Bramantyo
Prijosusilo's two most memorable works in Pancaroba Indonesia are
from a series of large colorful canvases he painted for a public
exhibition, entitled "Masturbasi Reformasi," which toured the streets
of Yogyakarta via horse cart in February of this year. As the exhibition
title suggests the works are both highly political and explicitly
sexual, and the two most memorable works each depict Suharto in
situations that would have previously landed the artist in prison.
In "Pandhito Wuda" Suharto is portrayed in the nude as a wayang
character with other dismembered wayang characters as well as a
satellite floating above him and snarling dogs moving in from below
to lick his reptile like fingers and toes. Bram's use of vivid color
and a naive style add levity that pushes the outrageous content
so far over the edge that the paintings are at once poignant commentary
and also hilarious jabs at the previously untouchable president.
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