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occupation, he was asked to revisit were part of the country’s cultural EPILOGUE
Indonesia to create more artwork diplomacy are long gone, but their The exhibition Indonesia, the Spirit
Becoming a because of his fascination with the artworks continue to remind us of of the World presents 45 artworks
country. Similar to Itō, Indonesian
by 34 artists. These works that
the friendship between nations. The
World Citizen painter Basoeki Abdullah liked words Vita brevis, ars longa (“life is are in the collection of the
to Welcome to paint women from various short, but art lives long”) are proper Indonesian Presidential Palace are
the Future countries. These examples show to illustrate this situation! reflections of a nation with a spirit
how artists welcome the future of resistance, freedom, diversity,
with internationalism, equality, and gotong royong. The spirit
fraternity, and world peace. to become part of the world is
beyond the notion of chauvinistic
Many of the works collected in nationalism, for it upholds
the Presidential Palace represent humanity; it is holistic and
A nation cannot afford to isolate acts of cultural diplomacy, given progressive; and it looks forward
itself or to perceive itself as more by countries allied to Indonesia. to a peaceful and brighter future.
superior than other nations. It has Several artworks from international That is the spirit of Indonesia;
to be an inseparable part of the artists shown in the exhibition Indonesia is the Spirit of the World.
global world. Sukarno proclaimed, are gifts from presidents and
“Our motherland is only a head of states of allied countries
small part of the world! Always to President Sukarno. There are
remember this!” Sukarno also also works that were acquired by
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reminded us of Gandhi’s words, Sukarno, who appreciated the
“My nationalism is humanity.” 2 artistic qualities of the artists.
Rice Planting (1951) by Fernando
The limits of nationalism in art Amorsolo was gifted by the
are replaced by the principle of President of the Philippines, Elpidio
universal humanity. This is clearly Quirino, in 1951, while the sculpture
shown in the sculpture Soviet of Roberto Juan Capurro, The
Warrior, The Liberator by Yevgeny Harpooner (1958), was given as a
Vuchetich that portrays the heroic present in 1959 from the President
act of a soviet soldier saving a of Argentina, Dr. Arturo Frondizi.
young German girl from Nazis. In his state visits to Hungary in
1960 and 1961, Sukarno bought
During peaceful times, artists the sculpture titled Archer by
explore beyond the limits of their Zsigmond Kisfaludi Stróbl as well
nationalities. The work of Shinsui as several of other works from
Itō in the Palace collection paints Stróbl’s studio. Because of the
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a picture of a female Balinese appreciation shown by Sukarno,
dancer is distinct from his other Stróbl made a sculpture inspired by
paintings. Having been stationed Indonesia titled Indonesian Woman
in Indonesia during the Japanese (Indonéz nő). These artists that