By Arie MP Tamba
Tens of years concentrating on design details, but follows the heart as he paints.
It could very well be an unforgetable experience for Tatang Ramadhan Bouqie. During the evening of the 2010 Indonesian
Art Award at the National Gallery, he felt awkward going face to face with the collectors. "I was afraid of being called an arrogant, and I also felt blank," Tatang said to Arti, in a conversation we had at his residence a while back, after his work Teater Saluran 99, a 200x1200 meters painting was put in the top three ranking by the jurors Jim supangkat, Asmudjo Jono Irianto, Suwarno Wisetroromo, Rizky Zaelani, and Kuss Indarto.
"What's the retail price?" that was the question of the collector who observed his work, Thursday (6/17) evening.
"It is their right to compensate enthusiasm with money, and I'm not going to be a hypocrit. But this is something new for me," claimed the painter born May 11 1953.
From age and track record aspects, this father of two (Jennifer and Gibran) and the husband of one Jeanelle is no amateur. However, in terms of artworks 'retail', he is rather 'green'.
In 1975, Tatang decided to go through fine-arts formal study in ITB. Beforehand he has already been active in literacy and arranging vignettes in Bandung newspapers. Before enlisting in ITB, he was registered in LPKJ (now IKJ), for working in an advertisement bureau in Pasar Baru, Jakarta.
"Back then my boss challenged me to study formally on fine-arts major in ITB, the well-known institute." The problem was, Tatang was in vocational high-school, while one of the requirements to enlist to ITB is that the person must be a public high-school graduate. Tatang then enlisted himself to a private high-school in Bandung, namely the Jhon Mayall High-School. "The students are allowed to have long hair," smile Tatang remembering.
Graduated from the John Mayall High-School, Tatang then registered and passed the test in the ITB Fine-Arts Department. "What's unique was, in the ITB Fine-Arts major I preferred pure art. However, seeing the financial chances in the design major as a broader one, I then choose the interior design course," he told.
He had to bear his life and college cost himself. His family was even lesssupportive of his choice in art. Now, to his two children and wife, he gives the clearest understanding to gain support as he 'retired' and goes painting. He is consistent in holding the 2:5 per week time management. Two days of teaching for the sake of household economy, and five days of working for self-satisfaction.
However Tatang never really left the world of design. To date, he is still active in lecturing on design at several universities, including IKJ. Here inIKJ he has even started lecturing earlier; since he finished his education from ITB and moved to Jakarta, whilst working in Tempo magazine.
"Since a student I was already active in Tempo," said Tatang.
This brought a unique story on its own. That time he still had to work on his thesis and final exam, thus making him commute Jakarta-Bandung for any projects of Tempo cover design. It went on until one day, as soon as he finished college, Goenawan Mohamad from Tempo requested him to work there full time.
"Mas Goen (Goenawan Mohamad) intentionally called Mr. Pirous to permit me to leave Bandung," Tatang recalled.
Tatang was actually prepared to be a lecturer in ITB, and was also involved in several design projects in AD Pirous" company. It would bring a dillema to leave Bandung.
"But Mas Goen said to Mr. Pirous that his assignment in ITB is only printing creators for other people to utilize, not for his own benefits," laughed Tatang.
AD Pirous finally supported Tatang to enter Tempo. And finally, Tatang did focused his attention to the development of print media design,also on books at the Grafiti publisher owned by Tempo. Subsequently, after years in Jakarta, he had his time of being active in the newspaper, amongst others the Media Indonesia. However, as a painter, it may well be said that Tatang underwent a rather "distinguished" course than other contemporary artists.
While contemporary artists are making more use of the potential of design art and the chance of computer technology sophistication, Tatang on the other hand left all of his mastered design knowledge (and technology); and wholeheartedly made canvas as the arena to express his arts by brush or palette.
"The issue becomes, when we are struggling with the sophistication of technology and the fascinating design chances, what more to look for?" he questioned.
He still doubts the 'success' of contemporary artists' works those are technologized,
fulfilling the motives and potentials of the creator's creational ability. In this matter, Tatang thinks high of the profession of an artist as the doer of pure art, that projects works as the interpretation of creating liberty.
Therefore, he went 'awkward' when someone asks of the retail price of his painting. "This is because I only paint, I don't think much of targets, including financial targets," explained Tatang, who is currently active at work for his upcoming sole exhibition.
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