Artistic, Together, Meaningful

Samuel Oktora

· 6 minutes read

The world appreciates the artwork of Bandung’s John Martono, 47, a textile and fiber-based artist. His work is presently on display in several locations, from the bustling Leuwipanjang bus station to the renowned art galleries in the United Kingdom and the United States. John and various community groups make everything meaningful.

The white-painted gallery in Cibeunying subdistrict, Cimenyan district, Bandung regency, West Java, was crowded on Thursday (18/7/2019) afternoon. Among the paintings of various shapes and sizes, was a number of mothers diligently embroidering. Their fingers moved with painstaking care.

The owner of the paintings, John Martono, was also there. He was also being creative. He was making some paintings to be displayed in his solo painting exhibition in Jakarta, later this year. While painting, John was accompanied by the voice of singer Iwan Fals, his musical idol.

"Usually these mothers bring some pictures to be embroidered in their homes. However, now they are working in the gallery because there are large pictures that they need to embroider together," he said.

From embroidering, women receive from Rp 50,000 to Rp 250,000 per picture, depending on the size. Some pictures measure 45 by 45 centimeters and others 3.5 by 2.5 meters. Six mothers routinely work with John.

One of the residents of Cibeunying, Mrs. Kuni, 56, said the money she earned from embroidering greatly helped her household. She can earn around Rp 3 million per month. "The money can pay for additional spending for the kitchen," said Kuni.

Since the late 2000s John, who has an education background in textiles from the Bandung Institute of Technology, began making artworks on silk using textile paints with embroidery.

Art with art

All that he had learned he slowly taught to the women.

"This is a realization of ‘collaborative art and art collaboration\', there is reciprocity. An artist is a part of society, and art is part of life so art must also live, have a positive role for life or the environment," said John.

His collaboration with mothers not only produces rupiah. They also receive global recognition. John\'s embroidered pictures have been included in national and international exhibitions.

Lalanta Fine Arts Bangkok, Thailand; Lahd Gallery London, England; Arts Connection Miami, United States; and Nissalara Gallery Queensland and Tusk Gallery Melbourne, Australia, are a series of well-known art galleries that have exhibited the collaborative work. In fact, he is among the few Indonesians whose art was displayed in big hotels in Australia and Singapore.

If that isn\'t enough, John has more evidence that collaborative art can be very powerful -- the murals in Bandung.

John also introduced collaborative art around his house through baksos (social service activities). He and his neighbors decorated the posyandu (health service shelter) and poskamling (security post) as well as the neighborhood ahead of the commemoration of the Independence Day in August.

At the posyandu there are murals, for example, of a mother carrying a baby and a floral motif. Generally, the murals that John makes are abstract. He financed the activities himself.

Traditional markets in the city of Bandung also have their works. Together with merchants and creative communities, a number of murals were proudly displayed at Cihapit Market and Kosambi Market in 2018. The murals at Kosambi Market even survived a devastating fire. Now, the colors give encouragement to the victims.

However, the most phenomenal of his works could be the Pelangi Bridge at the intersection of Antapani. This time, he collaborated with the regional administration. At one of the traffic jam spots in Bandung City, the colorful mural was inaugurated by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, on Jan. 24, 2017.

The mural design for the Pelangi Bridge is also abstract in shape, made with paint, ceramics and stainless steel pieces. John does not want his public work to represent a certain form.

"What I offer is beauty, and its form is abstract. So, what emerges is the various perceptions of the people who enjoy it. There are many perceptions, and that means I am successful," said John, who inherited his passion for art from his father, Muhammad Hoesin, who liked to make various paper sculptures during the commemoration of Indonesia\'s Independence Day in East Java.

John argued if the mural compositions represented certain objects, such as fruits, people, or flowers, the public’s imagination and appreciation would be limited only to that object.

"Like my work on social services, there is a part of the painting made collaboratively with the community. The hope is that the artwork belongs to many people. This can eliminate the differences and ego of each and also foster a spirit of mutual cooperation," said John, who had dreamed of becoming a painter since being inspired by the work of his father\'s artist friends.

John said public murals were also part of art’s role in the community to offer a new and inspiring atmosphere. Places that were previously dirty and smelly, like most traditional markets, become attractive and meaningful.

"It can even change behavior. In my neighborhood, residents used to put trash in front of their houses to burn. Then, I finished the 50m mural in front of the residents\' houses. Now there are no more residents who put litter outside," he said.

With all that experience, John didn\'t want to stop. He wants even more to contribute to the social environment and society through art. Later, he focused on garbage. Since 2018, he has tried to make crafts from plastic waste and used clothes.

The plastic is processed by being heated or melted. Some is formed into chandeliers. This became part of the campaign to reduce plastic waste and convert used goods into value-added products.

"Next year [2020], I will develop paintings on silk and embroidery, combined with plastic and acrylic scrap. And, these mothers will be involved again," said John while glancing at the tough women who helped create the collaborative artwork that have bee admired across the globe.

John Martono

Born: Batu, 31 March 1972

Wife: Citra Wulandari (35)

Children: Fulvian CJ Chordio (11), Starr Firdaus (2)

Education:

- Bachelor degree in art at Bandung Institute of Technology (1997)

- Magister in Design, ITB (2003)

Awards/Achievement:

– Fashion Design and Silk Contest ASEAN 2010 from the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, Thailand

- Innovative Work 2017 from Rector of ITB

- Participating in Textile and Fiber Expo, the European Textile and Fibre Art Triennial (2007) in Poland

Editor:

kompascetak john martono