991. In works such as ‘Ant’, ‘Twin a Woman’ and ‘Two Trophy’ Slamet succeeds rather well in capturing the decorative aspects of the ‘Cubist’ style. Other works, such as ‘Children Day’, ‘The Eagle’ and ‘Rooster’, exhibit the Cubist manner of seeing a subject simultaneously from various viewpoints. This succeeds in emphasizing and stressing their functions, activities and characteristics. Slamet restricts his palette to the Cubist color harmony of muddy browns, beiges, yellows, greens and blues. He applies his paint with aggressive brushwork, and palette-knife slashes, building up a highly tactile and pleasing texture. Viewed en-masse the work creates a decorative yet forceful display.
I.Self
Paintings by Budi Agung Kuswara,
at Komaneka Gallery, Jl. Monkey Forest, Ubud.
Tel: 976090.
Balinese artist Budi Agung Kuswara (Kabul) was actually born in Malang, in July 1982. He studied at the Indonesian Art Institute in Yogyakarta. Much of Kabul’s childhood was spent in Sanur, and, perhaps, it is a subliminal longing for the sea that permeates his work. As the curator Wicaksono Adi has pointed out: “Kabul’s experiences on the seaside, communing daily with the sea, are never far from his mind. Sometimes, the sea calls him, echoing strongly in the night or in the heat of the day. Thus, Kabul records all memories and fantasies that could transport him back in time, to the peace he knew at the beach. He re-experiences the feelings he felt when lying back upon the sand, enjoying the abundant sunlight, and the sound of the sea”.
In the art of Budi Agung Kuswara, we will find much use of water as an elemental part of the paintings. Whether it is the sea or a swimming pool Kabul invites us to feel the water, not as mere form, but as a coolness and freshness creating a fantasy-like feeling evoking the peace found within a pleasant memory or even a dream. However, water is not the principal subject within Kabul’s paintings, rather, it is used as a point of departure in constructing feelings, moods and atmospheres in which to place self images. These images, more specifically, try to find ‘presence’ through the depiction of Self. Kabul is painting images of his own Self, but he does not regard them as portraits. In his paintings, ‘presence’ is the reconstruction of events or auxiliary memories experienced by the artist. The works re-present the emotions, moods and sensations felt by the artist at particular times when he is in contact with water.
In his exhibition, ‘I.Self’, Kabul displays evocative and playful images of himself surrounded by water. We find him floating, relaxing or swimming. Enjoying himself, like a fish, in his basic element. The canvas ‘Faster’ depicts the exhilaration of swimming, the quick gasp of breath as he plows through the water, and, perhaps, the sharp sting of aching arms and legs. ‘Celebration’ is a moment of nonsense. The sense of fun and frivolity which can be gained by blowing up a pool ‘toy’. In all of his works, however, we have to remember that it is not the expertly created images that are important to Kabul. Rather, it is the suggestion of the moment, the situation, the atmosphere, or the mood, which he is trying to capture. Kabul’s art is highly realistic, yet, it is much more concerned with communicating feelings, thoughts, and ideas. This leads us to understand that his paintings are not about what is depicted.
If we understand that Kabul’s subject matter is about the indefinable, painted in a language of signs directly rooted in the circumstances of his life and beliefs, then the canvas ‘Lupa Daratan’ (Forgetting the Land’) takes on a much more deeper meaning. In this work not only are we invited to feel the pleasure of floating lazily about, but we are also asked to recall from our collective memories the agony of land and forests being torn apart by human greed. Now, this same human, in the form of the artist, appears lazing about in a swimming pool with no sense of angst or remorse. De-forestation is not depicted in the canvas, but, it is referenced in the title, and made visible through the artist’s ingenious ability to infer the intangible. With his superb rendering of human lived moments, combined with his subtle subtext, Budi Agung Kuswara has created a fascinating exhibition.
