Pencak Silat in Sculptural Form, The Jakarta Post

On the move: Visitors admire exhibited works on display at the Expression of Feeling and Shape in Pencak Silat’s Movement exhibition at Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center in Central Jakarta. The exhibition runs until Aug. 15. Preserving a culture can be done in many ways ‘one creative method is by marrying sculptural art with Indonesian traditional martial art form pencak silat. Various styles of pencak silat have been reinterpreted by 26 sculptors in more than 40 works for the Ekspresi Keindahan Rasa dan Bentuk dalam Gerakan Pencak Silat (The Expression of Feeling and Shape in Pencak Silat’s Movement) exhibition.

The exhibition, which runs until Aug. 15 at Taman Ismail Marzuki cultural center in Central Jakarta, was also organized to acknowledge the contributions of renowned pencak silat artist O’ong Maryono. ‘This exhibition shows various interpretations of pencak silat as a culture that has been explored and reinterpreted by the sculptors,’ the exhibition’s initiator, Dolorosa Sinaga, said. ‘The diversity of styles in pencak silat represents Indonesia’s cultural diversity.’ Dolorosa said the idea to organize the exhibition crossed her mind after she was asked by the wife of O’ong, Rosalia Sciortino Sumaryono, to make a pencak silat sculpture for the O’ong Maryono Pencak Silat Award. ‘But then I thought it would be better if we organized a collaborative exhibition so the message to preserve pencak silat could be better conveyed to the public,’she said.

One of his works, entitled Terperangkap (Trapped), showcases a red figurine of a pencak silat artist trapped inside a box, symbolizing systems or trends in society. His other works in the exhibition are inspired by Betawi culture, including a palang pintu tradition sculpture made of paper. ‘Many people today know karate, or muay thai better than pencak silat. My work represents how pencak silat is not as well known as those forms of martial arts,’Taufan said.

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/08/12/pencak-silat-sculptural-form.html