WAHDI SUMANTA INDONESIAN 
SCENERY PAINTER

           

Parahiyangan  is a part of West Java. Hills, rice fields, karst limestone, valleys and  beaches spread everywhere. These sceneries inspired Wahdi Sumanta, a painter of Sunda  dominant tribe of West Java to  memorize and record it in the form of paintings. He observed his subject very thoroughly.

In 1994 Galeri Hidayat of  Sulanjana Street 36 Bandung exhibited Wahdi’s paintings.

Wahdi was born in Bandung in 1917. Since he was still in the elementary school (HIS) he has shown of his talent, and the principal of the school was interested in his good childish beautiful drawing. After Wahdi finished his school, the principal  financed Wahdi to learn to paint from a famed painter Abdullah Soerjosoebroto, the father of Basuki Abdullah, who later is also a painter.

Wahdi’s paintings are much influenced by his teacher. Wahdi is about the same age with Affandi, Barli, Hendra and Sudarso, another well known Indonesian artists. 
In 1934 Wahdi exhibited his paintings in Bandung regency building and in 1944 at the Bandung Town Square. In 1974 as suggested by Affandi, Wahdi made a sole exhibition at Balai Budaya, Jakarta. In 1975 Wahdi, Affandi, Barli and Sudarso made a join exhibition at Sanggar Sangkuriang in Bandung.  

In 1978 writer Ayip Rosidi sponsored Wahdi to make a reunion exhibition with Affandi, Barli, Sudarso and Hendra at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta.

At the 15-25 October 1994 exhibition at the Hidayat Gallery brochures were sold. Paintings shown here are from that brochure. Wahdi is a great Indonesian painter.

Sardjono Angudi 
jongki.angudi@gmail.com

07/2012.

                                                 Picture 1: Pura Batu Bolong, Bali, 1988

                                                Picture 2: The beach of Cihara, W. Java, 1976

                                                Picture 3: Mount Masigit, Bandung, 1984

                                          Picture 4: Tagog Apu, Padalarang, Bandung, 1974

                                              Picture 5: Mount Manglayang, Bandung, W. Java, 1967

                                                  Picture 6: Neglasari, Garut, W. Java, 1980

                                             Picture 7: Mount Tampomas, W. Java, 1988

                                                 Picture 8: Mount Sumbing, C. Java, 1994

                                                Picture9: Evening at Cikurutug, 1994.

ABDULSALAM  AND OTHER INDONESIAN 

INDEPENDENCE WAR PERIOD ARTISTS.

According to Yetti Iskandar Hidayat, Abdulsalam’s 3^rd daughter, he was born at Sumpiuh, a small town in Central Java in April 9, 1912. In some publications his name were written as “Abdul Salam” but in his paintings he wrote his name as “Abdulsalam” with the “m” as a three parallel lines

Abdulsalam’s father was an official of De Javaasche Bank in Purwokerto, a small town in C. Java during the colonial period.

In 1941, four years before the Indonesian independence, Abdulsalam was a member and then became the secretary of PERSAGI, Persatuan Ahli Gambar Indonesia (Indonesian Drawing Society). In the photograph when this organization was founded Abdulsalam stood at the back row, at the left, moustached and wearing white coat. In one of the newspaper it was mentioned that PERSAGI resisted against the Dutch government officials who stated that Indonesians was only proper of becoming laborers, coolies and porters.    

After completed MULO secondary school in Bandung, Abdulsalam worked in the Statistical Bureau near Pasar Baru, Jakarta. 

I was acquainted with Abdulsalam on July 1947 when my father, a staff of Ministry of Public Work of Republic of Indonesia, was appointed by the office to continue studying at the Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.  My father moved from a small town of Temanggung and stayed with Abdulsalam’s and Soerono’s  families, in a tenement at Bugisan no. 5 street Yogya. Those painters worked under the  Ministry of Youth and Development, under Minister Supeno.

