Jerry Aurum's bedroom eyes

Triwik Kurniasari ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sun, 11/08/2009 2:21 PM  |  Lifestyle

The bedroom is probably the most private place in the house.

It's more than just a place to sleep. Rather, it is a sanctuary - a place of peace, relaxation, comfort and security where we can go to release the remains of the day, to regenerate and then to welcome in a new morning.

Given the "sacredness" of the bedroom, it's no wonder many people do not allow others, especially strangers, into their bedrooms.

But photographer and graphic designer Jerry Aurum Wirianta managed to break through this privacy barrier, successfully entering more than 90 bedrooms, belonging to local public figures, ranging from actors, musicians and fashion designers to marketing experts.

The 33-year-old beautifully captured the famous people in their own way in their own bedrooms in his very own project called "In My Room".

His unique creations were published in a book with the same title and exhibited for 10 days in a shopping mall in South Jakarta.

"In My Room" is considerably different to his project of two years ago, "Femalography", which explored the beauty and the power of women.

"*Femalography' was a conceptual project. I really thought about the lighting and compositions for every image," Jerry says.

"After the project, I came to the point where I wanted to make something different, something more fun and spontaneous than ever before, something that would be familiar to the public. The idea of making the bedroom project just popped into my mind," he adds.

Jerry used no lighting in taking the pictures, because he wanted to keep everything natural and simple.

The project gives viewers a chance to see the private side of public figures. The photographs show us the different styles of bedrooms (of the public figures), which indirectly reflect their personalities.

In some ways, even each subject's pose reveals something of his or her true character.

Some pose quite naturally, without makeup or props, wearing their modest sleepwear; others try to create a good image and make a good impression by dressing up and using makeup.

Musician Dik Doank, for instance, looks relaxed and natural in the picture, resting his legs against the bedroom window, his eyes closed as he strums his guitar.

And want to know how presenter Cathy Sharon looks when she just wakes up? You can see her in her modest sleepwear - baggy white T-shirt and blue pants with a funny motif - with still-sleepy eyes.

Another image shows political expert Wimar Witoelar enjoying a good belly laugh as he sits on the colorful sofa in front of his white closet.

And as for prominent fashion designer Sebastian Gunawan, it seems he wants to look fashionable even in the privacy of his bedroom. He sits on the edge of his white-covered bed, dressed in a stylish black suit with tie and formal shoes.

Actress and dangdut singer Julia Perez is in no way shedding her sexy image in her picture, dressed as she is in a black-and-white mini dress and stockings complete with lace garter.

We get a touch of intimacy in the photo of expectant mother Nova Eliza. The actress displays love and contentment as she playfully touches her swollen belly.

Ringgo Agus Rahman's black-and-white picture might put a smile on your face: Dressed in T-shirt and jeans, the actor lies on his bed with both hands slid under the front of his pants, his eyes closed.

The making of that picture has its own story. Jerry describes his surprise on entering Ringgo's room, as it contained nothing but the bed and a curtain on the window.

"I was stuck in the room for some time, not knowing what I had to do," he says. "Ringgo didn't have any ideas either. So we both just sat there doing nothing. I was a bit surprised with the results," Jerry adds, giggling.

Part of what makes "In My Room" so interesting is the way Jerry inserts in most pictures an element characteristic of the subject, so we can easily identify each public figure's specialty.

Take the picture of Chef Tatang, for example: He poses sitting on his yellow-covered bed, wearing his chef's uniform and hat with kitchen knives scattered on his bed.

Prominent artist Putu Sutawijaya sits on the floor of his room, full of paints and canvases, and accessories designer Elizabeth Wahyu sits inside a big white closet against the backdrop of her colorful necklaces.

Jerry says that his subjects were free to choose their own pose, and could thus express themselves.

Photography has been Jerry's hobby since he was at high school in Medan, North Sumatra, where he was born in May 1976. He spent all his savings to buy a camera, and proceeded to enter his photographs in several competitions.

After graduating from high school, he moved to Bandung in West Java to study visual design at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). In 2000, after finishing his studies, Jerry established his photography business, called Jerry Aurum Design and Photography.

For Jerry, "In My Room" was not an easy project: It took him about two years to complete, and he met with several rejections from potential subjects once they learned of his idea.

"At first, most people welcomed my invitation to take their pictures. But when I told them that I wanted to shoot them in their bedrooms, they were surprised," he says.

"Some were still willing to take up the offer, but others said no because they really could not let a complete stranger enter their bedrooms. It wasn't such a big deal though because I could always find other people who were willing to do it."

Actor Ferry Salim was one of those surprised when Jerry came to him with the idea.

"I offered him another place but he insisted on using my bedroom," Ferry says. "I couldn't just directly say yes because I had to ask my wife because it's our bedroom."

Fortunately, his wife gave the permission. Ferry was captured in the tub, holding a cigar.

One of the wonderful things about Jerry's project is the way it reminds us how a single image can still "tell" us so many things.

Jerry's "In My Room" also reminds us that, in private, public figures are also humans who have similar daily morning rituals to the rest of us - and even messy bedrooms.

 

 

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