Penggembala Bangsa (The Nation's Shepherd) by Wilma Syahnur

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo turns out to be a “pictogenic” figure, meaning one whose image lends itself to art.

Therefore, since his 2014 to 2019 tenure, he has been a target of visual art creators.

A number of artists say they are convinced that Jokowi is inspiring because three paradoxes are inherent in his physique and behavior, from his slim build to his background as a mere “commoner” who managed to get to the country’s top seat to lead Indonesia and the relatively modest lifestyle he maintained even after he became president.

Jokowi has affirmed that his choice of modesty comes from his daily practice based on an old Javanese saying: “Lamun siro sekti, ojo mateni. Lamun siro banter, ojo ndhisiki. Lamun siro pinter, ojo minteri” (If one is mightier, then he or she should never overpower others; if one runs faster, then never leave others behind and if one is smart, then never show off and look down on others).

Fine art is an emanation of the human imagination to present pleasant sensations, as described in the basic formula of British art critic Herbert Read.

Meanwhile, artists notice that the paradoxes characterizing Jokowi are surprising traits that give rise to a sensation of joyfulness, which comes in concord with the formula of art they conform to.

So, hundreds of visual artworks depicting Jokowi have been created by painters, sculptors and graphic artists, bearing cultish and parody elements.

Painter Eko Supa, for example, pictured Jokowi as a guitar player wearing a metal music group’s jacket because it was common knowledge that the President was a fan of the genre.

“I imagined he was singing ‘And Justice for All’ from Metallica’s 1988 album,” said Eko.

Meanwhile, sculptor Wilma Syahnur through his Penggembala Bangsa (The Nation’s Sheperd) sculpted a statue of Jokowi tending dozens of sheep, a metaphor of an Indonesian nation that still needs herding.

Then there is painter Sigit Santoso, who praised Jokowi’s nationalism by painting Jokowi: NKRI Harga Mati (Jokowi: NKRI No Compromise). The President, in a bare-breasted pose, is shown writing on an empty canvas “NKRI”, an abbreviation for Indonesia’s official name, the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia.

Gunawan Hanjaya made a cult-like painting through Jokowi The Godfather of Infrastructure. In this canvas Jokowi is in formal dress against the background of crisscrossing asphalt roads being built.

In Mozaik Budaya Jokowi (Jokowi’s Cultural Mosaic), H. Hardi painted the face of the President with shadows of Indonesian cultural icons behind him.

“At present, only Jokowi is able to unify Indonesia with his cultural approach,” said Hardi, who has been popular since the 1970s.

From the works created, it is apparent that the artists originally visualized Jokowi on the basis of “Jokowi’s biography”, as accentuated by his frequent habitual practices. It is a creative concept described by Francis Bacon, a British writer and philosopher of the 17th century.

In the later period, though, not only “habitual practices” were adopted as substance for the artworks. The artists have finally translated their leader as a complex figure. This is because his personality maintains a wealth of events, history, culture, aspirations, interpretations and hopes.

Apart from parodies of Jokowi, other such works are interesting examples.

In 2012 Barack Obama secured his second term as United States president. The victory of this “guardian of America” was specially welcomed by other world nations, including Indonesian artists.

So, Robby Lulianto painted Obama as Lieutenant William van Ruytenburch, a figure in the legendary work, Night Watch, by Rembrandt. A digital graphic artist from the Nagayasu Studio made a picture of former United States president John F. Kennedy wearing a niqab (a Muslim veil), by using the American flag.

The same cult works in other countries are worth noting.

A tattooist venerated Russian President Vladimir Putin on the body of a rapper from Finland, Mikael Gabriel. Nicky Philips painted Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in her noble attire. The cult value is so high that since the end of 2019 the image has graced the residence of the queen in Edinburgh.

— Photos by Agus Dermawan T.

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