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Hetty Ansing: Inspired by Indonesia
JP/Slamet Susanto People who see Hetty Ansing’s paintings are likely to guess that she is Indonesian, such is the authenticity of her depictions of the country
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JP/Slamet Susanto
People who see Hetty Ansing’s paintings are likely to guess that she is Indonesian, such is the authenticity of her depictions of the country.
But the 50-year-old Dutch artist has no ties to Indonesia, other than frequent visits to the land she has come to love.
Ansing’s artworks depict a complete character of Indonesian society, exploring elements ranging from its natural environment to its traditional culture.
The impact of Ansing’s work is such that it has evoked tears among Dutch residents with memories of Indonesia, or Indonesian people living in Holland.
“Indonesian society and culture, especially as practiced in Yogyakarta and Bali, are my sources of inspiration”, Ansing said on a recent visit to Yogyakarta. “That’s why many of them think that I come from Indonesia when they view my works.”
The painting Plow is a prime example of the Indonesian-ness of Ansing’s art. The painting shows an agricultural scene against the backdrop of Mount Merapi, depicting the community traditions. Among the details enriching the painting are batik motifs worn by Bu Tani (Mrs Farmer) or the corak caping (bamboo hat).
Ansing also depicts the traditions of Yogyakarta paintings in works such as The Potter through the detail in the batik and the hairpins in the potter’s hair.
Through the details and her cultural awareness, Indonesia’s diverse cultures are clearly depicted.
“I want to present the characters,” she says. “By seeing their expressions and the lines on their faces, people who view my art can distinguish what is Balinese culture and what is Yogyakarta culture.
My work doesn’t just present a view but also character.”
For example, in Ansing’s paintings Balinese Dancer and Palace Dancer, it is not necessary to read the titles to recognize the different origins of the two dancers.
Ansing has returned to Indonesia nearly every year since her first visit in 1993. She confesses that before 1993, she knew little about the country and had no friends here. What little information she had about the country came from her parents’ friends, and that information did not impress her much. Yet something about Indonesia – she still doesn’t know what – was calling her, so she made the first visit.
“The first time I stepped onto Indonesian soil I noticed the cultural traditions of Yogyakarta and Balinese society, and I immediately felt as though I was in my own house,” Ansing said.
“Yogyakarta, for example, is a very interesting area which has never bored me. I like the concept of the Yogyakarta Palace as a cultural center, where the environment is green and the variety of social traditions are so lovely and spiritually comforting.”
She experienced a similar affinity with Bali. “The cultural traditions in Balinese society are also so beautiful, there’s no comparison.”
Ansing’s detailed brushwork means creating her work requires patience and perseverance, waiting for each coat to dry before doing the next. For her work Tandur (Rice Planting), for example, she began by painting the lines of plants.
“Once the paint has dried I can continue the other processes. These have to be done step by step, from one set of brushwork to other brushwork. So the fastest time to complete one painting is one month.”
Ansing started her career as a model and a designer in Holland, although her childhood hobby was painting. When she was 18, she met an artist called Vand De Ende – a meeting that, she says, opened her mind and began to turn her off the fashion industry where she felt she was always being dictated to by other people.
“I chose painting as my art because that set me free from other people,” she says. “If I remained a model I would have had to follow other people’s style, just follow.”
But Ansing realized that becoming a painter required more than just desire: She needed ability and character. Over 17 years, Ansing continued to practice, seeking different references until she found her niche in revealing the character of Indonesian society.
Finally, at 35, she stepped completely away from the fashion world into the art world.
“People finally know me as an Indonesian painter,” she says. “That’s the result of producing paintings which present the characters of Indonesian citizens, which are quite beautiful and interesting.”
Although Ansing has received awards from institutions, she says they are not so important for her as “I prefer to get my awards directly from society.”
“Many people who have memories of Indonesia have cried when they have seen my paintings.
Indonesian people think I’m from Indonesia. All that makes me far happier than receiving a formal award,” she says.
Art lovers in Holland — including those of Indonesian origin — collect her work to seal their memories
of Indonesia. She has 75 paintings on display in various museums in Holland.
“Sometimes I get invitations from the Indonesian Embassy in Holland to stage an exhibition,” she says. “If my work was no good and my character difficult maybe I wouldn’t get invited.”
Ansing declares that she will keep painting until she can’t see clearly and her hands can’t move.
“I won’t stop till I can’t paint. When I get old, and provided I’m healthy, I will always paint and of course come here [Yogyakarta] again,” Ansing says.
“For me Yogyakarta is my second home.”
Ansing plans to hold a solo exhibition in Yogyakarta next year to introduce her works to Indonesia.
