Monday, August 18, 2014

Pemberontakan itu Kreatif

Ronald Apriyan | As soon as | 27 x 37cm | indian ink on paper | 2014
Please scroll down for English.

*Tulisan pengantar pameran tunggal 
Ronald Apriyan - ‘Lure & Rule’
Oleh Nunuk Ambarwati

RONALD APRIYAN, seniman muda (35 tahun) kelahiran Prabumulih, Sumatera Selatan. Perkenalan saya dengannya terdokumentasi di memori sejak puluhan tahun yang lalu (tahun 2000-an). Saat ia masih duduk sebagai mahasiswa ISI, Yogyakarta; Ronald yang saya kenal, boleh dibilang sosok anak muda yang selalu ‘gelisah’. Hingga kini ia tidak hanya ingin berada dalam satu ‘kotak’ tertentu. Maka ia tidak hanya seorang seniman, tetapi juga tercatat sebagai seorang aktivis organisasi kesenian, performer, penulis dan bahkan menjadi kurator.

Bolehlah saya gambarkan Ronald sebagai sosok yang gemar dan bebas bereksplorasi. Tak puas hanya berkutat pada satu hal. Dan saya harus tekankan dan bahkan harus diberi garis bawah atau huruf kapital untuk kata bebas disini. Ronald benar-benar ingin membebaskan diri dan pikiran dari aturan atau wacana yang berkelindan sebagai seorang seniman. Bahkan saya sempat mencatat ada beberapa karya (lukis atau performance art) yang kontroversial, ia lakukan sengaja untuk menarik publik (baca juga penjelasan pengantar Ronald untuk pameran ini, ‘Lure & Rule’). Tanpa ia sadari, hal-hal tersebut membentuk karakter karya lukis yang ia produksi selama satu dekade perkenalan saya dengannya. Berikut tengok uraian alasan gambaran saya tersebut.

Dari sisi latar belakang pendidikan; dalam catatan biodata yang ia lampirkan, Ronald tercatat pernah menjadi mahasiswa dari tiga perguruan tinggi. Hal ini menunjukkan bagaimana ia ingin mempelajari banyak hal. Universitas Padjajaran Bandung (Fakultas MIPA), Universitas Sarjanawiyata Taman Siswa Yogyakarta (Fakultas Seni Rupa Keguruan) dan Institut Seni Indonesia (Fakultas Seni Murni minat Seni Lukis), Yogyakarta. Dari ketiga universitas tersebut, tak satupun ia selesaikan hingga lulus menjadi sarjana.

Aktifitas yang ia geluti, seperti sempat saya uraikan paragraf diatas, Ronald bukanlah seorang yang mau ‘berdiam’ pada satu fokus tertentu. Ya seniman, performer, aktivitis organisasi, penulis dan kurator. Sebagai seorang kepala rumah tangga pun, Ronald seorang ayah yang baik dan membagi banyak waktunya untuk kedua anak dan istrinya. Disamping itu ia juga menyempatkan melampiaskan hobi memancing dan bermain bola. Komplit!

Pilihan atas ruang pamer. Pengakuannya kepada saya, Ronald lebih menyukai dan tertantang untuk mengeksplorasi ruang-ruang alternatif untuk mempresentasikan karya-karyanya. Maka ia tak segan ketika harus melakukan performance art di ruang publik. Bahkan beberapa pameran tunggal lukisannya ia gelar di sebuah toko roti (Jepang, 2007), di sebuah restoran (Yogyakarta, 2005) dan saat ini di sebuah butik, ya betul-betul sebuah toko pakaian. Pilihan atas ruang-ruang yang ia sadari benar konsekuensinya.

