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A Turtle called Democracy
JP/Duncan GrahamHeâs huge, as befits a sprawling archipelago of many parts, and â like the nationâs political system â he is still a work in progress
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JP/Duncan Graham
He's huge, as befits a sprawling archipelago of many parts, and ' like the nation's political system ' he is still a work in progress.
However, by the time the new president is inaugurated on Oct. 20, Malang metal sculptor Ono Gaf's monster-sized Democracy Turtle should be close to completion.
'I don't want to rush it,' he said. 'This is not an exercise in speed ' every cog, wheel and gear, spring and sprocket has to tell me where it wants to go.
'I like turtles. I kept them as a child so I know their characteristics. They move slowly but methodically. They're strong and can take hard knocks.
'There's a Javanese children's story [much like Aesop's fable of The Hare and the Tortoise] about a race between a kancil [deer mouse] and a kura-kura [turtle]. The faster animal loses because it's arrogant and doesn't take the contest seriously.
'Turtles are wise and quiet. They are determined and they persevere. They never bother people and are always going forward. These are all qualities I respect and for me they're present in our new democracy.'
Ono pedals a bike around to scrap dealers and workshops where old vehicles, mainly busses, are broken up for spare parts. He selects what appeals to him, already knowing where they'll fit in the sculpture, and hauls them in sacks to the construction site using public transport.
'Some passengers think I'm a gombel [scavenger],' he said. 'But it would cost a lot to have them delivered by truck. They're my treasury.'
The three-ton monster is being constructed for a retired doctor who is also an artist, although one specialising in small and delicate plant arrangements.
Ono owns a restaurant in the hill town of Batu outside Malang in East Java. The Democracy Turtle is at the back of the property, hidden from view from the street.
Ono said the doctor, who avoids publicity, had been unable to buy the self-taught artist's sculptures at any exhibitions so had decided to commission one for an undisclosed sum. Work started in May. Ono lives on site during weekdays.
Some restaurant staff helps with spot-welding under Ono's direction.
There are scores of other sculptures by Ono that can be found in gated upscale housing communities and outdoor theme centers in East Java. The Eco Green Park in Batu displays his scrap-metal birds alongside the real feathered variety.
The Democracy Turtle has attracted widespread interest, with bus loads of international tourists and students coming to watch the three-meter high terrapin grow. Visitors, who imagine themselves to be mechanically smart, try to identify the different parts, but others are overawed by the complexity.
'I'm 66 and I want this sculpture to be my masterpiece,' Ono said. 'This isn't just about welding metal ' for me it's spiritual. That's why it's taking time to get established, just like our democracy.'
