Subject and Object, To Be and To Have...

Hi dear, long time no see, eh?
I should have many stories to tell, shouldn't I? But I don't. Not really. Truly, deeply sorry deh ya.

But guys, I'll take this occasion to talk about a book launching I attended yesterday. The book's title is Provocative Bodies (Tubuh-tubuh Provokatif). Written by Jim Supangkat, one of the prominent art critics in Indonesia. The provocative bodies he meant are the models in Mochtar Apin's paintings.

The tradition of nude painting in Indonesia started very long long time ago. But Mochtar Apin managed to keep his position as a respected and foremost artist. This was, according to Jim, because Apin brilliantly directed his models to pose the unusual poses, provocative poses. However, originality isn't the thing Apin was searching for.

Another point of view came from our "guru" in psychology, Fuad Hassan. Being an art lover and distinguish guest at this discussion, he pointed out a particular feature of Apin's paintings. "Apin had never tried to 'strip' the models in his paintings. He let them pose, naked, and therefore make them as a subject," Fuad said.

Talking about subject and object, Fuad shared an interesting example with the audience. He said that, normally, our salivary gland produces more saliva as we speak. And we swallow back our saliva without complaining, just glurrp like that. But imagine if each of us holds a glass and spits in it as we speak. Will we swallow the saliva in the glass? Will you? I won't.

That's, my friend, because the saliva has become the object. It's not "us" anymore. That's how Fuad explained about the way Apin placed the models in his paintings. So, it's the way Apin preserve the models as a subject that matters. It's the ability to control that matters. SOU DESU.