Karya. Maka ketika sampai pada pembacaan untuk karya-karya yang pernah ia ciptakan, saya sempat adu argumentasi dengannya, ‘mana benang merahnya?’, ujar saya waktu itu. Karena pada kurun waktu tertentu, Ronald berada pada di dunia X dan ketika bertemu kembali beberapa tahun kemudian Ronald berada di dunia Y. Pengalaman visual estetik saya untuk karya Ronald seperti sebuah roller coaster, dijungkir balikkan sedemikian rupa. Tahun tertentu minimalis, kemudian penuh teks, atau suatu saat gabungan antara keduanya. Bila Anda mengikuti jejak rekam karya Ronald, dimana ‘benang merah’nya? ‘Ada!’, sahutnya dengan mantap. Yang mana itu? Silakan penikmat seni mengapresiasi menurut versi Anda sendiri, karena saya juga ingin membebaskan imajinasi Anda. Sekali lagi bebas, demikian hal yang ingin Ronald kedepankan.

Ronald memang tak ingin ditekan pada aturan-aturan estetik seni rupa, berkali-kali ia ucapkan hal tersebut. Maka ia ingin membebaskan goresan garis-garis, keluar dari pakem, berontak dari prosedur standar. Dari warna yang ia pakai, komposisi, figur, ia tak ingin dikomando bahwa karyanya harus sesuai dengan kebutuhan tertentu. Meskipun kadang ia akui, pada titik tertentu ia harus kembali mempertimbangkan itu semua. Bahkan untuk ruang pamer yang ia pilih untuk mengekspresikan hasil karya, ia tak ingin berada pada sebuah ruang yang steril. Ambigu tentang bebas dari aturan memang tak terlepaskan. Tetapi setidaknya, Ronald sudah menyatakan sikapnya semaksimal ia bisa. Untuk itulah muncul tema ‘Lure & Rule’ (baca penjelasan Ronald Apriyan pada tulisannya untuk pameran ini).

Kurang lebih demikian beberapa hal yang bisa membentuk sebuah kesimpulan atas personal Ronald Apriyan. Tentang karya yang dipamerkan, saya harus memberikan apresiasi tambahan, khusus untuk karya-karya drawing yang ia pamerkan kali ini. Ada 2 karya kanvas dan 13 karya drawing di atas kertas. Di luar tema dan figur yang kita bicarakan, karya kertasnya kali ini pun tak luput dari berbagai eksplorasi media yang ia temukan. Mulai dari kertas yang dipakai hingga tinta yang digunakan. Kertas mana yang pas. Memakai tinta Cina atau tinta India. Teknik apa yang ia terapkan. Drawing bukan hal baru untuknya, periode 2003-2005 ia sudah berkutat dengan karya drawing pensil diatas kertas. Pengakuan atas prestasinya pun ia dapatkan di tahun 2002 saat mendapat penghargaan sebagai sketsa terbaik dari ISI, Yogyakarta.

Kenalilah kembali seorang Ronald Apriyan pada karya-karyanya yang dipamerkan saat ini. Semoga menginspirasi kita semua untuk semangatnya yang tak putus, untuk kebebasan yang selalu ingin dia capai di titik kulminasi yang entah. Yang justru membuatnya terus kreatif. Saya akhiri dengan kutipan kalimat Albert Camus yang harus dimaknai secara bebas dan bijaksana, bahwa Ronald Apriyan sebagai seorang ‘pemberontak yang kreatif’.

*Kalimat yang diungkapkan oleh Albert Camus.

Ronald Apriyan | Song of the Dragon | 35 x 50 cm | Indian ink on paper | 2014

REBELLION IS CREATIVE
An Introduction to Ronald Apriyan’s Solo Exhibition
“Lure and Rule”

By Nunuk Ambarwati



Ronald Apriyan is a young artist born in 35 years ago in Prabumulih, South Sumatera. My meeting with him was in the 2000s. At that time he was still a student of the Indonesian Institute of Arts-Yogyakarta. He is a type of person who is always “worry” about anything so that he never wants to be in one “box” only. He is not merely a painter but he is also an activist of art organization, a performer, a writer and even an art curator.

For me, Ronald is a person who is fond of free exploration. He never feels satisfied by just focusing on one thing. I have to emphasize the term “free” to describe him. He really wants to free himself and his thinking from any rule or discourses that circle around him as an artist. I even remember that there were controversial paintings and performing arts he intentionally produced to attract public attention (read also Ronald’s introduction to this exhibition “Lure & Rule”). Unconsciously these have built the nature of his paintings for a decade of our acquaintance. Below is how I describe him.

