somber black veil, stretched across the two front pillars of the National Gallery, ebbs and billows in Jakarta’s sultry breeze, infusing the grand art establishment with a melancholic aura. Rows of flower boards lined on its left and right seem to amplify this rather mournful ambience.
But what prompts such a sorrowful display?
It turns out that celebrated Indonesian artist and monologist Butet Kartaredjasa is presenting his thought-provoking solo exhibition, themed “Melik Nggendong Lali”, at the gallery.
The theme, an enigmatic age-old Javanese saying, is inscribed in gold at the center of the black veil, beneath a silhouette of Petruk, a cherished character in wayang, depicted with a large stopper in his ear.
“‘Melik Nggendong Lali‘ is a phrase that commonly adorns traditional Javanese stained-glass paintings,” the artist said during a press conference at the gallery on April 26.
“It serves as a poignant reminder that ‘stewardship of either wealth or power often comes with forgetfulness’, thus urging us all to remain grounded in our origins and uphold ethical principles.”
In the exhibition, the versatile artist presents approximately 350 sketches, paintings and sculptures in a diverse range of mediums.
