Pramuhendra: Photo Courtesy of Artist Otocrat
Since its invention in the 1830s, photography has evolved, from being called the mirror with a memory, to that of a reflection of the photographers particular point of view. Today many think of it as a medium of art equalling painting.
Indra Leonardi, known as a photographer of impeccable portraiture appears to be one of those. Having artistic urges himself, he has in the course of time become close to artists, and making pictures of them as one would for a friend. But today, Indra Leonardi tries to make photographs which are inspired by either the specific characteristics of the artist or the artist’s oeuvre.
Photography at its inception has been considered to challenge the existence of painting. While this has had a long way to go, Indra Leonardi’s show titled Artist Otocrat which is currently running at the Jakarta Pacific Place may indeed be seen as somehow challenging the art of painting that has for centuries been the privileged medium to visualise standing, characters, even feelings.
Rembrandt van Rijn, the Dutch painter renown for his play of light and darkness, might well use photography had he lived in this era. Rembrandt possessed an exceptional ability to render people in their various moods and dramatic guise.
Indra Leonadi seems to have a good understanding of such workings of light on darkness; this is seen, among others in the photograph he made of Ay Tjoe Christine, the young artists whose works vary between thrilling renditions of her inner turbulence and the mysterious of her introverted smile.
Indra says he was fascinated by the mysterious in Ay Tjoe Christine, so he painted her a facial make up with thick eyebrows and her hands holding the puppets she loves to include in her works. Then applied a play of light nd shadow, achieving indeed an aura of mystery, but regretfully overpowering refined facial features, so typical of Ay Tjoe Christine.
Chiaroscuro also set its mark on the picture taken of the artist Entang Wiharso, who is known for his engrossed images set in situation that reminds of Dante Alighieri’s La Divina Comedia, or Divine Comedy, now stands in front of his installation of aliminum images.
The artist is given a cloth that should mimick Batman’s cloak. Small motifs on the cloth appear like repetitions of Entang’s curly hair. Then the lighting, focusing on the artist’s face from which his eyes look even more fiery than usual, and the halo over his head which makes him appear as a black bishop amidst the follies of hell.
The photograph made of the artist Ugo Untoro who love horses to the extent that he almost equal these animals to human beings, is also ‘made’ by the play of light over black.
Ugo, whose Poem of Blood exhibition bemoaned human exploitation of the horse, is seen lying in the grass next to his beloved horse, the only lighted subjects in a black frame.
Of course Pramuhendra’s Last Supper in which the artist himself plays Jesus, is a perfect example of chiaroscuro applied by Indra Leonardi. Jesus (Pramuhendra) as the center of the Last Supper is a blinding shine over the apostles who in this photograph indeed disappear I the bbackground.
The same was applied for the painter Hanafi with his installation of shoes.
Yet, while Indra Leonardi uses a lot of light and black, effecting a profound dramatic impact on the photographs, he is as skilled with colors. This is seen in the picture image of Masriadi, the much spoken of Indonesian painter, whose paintings managed to escalate in price as no one had before.
Masriadi likes to feature blown up cartoonlike images of everyday situations. His personality however is in gross contrast to his bold pictures. Indra Leonardi captures him with sunglasses sitting on a chair that is hovering in a surreal landscape.
For Teguh Ostenrik, the artist who had his Jesus sculpture floating in the water at the Bali Biennale, Indra set the stage underwater, the artist in leisure pose while his Jesus sculpture is no more than a long black piece of iron behind him. But this is different with Agus Suwage, known as a versatile artist whose works include self portraits as Nero, or hooded with a pig’s head, as well as skulls and emaciated bodies.
In contrast to such bold images, Agus is captured in front of his paintimg titled Fragile, in which the artist’s body is covered with flowery images the sort one sees on fine china (porcelain). Agus is captured with just a towel to cover his loins, in a pose that matches the fragility of the painting.
Other featured artists include Rudi Mantofani, Ito Joyoatmojo, the photographers of MESS and a newgrouping of artists.
Indra says these photographs were made without complicated aperture, a single lens camera and the right lighting was all he needed. Of course he ‘forgot’ to mention his long experience that made for an instinctive sense of how to make a photograph that ‘speaks’ even if he has to set a stage and play the stage manager.
Indra Leonardi started this as a leisure activity to fulfil his own artistic urges, but it may not be surprising if this hobby became ‘professional’ coming close to his reputation of a photographer of portraiture.
Photos Courtesy of Artist Otocrat
Artist Otocrat
an exhibition of artists pictures
by Indra Leonardi
at Pacific Place, ground floor
until August 30, 2009
