Purboyo

Indonesia is home to people of many religions, each with their own fears about the causes of spiritual corruption.

Craftsman Purboyo thinks fears of religious diversity causing spiritual corruption are unfounded. From hooks on the paint-splashed walls of his workshop in Malang, East Java, dangle crucifixes big and small.

There are also some enigmatic statues of the Buddha with eyes downcast, and halo-hatted saints, their beatified features gazing heavenward.

The plaster statuettes are made using fiberglass and silicone rubber molds.

Purboyo creates special designs to order and in a hurry for the homes of Catholics and the niches and nooks of their churches. However, he seldom makes statuettes for Protestants, as they prefer plain walls and basic trappings, so worshipers are not distracted.

On the craftsman’s paintpot-cluttered workbench are nativity scenes that a theologian would recognize from the Gospels. There are also 3D models based on Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th-century mural The Last Supper.

Purboyo’s clients might expect the artist to be a churchgoer himself, well versed in the faith he portrays.

Yet the religion section of Purboyo’s ID card reads “Islam”. On one level this could be seen as an example of Indonesian tolerance. On another it could mean the fundamentalists have yet to find him.

Purboyo said he did not understand why people made a fuss about Muslim artists creating works for Christians or vice versa.

“At their roots, all faiths are much the same. The gap between them is very small,” Purboyo said.

“My village [about 10 kilometers outside Malang] is totally Muslim. But no one has bothered me. They know what I do. Radicals aren’t religious, they just want controversy.  If anyone starts trouble, I’ll explain my thinking.”

Although officially a member of Indonesia’s dominant religion, Purboyo’s real beliefs are Javanese Kebatinan, which pre-dates Islam.

Also known as Kejawen or Kepercayaan, Kebatinan is a complex mix of Hindu and Buddhist teachings along with animism that pre-dates Islam and Christianity. The traditional faith of Java is not officially recognized as a religion but is instead classified as a cultural practice.

Practitioners of the faith are hard to find as they keep a low profile. They seldom gather in open groups and often publicly follow a mainstream creed while harboring different beliefs. Sometimes, their presence is only made evident through incense sticks burned at ancient temples after special nights on the Javanese calendar.

Purboyo practices his faith alone, which involves bathing and long meditations. He also regularly visits the graves of the Walisongo, the nine Islamic holy men who are believed to have spread Islam across Java, though not to pray.

He learned how to make statuettes while working for an antique dealer and watching his colleagues fix broken objects with fiberglass.

At first, Purboyo tried to create Islamic-themed works but the religion’s prohibition on recreating representations of living things limited what he could make. The prohibition basically meant that Purboyo could only craft calligraphic art.

“My skills [in calligraphic art] aren’t good enough,” said Purboyo.

“So, I stick to Buddhist and Catholic art.”

Purboyo eventually started his own studio and sells his products through Christian shops, competing with imports from Italy. 

Many of Purboyo’s clients know he does not share their faith, but they, like him, are unconcerned.

“There is no separate religions in heaven,” he said assuredly.

For Purboyo, his calm but firm conviction in his own spiritual beliefs is what enables him to create the life-like statuettes for those of different faiths.

“When I’m in a bad mood, I find the faces of my statuettes look grim, which doesn’t please customers. Imagine a Mother Mary with outspread arms welcoming sinners, yet she seems miserable. Who’d ever want to go to her? So I have to be careful when I work — which is often late at night,” he said.

He also rejected the notion that his mystical practice of Kebatinan enabled him to inject a “spirit” into his statuettes, like the fictional woodcarver Geppetto’s puppet Pinocchio.

“There’s no spirit in my statuettes [...] Magic is not involved,” said Purboyo.

— Photos courtesy of Erlinawati Graham

Popular

Is Indonesia really ready to embrace dual citizenship?

Tens of thousands seek better lives in Jakarta. But is the city losing its draw?

Elon Musk's Starlink granted licences to operate in Indonesia