A Tribute to the Commenter, Indonesian Art History

While the progress of finding the perfect interview-ee continues at its sluggish pace I have decided to use my new found Blog Voice as a pathway to knowledge. After discovering that I could receive comments on my posts, it was finally obvious to me how much freedom I have. I can write about virtually anything. I could publish post after post on fun facts of Playdough, or I could write about the wonders of the stop sign, or the elusive Boogyman. While each of these are staggeringly brilliant ideas, I think that I will leave that stroke of brilliance for another blogger. (Perhaps one who is not getting graded each week on the content of their blog.) So instead I have decided to dedicate this post to a very sweet fellow blogger who left me my very first comment a few days ago. In the comment she mentioned that she was Indonesian. Since I would like to do my best to stay consistent with my "Art Blog" theme, I have decided that the next order of business is to enlighten the public on the history of Indonesian art. Allow me to introduce you to the very first Tribute to the Commenter.

While its is widely known that Indonesia was under Dutch rule for many many years, it is not as generally understood that the Dutch influence was what originally sparked the art movement in Indonesia. After many years of fighting, the Indonesian people finally gained their independence and freedom and declared themselves a sovereign nation on August 17, 1945. Although the fight for independence had been won, Indonesia was still exceptionally behind the other nations of the world in terms of technological, political, and cultural advancements. The Indonesians immediately knew what they had to do. The art movement charged forward, each artist determined, if not destined to catch up with industrialized, developed countries.

Revolutionary artists such as Wakidi, Abdullah Surio Subroto, Mas Pirngadi, Basuki Abdullah, Omar Basalamah, Wahdi and others spearheaded the art movement, following in the footsteps of their western counterparts. In the beginning of the art movement, much of the Indonesian art closely resembled Western artwork, for it was their only model of what art should be. Harsh critiques were made by the art societies and classes of Indonesia. They criticized the artists for so closely copying the work of their former depressors. (The Dutch government were no longer demonized in the eyes of the Indonesians, instead it was the Westerners who "imposed" their own traditions upon Indonesian culture.)

By the 1980s, Indonesian experienced its second art boom in 50 years. All over the industrial cities and heavily populated areas of Indonesia, art was making a comeback. There was a great increase in the number of artists, diversity of creations, increase in activities, increase in art collectors, increase in galleries and other 'art houses' such as museums or memorials. The Indonesian art world was making a name for itself. A name that has continued to grow in quantity and quality over the years. Indonesian artwork may have started out with little product to show, but today Indonesian art and culture is highly valued and treasured around the world.

For more information on the History of Indonesian art go to: http://users.skynet.be/network.indonesia/ni3001a32.htm