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How artists portray President Jokowi's everyman persona
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"The Godfather of Infrastructure" by Gunawan Hanjaya. (JP/Agus Dermawan T.)
P
resident Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s second and final presidential term recently completed its first 100 days and throughout them visual arts imbued with depictions of him with cult and parody elements have kept on appearing.
Jokowi 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.
