Page 47 - Flipbook Dyah Iswarini

46 47

Garuda, Jatayu takes the form of a scene from the original story of
gallant eagle. He spends his later the Ramayana.
years as a hermit in the same forest
where Rama, his wife Sinta, and his In a slight contrast to Basoeki
brother Laksmana undertook their Abdullah’s work, Sekar Gunung’s
exile. When Rahwana tricks Sinta painting depicts not only Jatayu’s
and kidnaps her, Jatayu sees and struggle to fight Rahwana, but
recognizes Sinta as the daughter- also a bird of paradise striving to
in-law of his best friend, Dasarata. scratch Rahwana’s face. On the
He tries to chase Rahwana and to bottom of the painting, a figure
get Sinta back, but his old age fails in silhouette holds a spear and © Museum Basoeki Abdullah
him, and he falls to the ground. a shield. Even though Sinta is
Before he breathes his final breath, depicted while losing conscious-
he tells Rama that Sinta was taken ness, she tightly grips a red and
by Rahwana to Alengka. Rama has white ribbon. Painted in 1961, we Kunjungan Presiden Sukarno
the utmost respect towards Jatayu can perhaps associate this painting di studio seniman Basoeki
and he is touched by the sacrifice with the liberation of West Irian Abdullah di Jakarta pada 1954.
of his father’s best friend. The (now Papua), which was still under
story of Sinta taken by Rahwana is Dutch occupation at the time. President Sukarno visited
Basoeki Abdullah's Studio at
often understood as a metaphor Jakarta, 1954
of the struggle to fight against Artists possess their own unique
wrongful domination. ways of expressing the struggle
for independence. Some do it
Basoeki Abdullah is a painter through simple metaphors, while
who often uses mythology in his the others add symbolism to trig-
works. On top of his canvas, the ger associations in the audience’s
1
figures of Jatayu, Rahwana, and minds in order to convey more 1 Museum Basoeki Abdullah, Fakta
dan Fiksi (Jakarta, Indonesia:
Sinta are painted in the mist amid specific messages. Museum Basoeki Abdullah, 2012).
clouds. This scene is rendered re-
alistically without added symbols,
making it looks as if it is a real