Twenty artists held an art exhibition to help two of Indonesia’s biggest literary figures who are currently suffering from illnesses.
n a small theater lobby at Taman Ismail Marzuki art center in Cikini, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, paintings were put on display as painters, poets and artists from various fields huddled together in deep conversation about the artworks in front of them.
“This work — this one — has made its rounds in the United States,” artist Baron Basuning was heard describing Arahmaiani’s acrylic-on-canvas painting Silent Rainbow VIII.
The painting was just one among many exhibited in the Pameran 20 Perupa Peduli Remy Sylado & Sutardji Calzoum Bachri (20 Artists for Remy Sylado & Sutardji Calzoum Bachri), which runs until Wednesday.
Remy Sylado is a prominent Indonesian author and painter known as a “walking encyclopedia of arts and humanities”, while Sutardji Calzoum Bachri is a widely known poet often hailed as the “President of Indonesian Poets”. As both are currently suffering from illnesses, other artists put their paintings for sale, and 75 percent of the money received will be donated to Remy and Sutardji.
Attended by former deputy trade minister Bayu Krisnamurthi and opened by former deputy tourism and creative economy minister Sapta Nirwandar, the exhibition was celebrated for its care of the two Indonesian literary figures.
“I’ve personally known Remy Sylado for a long time, ever since my time [studying] in Bandung West Java]. Both he and Sutardji need more attention from us Indonesians,” Sapta said to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
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