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Speed painter creates upside-down portraits of founding fathers for Independence Day
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Speed painter Eggy Yunaedi paints portraits of founding fathers Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta in Rengasdengklok, Karawang regency, West Java, on Aug. 12 to commemorate Indonesia's Independence Day. (Eggy Yunaedi/File)
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ndonesian speed painter Eggy Yunaedi created portraits of founding fathers Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta at Rumah Sejarah Rengasdengklok (Rengasdengklok History House) in Karawang regency, West Java, on Wednesday.
At 4.30 p.m., he began painting in an upside-down format and finished the portraits within 33 minutes.
The speed-painting event was held virtually and designed to commemorate Indonesia's Independence Day, which falls on Aug. 17.
Eggy said in a statement that the upside-down style was meant to symbolize birth, as it was similar to a baby's head-down position in the womb toward the end of pregnancy.
The venue was also chosen to commemorate the important events on August 16, 1945. On that day, independence fighters Sukarni, Chaerul Saleh and Wikana took Sukarno and Hatta to Rengasdengklok to prevent them from being dissuaded from declaring independence by the Japanese. Through the speed-painting event, Eggy wished to underline the important role of youth in the nation’s history.
Read also: How literature awakens nationalism in times of uncertainty
According to a statement, the event is part of a speed-painting series initiated by Eggy.
The plan is to paint historical figures in historical locations related to the characters.
He expected that the series could be an attractive medium to commemorate the figures and increase the public's interest in history.
Prior to this, Eggy had painted several figures including press pioneer Tirto Adhi Suryo, educationalist Ki Hajar Dewantara and Indonesian heroine Kartini.
He also created a portrait of Dutch writer Eduard Douwes Dekker, better known by his pen name Multatuli, at the Multatuli Museum in Rangkasbitung, Banten. (jes/wng)