Indonesia was still in the war with the Dutch who did not recognized the Proclamation of Independence of August 17, 1945. After the proclamation, the Dutch made First Military Agression on July 1947 and later the Second one on December 1948 after breaching Renville and Linggarjati agreements.

           In the tenement lived Abdulsalam’s family, Soerono’s, my father’s and my grandfather’s and two of my aunts, age 16 and 14 year old respectively,  who had fled Tegal by walking 250 km to Temanggung thru villages, rivers and forests to escape fightings between the Dutch and the Indonesian fighters. Then they together with us moved to Yogya. My grandfather, then 54 was still sad because he just lost his son, Adi. According to witnesses my uncle was found by Dutch aslept in  the morning and was shot dead without many questions because the Dutch considered he was an Indonesan Army member. He was a teacher and unarmed.

 About the house where my family lived, in the middle of the house there was a large space where the painters worked. They came in the morning and went home at the evening. I often saw Soedibjo, Ramli, Oesman Effendi and Tino Sidin working. They made paintings and banners to raise the struggle enthusiasm against Dutch colonialism. Probably the artists were the persons who painted struggle grafittis in many wall buildings in towns during the war.

In the Yogya Occupation Story (Kisah Pendudukan Yogya) illustrated story published after the Second Dutch Military Agression, Abdulsalam drew Minister Supeno going to a river to take a bath and encountered by the Dutch soldiers and was shot dead. In the story were also drawn the arrest of President Soekarno, Vice President Hatta and Sjahrir. 
The Indonesian Army Commander in Chief, the one-lunged ailing General Sudirman, who  arranged a guerilla warfare outside Yogya was also illustrated.

In Bugisan no. 5, I saw Soerono designed the National Sport Competition I (Pekan Olahraga Nasional-PON I) flags which would be conducted in Solo.   

In Independence War Album (Album Perang Kemerdekaan 1945-1950) published by Almanak R.I./BP Alda, mentioned that PON I flags was brought from Yogya to Solo. In the same book there was a beautiful lettering-norm   grafitti with English words in the State Building (Gedung Negara) at Ygyakarta stated We Don’t Want to be Ruled by Any Other Nations. This grafitti must be made by an unknown trained hands and dictated by a secretive intellectual nationalists.

In the Arswendo Atmowiloto’s blog  Invaluable Three (1)  (Tiga yang Berharga (1)) 07/19/2007 Arswendo named Abdulsalam, a Patriot Without Pension.  

During the war with the Dutch, in Taman-Siswa houses at Bintaran street Yogya there was a hand-operated printer where the artists published newspapers made of easily-ripped straw paper and other printed posters to boost the struggling spirit of Indonesian people. Abdulsalam’s caricatures were often given to   Kedaulatan Rakjat, Nasional and Patriot  newspapers in Yogya at no charges.

One day after the Dutch aggression at December 19, 1948, Soerono’s family, Abdulsalam’s, my father’s, my granfather’s, Oesman Effendi, Soedibjo fled to Cebongan village at Sleman regency, near to a sugar factory where the Dutch arrested    Abdulsalam, Soedibjo, Oesman Effendi and my father.  Soerono and my grandfather were at the river to wash themselves and were saved from arrest.

Later just after the war Soerono painted the arrest based on the interviews with the witnesses. The painting was printed in the President Soekarno’s Painting Collection, (Buku Koleksi Lukisan Presiden Soekarno), a book published by the government of People Republic of China.

The arrestees were brought to the Dutch post in Cebongan sugar factory and then to Ngupasan Jail in Yogya for detentions.

With the absent of fathers, aunt Mrs Abdulsalam, my mother, my grandfather with all members of the families left Cebongan to an unknown later villages. They didn’t know how to make a living in that situation and they didn’t know what would happen to them and their children after they left Cebongan. They had nothing except what attached in their bodies but they still had some jewelries sewn in the cloth waist bands. Javanese women always wear these bands (stagen, Jv).

