Contemplating on Words and Sketches in Kata, Gambar

by Pingkan Palilingan
20th February 2017
Held for three weeks in Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace, Kata, Gambar reveals over a hundred never-seen-before sketches from renowned Indonesian writer and poet, Goenawan Mohamad. If you haven't got the chance to visit, here's a glimpse of the exhibition.

Kata, Gambar (Words, Sketches), a new exhibition presented by Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace, offers a rare chance for the public to take a glimpse on a never-seen-before works of Goenawan Mohamad. Mohamad, an acclaimed Indonesian writer, is better known for his compelling poetry and his long tenure as a journalist; however, Kata, Gambar is packed with surprises that fans of the poet wouldn’t have expected.

Held in Dia.Lo.Gue for three weeks, the aptly-titled Kata, Gambar showcases nearly a hundred of the poet’s art sketches, which was produced over the course of four months before the exhibition. Mostly renowned as a man of words, Mohamad has just recently taken into drawing in his 70s. Using only basic drawing tools such as pencil, charcoal and watercolour, the exhibited sketches often arrive with the company of a short poem, personal commentary, or quotes by prominent figures.

The sketches adhere to three topics; Gambar, Atau Sajak Yang Diam (Pictures, Or Silent Poems), which comprises sketches that speak the ability of pictures to visualise poetry; Wajah (Faces), which consists of face sketches of individuals; and Yang Grotesk (The Grotesque), which reflects his fascination towards beasts of Indonesian folklores.

Kata, Gambar runs until March 5th, 2017 at Dia.Lo.Gue Artspace. For more information about the exhibition, visit http://www.dialogue-artspace.com.