Educational Background
. As stated in his bio-data document enclosed, he had been registered as student in three universities. It shows how he indeed has passion of learning many things. The universities are Padjajaran University of Bandung (Faculty of Mathematics and Science), Sarjanawiyata Taman Siswa University of Yogyakarta (Faculty of Visual Art) and Indonesian Institute of Arts-Yogyakarta (Faculty of Fine Art, majoring in Painting). He did not finish his study from either one of them.

Activities
. As I have talked above, he is a type of person who cannot stay still on one thing only. He keeps busy with activities done as painter, performer, organization activist, writer and art curator. As the head of family, he is such a good father who can spare time for his two children and wife. In addition, he still has time to do his hobbies of fishing and playing football. What a complete life!

His Choice of Exhibition Space
. Ronald told me that he loves and feels challenged to explore more alternative spaces for presenting his works. He is never reluctant to perform in public space. In fact, he had done his solo exhibitions in a bakery shop (Japan, 2007) and a restaurant (Yogyakarta, 2005). Now he has been doing exhibition in a boutique. He is aware of the consequences of displaying his works in these places.

The Works
. When arriving at the interpretation of his works, I had once had an argument with him about the missing links between his works. Because at certain time he is in a particular world and some years later we can see him in another world. My experience of learning his works is like a rollercoaster, turning around upside down. The characteristics of his works keep changing. In particular year his works are minimalist, but then they can appear full of texts or with combination of both. If you keep up with his works, you may wonder where the links connecting the works. He will always answer assuredly that the links are freedom. He lets his audience to interpret freely because he wants to free their imaginations. Freedom of interpretation is what he wants to suggest.

Ronald does not want to be pushed to obey the aesthetic standards of visual art. He always emphasizes it. Hence, he wants to free his strokes, escaping from the ideals. He does not want to be told that his works must meet certain principles although sometimes he admits that to some extent he still has to consider going back to the ideals. Even regarding exhibition space to display his works, he wants it accessible for everyone. He does not want it to be a strictly closed exhibition space. An ambiguity of freedom from rules is indeed attached. However, at least he has stated his standpoint as he can. For that reason, the theme “Lure & Rule” is presented.


That is about the character of Ronald Apriyan. Regarding the works being exhibited, I have to give additional appreciation especially to his drawings. There are 2 works on canvas and 13 drawings on paper. Outside the theme and individual we are talking about, his paper-based works are resulted from his long exploration with this medium, searching for which types of paper and ink fit his purpose. He has a wide range of choices in using paper. Regarding the ink, the choice is between Chinese and Indian ink. Technically, drawing for him is not a new thing. From 2003 to 2005 he made a lot of drawings using pencil on paper. In 2002 he was awarded as the best sketch by the Indonesian Institute of Arts-Yogyakarta.

Let us get to know again who Ronald Apriyan in by observing his works. Hopefully we are all inspired by his unceasing spirit, his freedom to innovate, which keeps him creative. To close, I would like to borrow Albert Camus’ words, which must be appreciated freely and wisely, to consider Ronald Apriyan as “a creative rebel”. 


Please check this online released here,
http://m.jogjatrip.com/en/news/2463-Pemberontakan-Ronald-Apriyan-dalam-Lure-Rule
http://www.radarjogja.co.id/blog/2014/09/08/tantang-diri-pameran-di-ruang-publik/
http://jogja.tribunnews.com/2014/08/27/pameran-tunggal-ronald-apriyan-di-tirana-art-space/
http://www.rakosa-fm.co.id/berita.html#.VAK5YDfvrMc
http://www.asiabusinessinfo.com/pemberontakan-itu-kreatif/
http://www.jogjapages.com/event/lure-rules-solo-visual-art-exhibition-by-ronald-apriyan/


http://www.asiabusinessinfo.com/pemberontakan-itu-kreatif/

Harian Jogja | Rubrik Pagelaran | Rabu, 3 September 2014 | halaman 8.


Koran Sindo | Kamis, 18/9/2014 | halaman 9-10.


Tribun Jogja | Rubrik Art & Culture | Minggu, 7 September 2014 | halaman 19