After a week of uncertenties my father was released and Abdulsalam were released three weeks later. Each of them walked to Cebongan to trace their families’ hideout. As educated persons Abdulsalam and my father spoke Dutch, maybe that was the reason why they didn’t maltreat Abdulsalam and my father during the detention at Ngupasan Jail, besides they didn’t find any suspicious proofs which could bring Abdulsalam and my father to more unlucky fates.

Walking from Ngupasan to Jumeneng Alit, where three families were staying, were full of danger. Walking alone not far from Yogya my father was encountered by  Dutch patrolling soldiers. The Dutch soldiers interrogated my father. My father explained them that he was just released from Ngupasan jail. The Dutch asked my father to name one of the commander in Ngupasan and contacted Ngupasan by radio. After having clearance from Ngupasan, the Dutch soldiers released my father.

In the borders between Dutch and geurilla territories, Indonesian fighters were distrustful to persons who were coming from town and thought that they were Dutch spies who were instructed to infiltrate Indonesian territory.

When my father and Abdulsalam were asked by the guerillas when they were released from Ngupasan jail, both of them explained who they were and what had happened to them. The Indonesian fighters believed and released them to find their families. Abdulsalam and my father were released at separate dates.

On February 1949 my grandfather and two of my aunts joined with Siliwangi Division army and their families who moved to West Java to go back to their territory. My grandfather had a plan to turn to the north when the division were nearing to Tegal.

On December 1948 Indonesian Commander in Chief, General Sudirman had ordered Siliwangi Division to go back to their home to defend West Java. But because the members of the division were spread among people’s houses in Yoga and surrounding where they lived, it was difficult to contact them at a short time. Moreover the order must be carried out from mouth to mouth. On February 1949 and sometime later, the members of the division was still on the slow move leaving Yogya to West Java groups by groups.  

Main road, towns and other infrastructures were occupied by the Dutch and so the moving were done at night thru villages, forests, rivers and ricefields to avoid surveillances.

On July 1949 the Dutch could not maintain their occupation in Yogya anymore and Indonesian forces entered Yogya. At that time Yogya was the capital of the Republic. The 1 March Assault by Indonesian guerillas under the initiation of Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX and Kol. Soeharto proved the United Nation’s Security Council that Republic of Indonesia was still existed.

Knowing that Dutch was leaving Yogya, Abdulsalam family and my father’s walked back to Bugisan no.5 street by walking as far as 35 km from Bligo village near the border of Yogya and Kedu, the last village where we stayed as refugees.

In the comic drawn by Abdulsalam, Kol. Soeharto (later became the 2^nd President of Republic of Indonesia) was wearing a traditional Yogya custom entering Yogya town to communicate with his subordinates. In the comic it was illustrated that on March 1 1949  when Indonesian Armed Forces assault Yogya, hundred of guerillas were swarmed out from the Sultanate Palace where the Indonesian fighters were staying for a while in preparation to attack the Dutch.

Sultan Hamengku Buwono IX were ever being a student at the Breda Military Academy in the Netherlands. Most likely the Sultan and Kol. Soeharto were the persons who planned the attacks. March 1 Assault by Indonesian fighters gave proofs to the United Nation’s Security Council that Republic of Indonesia was still existed.

Probably Yogya Occupation Story is the first history comic made in Indonesia.

Later Abdulsalam drew Joko Tingkir, Pangeran Diponegoro and in 1954  illustrated money design Rp. 2,50 for De Javaasche Bank in the Netherlands.  

It was ance again proved that the Dutch modern armament that outmatched Indonesian guerilla’s could not bore down Indonesian people determination to free themselves.

Lord has given Indonesian people freedom because Indonesian people has shown their strong willingness.

Abdulsalam’s graphic illustrations are not available. Abdulsalam is my uncle

Regards to all readers.

Type Sardjono Angudi on the Google to read some more stories.

Picture 1:  Bedog River, a gift  from  Abdulsalam when I married in September 1970. 

