Grotesquely Drawn Boy: Goenawan Mohamad Shows Off Sketches in Jakarta Exhibit
Jakarta. Poet Goenawan Mohamad drew in a sizable crowd of Jakarta's aesthetes at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace in Kemang, South Jakarta, on Friday night (10/02) — this time not with his poetry, but a selection of his sketches.
The exhibition, called "Kata, Gambar" ("Words, Sketches"), is the second time Goenawan showcases his drawings after a similar show called "Pe.Ti.Kan" held at the Pelataran Joko Pekik in Yogyakarta in November last year.
The title of the Jakarta show refers to the interplay between images and poetry in Goenawan's sketches, which often feature lines from a poem, random phrases and quotes.
"Images and poetry have no clear boundaries. Poetry contains metaphors, which always evoke an image [in the readers' minds]. Besides, I'm a poet. It's inevitable that words will appear even when I sketch," Goenawan told The Jakarta Globe.
In "Kata, Gambar," words and images copulated, becoming a new entity of visual language, where each is part of the other. The sketches are raw and some look like they have been made in haste, as if struggling to catch up with Goenawan's stream of consciousness.
Some of the scribbles on the sketches are barely legible, and many visitors are seen staring at them for quite a long time to decipher what they mean.
The former journalist and founder of Tempo magazine admitted he did not follow a specific style or technique when he sketched. Unusual for a poet, Goenawan claimed he did not even wait for inspiration and just poured out what was on his mind instead.
"I wasn't inspired by anything. 'Inspiration' is a big word, as if revelation is possible to us humans. I just drew what came into my mind," said the man who claimed to be able to finish a sketch in 3 minutes.
Goenawan said he also tried to be the best critic for his own sketches. If he feels that a work was bad, he would simply bin it.
Selecting the sketches
The exhibited works were curated from over 200 original Goenawan sketches by graphic designer and Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace co-founder, Hermawan Tanzil, who was also the curator that discovered Goenawan's sketches back in 2011.
"I was taking pictures of his office at Komunitas Salihara [Goenawan's cafe and cultural center in South Jakarta] back in 2011 when I found the sketches. They were not as amazing as they are now," Hermawan said.
"Then in August last year, he told me he wanted to put together an exhibition. Most of the works displayed here were made around October-November last year, the rest were created earlier," Hermawan said during the opening ceremony.
He also revealed later in an interview that at first Goenawan did not have specific themes for his drawings, which would feature anything from animals to architectural objects.
"After we met and discussed his sketches several times, we decided to narrow the themes down to three: 'Wajah' (Faces), 'Gambar, Atau Sajak Yang Diam' (Images, or Silent Poetry) and 'Grotesk' (Grotesque)," Hermawan told the Jakarta Globe.
The Wajah sketches featured faces of people which were drawn more carefully than others. Familiar faces were spotted, such as artist Frida Kahlo, actor Slamet Rahardjo, writer Ayu Utami and music composer Tony Prabowo.
Gambar, Atau Sajak Yang Diam resonated the overall concept of the exhibition. Lyrical poems were juxtaposed with images, creating a whole new visual experience.
The last theme, Grotesk, turned out to be Goenawan's favorite. The bad, the ugly and the unfinished dominated the illustrations.
"Grotesk represents freedom, wildness, chaos. They're the drawings he's most proud of. There's a sense of swift movements there. He could literally draw one of them in seconds," Hermawan added.
Hermawan also showcased some of Goenawan's miscellaneous works in a special room to give the exhibition a little variety.
Next great artist?
What is so important about Goenawan's drawings other than that they are a celebrity poet's newfound passion?
"The works reflect his freedom of expression, his own point of view — influenced by all the things he's read. They are very rich, just like his writings," Hermawan said.
"The sketches also reflect his personal identity. The way he let himself draw freely, based on his knowledge and sensitivity, enlivened the sketches and made them special," he added.
According to the curator, social media has led to people following the same trends sheepishly, even down to taking photos from the same angles and perspectives.
But all great artists are unique, Hermawan continued, which you can see from their choice of themes, brush strokes as well as their points of view — and Goenawan has that uniqueness, according to Hermawan.
"Goenawan's inability to separate his personal self from his works is what makes them different," Hermawan said.
Kata, Gambar will run until March 5.
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