Brilio.net/en - Got plansfor the weekend? If you're anywhere near Jakarta, youmight want to pop in to Galeri Nasional Indonesia near Gambir Train Station to see thePresidential Palace Artworks Exhibition. It's the first time the palace's collection has been made available to the public. Most of the works come from the personal collection of Soekarno, Indonesia'sfirst President.
President Joko Widodo officially opened the exhibition Monday.
Dubbed 17/71: Goresan Juang Kemerdekaan (17/71: Painting the Struggle for Independence), the exhibition is part of Indonesian Independence Day celebrations on August 17 - the 71st year since the declaration in 1945.
The independence-themed exhibition includesworks from Henk Ngantung, Basoeki Abdullah, Affandi, Harijadi Sumadidjaja, S. Sudjojono, Raden Saleh, Sudjono Abdullah, Trubus Sudarsono, Lee Man Fong, Mahjuddin, Surono, Gambiranom and Soekarno himself.
Exhibition room
2016 brilio.net/Retno Wulandari
Raden Salehs masterpiece Penangkapan Pangeran Diponegoro draws the most attention. The iconic Indonesian painter is represented by his most iconic work. The painting tells a story about Prince Diponegoros struggle against the Dutch colonial authorities and his eventualarrested.
The paintings on display are justa fractionof the more than2,700 works in residence at Indonesia'spresidential palaces: the State Palace and Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Cipanas Palace and the House of Tenjo Resmi in West Java, Bogor Palace, Tampak Siring Palace in Bali and the Yogyakarta Presidential Palace.
Raden Saleh's Penangkapan Pangeran Diponegoro
2016 brilio.net/Retno Wulandari
Visitors are enjoying the collection
2016 brilio.net/Retno Wulandari
Every Sunday, you can take partin a group of gallery tour from10 am 12 pm and 3 pm 5 pm with curators Mikke Susanto and Rizki A. Zaelani. Those tours are joined by the art critic Agus Dermawan, historian Peter Carey the head of Galeri Nasional Indonesia Andre Sukmana.
Prior to entering the gallery, you need to register (free) at anearby building to get a name tag and go through a securitycheck screening and check your bags. You can only carryyour wallet, handphone and a pocket camera. SLRs and DSLRs are also prohibited. You can take photos, but no flash.
The Presidential Palace Artwork exhibition opens daily from 9 am to 8 pm, throughout August. You can also register online here.
Patriotic paintings areput on display
2016 brilio.net/Retno Wulandari
(brl/red)
