Gunawan Maryanto

What if an artist loses the tools of their trade? Gunawan Maryanto talks about finding new forms to express his art.

Perhaps the biggest fear for an artist is losing the tools of their trade, like the Fictionsal Siman who lost his tongue despite his eagerness to speak only the truth.

Siman is the main character of the newest feature film by Yosep Anggi Noen titled Hiruk-pikuk si Al Kisah (The Science of Fictionss) played by Gunawan Maryanto.

“He gets his tongue cut out after witnessing the documentation of a fake moon landing on sandy beach near his home,” Gunawan told The Jakarta Post about the grim fate of the character.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about this. What if I, as an artist, could no longer express myself?”

Gunawan had a hold on the character for a long time — since the director, Anggi, approached him with the story idea in 2012 and made it clear that Gunawan had to be in the film.

They worked together on the script from then on and even made a teaser but later decided to delay the production as they needed longer time for preparation and more funding.

The teaser was showcased at the Asian Project Market in 2013; film workshop Produire Au Sud in Nantes, France in 2016; and Venice GAP Financing at Venice Film Festival in 2017.

It eventually received financial support from the Asian Cinema Fund in 2014 and the Hubert Bals Fund (HBF)+Europe at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, production ensued in 2018.

Hiruk-pikuk si Al Kisah was selected to enter the main competition at the 72nd Locarno International Film Festival from Aug. 10 to 17 in Locarno, Switzerland. The film, which also premiered at the festival, received a Special Mention Award.

“The life story of Siman is indeed kind of bizarre, but it’s actually a reflection of our ordinary life,” explained Gunawan, who is also a stage actor, playwright and director in Yogyakarta’s theater group Teater Garasi.

“He is a witness to everything that includes the 1965 tragedy and all the major events in the country’s history, as we know today that could affect the life of an individual in a certain way.”

The mute Siman shares the hustle-bustle of events he experiences by using his body; even his house which he turns into a space rocket.

Gunawan practiced for about four months to become Siman by not talking and instead exploring his body movements to tell a story.

“I realized that as an artist I wanted to be able to keep moving and to create. To achieve that, there are many things that I have to keep on doing. I always learn new things and keep on searching for the best form to express my art.”

Born in Yogyakarta on April 10, 1976, Gunawan has shown his versatility as an artist.

In July he was involved in a 3D concert designed by Japanese audio designer Yasuhiro Morinaga. The event was held to accompany the screening of Garin Nugroho’s Setan Jawa (Javanese Devil) film in Tokyo, Japan.

In the concert with KOM_I (Komuai) — the vocalist of Japanese band Wednesday Campanella; Gunawan also lent his vocals by reading Javanese poems and mantras.

He also collaborated with contemporary artist Eko Nugroho to perform Wayang Bocor (a contemporary shadow puppet play) in the United States and with visual artist Prihatmoko Moki to perform wayang beber (leather puppetry) using painting. With the latter, Gunawan also produced comic books.

In 2017, Gunawan won the Best Lead Actor award at the Umar Ismail Awards for his performance as poet Widji Thukul in the film Istirahatlah Kata-kata (Solo, Solitude) — Anggi’s second feature film. The film, which tells the story of Indonesian poet Wiji Thukul’s life in political hiding, was also named the best film at the Bangkok ASEAN Film Festival 2017.

Last year, Gunawan launched his poetry collection Sakuntala.

Together with playwright Joned Suryatmoko, he cofounded the annual Indonesian Dramatic Reading Festival, the 10th staging of which was held this year.

“This year is important because we were the host for the Third Asian Playwrights Meeting [APM]. As a result of the event, we’re going to hold a showcase in London next month,” said Gunawan.

The first APM was held in 2009 in Tokyo, which inspired the two to establish the festival.

“I am never fully satisfied with a performance, I’m always thinking about experimenting with another medium. It is hard to survive as an artist in this country where, unlike in many other countries, no interest is shown in introducing art appreciation to the people from an early age,” he said.

“But complaining is never a solution. We can build a network, establish our own laboratory of art creation, as well as our audience. We can push for art appreciation in the school curriculum and support young actors.

“As artists, we have to be activists as well.” (ste)

— Photos courtesy of Publisitaz

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