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Irawan Karseno: Aiming high for Jakarta' s arts
Courtesy of DKJ/Eva TobingPainter Irawan Karseno does not take himself too seriously
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Courtesy of DKJ/Eva Tobing
Painter Irawan Karseno does not take himself too seriously. In fact, he considers himself nothing special ' just a painter who works by order.
But his contemporary paintings, his outgoing personality, his network and his ambition to use art as a way to improve the quality of life make him the ideal person to turn an inspired vision into reality.
Irawan, who is chairman of the Jakarta Arts Council (DKJ), dreams of seeing Jakarta become an artistic capital and serve as a role model for other cities in Indonesia.
'I like what Jokowi [Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo] and [Bandung Mayor] Ridwan Kamil say about being public servants. I want to serve the people, too, and provide them with a chance to enjoy what the arts can do best,' Irawan said.
The 53-year-old, who was elected in April last year, said becoming the DKJ chairman was just the beginning toward achieving many things.
Under his leadership, Irawan and his team have prepared a number of programs to further develop the capital's arts and culture.
He said the DKJ planned to hold at least one international art event, organized by the council's committee, to attract foreign and domestic tourists while, at the same time, promoting the image of Jakarta as an artistic city.
'A big city like Jakarta needs to host many international events. It's not only to please the artists, but it can impact other sectors, like our economy,' Irawan said.
Moreover, he said, as the world today was paying increased attention to the Asia-Pacific region ' thanks to economic growth and cultural diversity ' it was the ideal time for Jakarta to steal the limelight.
Irawan also said that many people living in Jakarta were becoming bored with shows on television and they were looking for alternative forms of entertainment, one of which was by attending art events.
'We already have many art events, but we need even more because people don't want to just sit at home in front of the TV; they're looking for other ways to have fun,' he said.
He acknowledged, however, that it may take some time before his dream could take real shape, due to the limited budget the council received.
'The funds have not yet been disbursed, but from what we have heard, I don't think the budget we receive will be sufficient to implement all our plans. But we'll see what we can do,' said the lover of tattoos, who enjoys shopping at the Jatinegara flea market in East Jakarta.
While waiting for the funding, Irawan said the council would continue to support all talents, especially young people in Jakarta, giving them the space and opportunity to express their views.
What was also important, he said, was for artists themselves to strengthen their bargaining position in the country.
'One way to do that is by encouraging artists to enter politics,' he said. 'We already have actors and actresses in the legislature, but they fight for other issues, not the arts. We need to have people who understand the arts and who can introduce strategies and tactics
to improve them.'
Irawan said it was very important to centralize the arts in society as there was more intolerance and violence in the world, adding that the arts could be cathartic for people and encourage more empathy.
'The fewer places we have to express ourselves artistically, I believe the higher the levels of violence in society will be,' he said.
As for the man himself, who has been immersed in the arts for more than 30 years, he said he enjoyed all art forms as he felt they made him more humane.
'The more I'm exposed to the arts, the better my understanding of religion and humanity,' he said.
Born in Surabaya, Irawan pursued a formal arts education at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) in 1977. He is known for his abstract paintings that highlight his rebellious side, but sometimes he just paints what he sees in magazines or movies, combining them with a contrasting background color.
His works adorn the walls of a number of office buildings in Jakarta, and he has been featured in a number of solo exhibitions in Jakarta, as well as at the Vermont Studio Center in the United States.
Besides managing the DKJ, Irawan is also currently busy preparing for two upcoming solo exhibitions.
One of them revolves around the eradication of poverty, while the other will showcase paintings that promote tenderness as opposed to violence.
'I'm always interested in social issues. I'm hoping one of the exhibitions will be held in the next four to six months.'