Picture 2:  A gift from Abdulsalam when  my father  moved to Bandung, Juli 1959.  

 Picure 3: A river, possibly in Jogjakarta where Abdulsalam often went fishing. A gift for my younger sister who married in Bandung in 1968.

MODEST WATERCOLOR PAINTING 

IS FUN.

Many still lifes, vegetables, fruits and sceneries which are worth to be looked at and recorded in the form of paintings are scattered around us. One of the methods to record these beauties unexpensively is by painting with watercolor.  

Picture 1: Simple watercolor painting tools and materials.

                                                          

Directions to paint with  watercolor in these pages is useful for  novices based on the experience of  most watercolor painters. 

Using standard tools and materials for watercolor painting is  inexpensive compared to oil painting. What I call standard is using fine animal hair brushes, high quality thick papers,  brilliant color of watercolor, fixative and rubber latex for covering  intentionally unpainted portions in complicated  objects of painting.

Since those standard tools and materials are not always available in Java,  beginners  can substitute it with   more modest one. Tools for painting is limited and unaffordable by most Indonesian children whose financial strength is not like in   the countries with affluent societies.

What I am trying to tell you in these pages is watercolor painting with substandard tools and materials. Substandard is using synthetic nylon brushes, relatively thick papers not for watercolor painting but for printing,  applying low cost watercolor trade mark sold in modest stationery shops, no liquid rubber latex used, no use of knife or  razors to scrub the paper because the paper is not thick enough to be scrubbed. By using substandard tools more children and teenagers in Java, Indonesia and other third countries can practice and enjoy watercolor painting with “acceptable” results as shown below. 

In the modest stationery shops in Bandung you can buy  rather thick white paper for printing called Concord and a small 12 tube watercolor box at US$ 1.5.

Buy brushes with resilient or springy hairs. When dipped in water and then raised the hairs should be pointed  and not separated into two or more  branches.

The standard smallest animal hair brush cost US$ 7 and US$ 15 the medium size. While synthetic nylon brushes can be bought at only US$ 1.5 the smallest to US$ 3.5 for the medium size.  All US$ prices are in Indonesian currency (Rp).

You can buy round type synthetic brushes number 1, the smallest, number 3, number 6 and number 8.

 THE SECRETS:

Begin from Most Diluted Colors and Dried  Between Phases

First Wash.  

After you make a pencil sketch, cleanse the unimportant  pencil lines with a soft rubber eraser. Then you begin to paint with light diluted watercolor using brush number 6 and 8. The areas you are painting are the largest portion in your painting. Since all portions of the paintings are painted with  thin and most diluted colors, the painting will look pale. Don’t be downhearted, since it is normal and you are still on the right track.

Second Wash.  

This stage should be commenced when the result of the First Wash have been dried. You use thicker colors using  number 3 and number 6 brushes.  The areas you are painting are smaller than in the First Wash. You use  darker colors and thicker dilutions for the medium dark shadows or colors.

Third Wash or the Last Wash.  

Third Wash is conducted when the result of Second Wash has already dry. In this phase you use thickest watercolor solution with number 1 and number 3 brushes. The areas you are  painting are the narrowest portion of the painting. They are the darkest shadows and stroner colors.

 Tools described below can be bought in many modest stationery shops and household articles shops.  

 TOOLS and MATERIALS USED

Sold Everywhere, No-Difficult-To-Find Items Needed

A. Pencil  and Rubber Eraser.  

Use B1 or B2 hardness pencils so that the trace doesn’t hurt the surface of the paper and it will be easily erased. To avoid too often sharpening the pencil, you can use mechanical pencil with the same hardness. Mechanical pencils with diameter 0.7 and 0.9 mm are more convenient than 0.5 mm since the lattest is often broken when you press a little bit stronger.

            Buy a soft rubber eraser and cut it diagonally to obtain sharper edge  to make erasing narrow areas possible.

B. Mineral  bottle or mug for water stock. 

Prepare a mineral water bottle as a water stock. Keep it safe from   tumbling because of unintentional movement of your hand and wet your painting.

 C. Big Rinsing  Bowl.

            Rinsing bowl is a big bowl used for rinsing your brushes when you change the color during painting or washing the brushes when you end your painting.  The size is about 10 cm diameter and 6 cm height. Use two bowls when painting. Fill the bowls to half.

D and E. Diluting-mixing Bowl.

Diluting-mixing bowls are smaller bowls for diluting watercolor taken from the tube or from the watercolor tray. The size is 4.5 cm diameter and 2.5 cm height.

Small plastic or porcelain or melamine bowl to keep sauce are available in the shops. Fill the bowl with pipette  with the water volume according to the concentration of color needed.

F. Watercolor Tray.

Watercolor plastic trays are sold in many stationery shops. Watercolor squeezed from the tube is put in this tray. In the Third Wash colors from the tray are often be used with addition of little water and no dilutions.

G. Watercolor.

Various trade marks of watercolor are sold in the stationery shops like Guitar, Marie, Sakura and Pentel. All are not expensive.   

H. Brushes.

Choose brushes with springy  synthetic hairs. Synthetic haired brushes are much cheaper than animal haired but are less convenient to use. For the smallest brush I recommend you to use animal haired brushes

I. Additional Brush.  

An additional brush is a big brush 10 cm wide which originally is for wall painting. This brush is used for cleaning the paper from rubber eraser remains which are still cling on the paper. This brush is not for painting. 

J. White Poster Color Bowl.   

            It is suggested that painting with transparent watercolor should avoid using excessive white poster color since it will make the painting muddy. But small amount of white poster color to make the painting neat is  acceptable.

K. Pipette.

Small pipette of 1 ml volume with rubber squeezer can be bought from the dispensaries. This pipette is used for putting small amount of water on the paint put on the tray or on the mixing bowls in the Second or Third Wash Stage.  

Cotton Rag.  

Cotton rag from used T-shirt or towel are useful for absorbing exessive water hung in the brush hairs.  Don’t press  watercolor brushes with the rag since the hairs are very delicate and this can ruined your brushes.

Base for Drawing.

Triplex base for drawing which can be rotated and tilted on your lap or on your table is very convenient.  The base size should be suitable with the most often sizes of your paintings, for instance 35 cm x 35 cm.   

Picture can be tilted or rotated in many directions you like thus make the painting  processes more easily conducted.

Regards to all readers
Type Sardjono Angudi on the Google to read another stories written by jongki.angudi@g mail.com
12/2011

EXAMPLES WITH SUBSTANDARD TOOLS and MATERIALS

                                                                            Picture 2: Tea pot and vegetable.

 Picture 3:The Headquarter of Siliwangi  Military  Territory III. Formerly was the mansion of the Commander in Chief of the Dutch  Army in East Indie. Paleis van den Legercommandant  was built 1918. The square  was Insulinde Park, now is Taman Lalu Lintas (Wadjah Bandoeng Tempo Doeloe, H. Kunto, 1985).

 Picture 4:  Gedung Sabau was built in 1916-1920, by architects Ir. F.J.L. Ghijsel, Ir. H. Von Essen dan F. Stolz pada 1918. Formerly it was Departement van Oorlog/ War Department Now is Training, Education and Development of the Army. (Wadjah Bandoeng Tempo Doeloe, H. Kunto, 1985)

 Picture 5 : Gedung Sate in  1925. Formerly was named Gouvernements Bedrijven (GB) built in  1920 by Ir. J. Gerber , Kol. Genie V. L. Slors dan Ir. G. Hendriks. (Semerbak Bunga di Bandung Raya, H. Kunto, 1986)

                                                                 Picture 6:  Bandung Municipal Building  2001

                                                                                    Picture 7: Jatinangor 2001

Picture 3, 4 and 5 are from  black & white photoes in books  written by H. Kunto. Repainted  in watercolor  by Sardjono Angudi.

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