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IN THE CROWD
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Aminudin TH Siregar

These latest of Hansen's serial paintings offer issues around urban people represented segmentally by children,
adolescents and grownups. In a detailed observation both the aesthetic tendency and theme represented would seem to be extension from the previous serials ever exhibited, namely Children Abuse and Global Warming.

However, differing a bit from the previous serials just mentioned, in terms of ideas this latest serial sprang more from Hansen's interest in social psychology in this case psychological study of the notion of crowd. In the academic perspective the notion of "crowd" differs from that of "mass". "Crowd" implies divided emotional experience whereas "mass" refers rather to the form of interpersonal isolation, or isolation among individuals. It is therefore quite clear that the newest serial offered under the title In the Crowd in this fifth solo exhibition of Hansen's tends to highlight the first mentioned phenomenon.

Regarding the contents there are certainly a lot of interesting points we can get form this latest serial of Hansen's. Say for instance the way Hansen seems to invite us into sharing his reflections on the consumptive behavior of the "mall-minded" urban populace, the celebration of popular culture through other ponderable subjects dealing with threatening dangers, anxiety, conflicts, intrigues, terrors, and intimidation. By so doing Hansen stimulates discussion on current problems surging contemporary society, namely displacement and alienation, which feature alienated individuals amid crowds and through social unconsciousness. The extensive significance these works by Hansen offers is inseparable from our contemporary social 'realities'in both domestic and global scopes.

At this point it is quite clear that the rendering in bright colors of the crammed figures in Hansen's paintings is meant to refer to some psychological problem and, to a certain extent, an issue of anthropology and global politics too (as already apparent in his previous series like Global Warming). The presence of a psychological perspective here is confirmed by Hansen's statement, "Everything extreme springs from crowds".

I mentioned earlier that 'mass' is not necessarily identical to 'community'. Mass is but an assemblage of people. Hansen's remark just is basically connected with what an Indonesian anthropologist Koentjaraningrat observes concerning 'mass' that according to him has often been the object of study in psychology, social psychology in particular. He says that a mass contains certain psychological qualities that can be used by persons outside it for both negative and positive objectives. A mass can be emotionally provoked, say by means of fiery
speeches, to perform demonstration and through destructive actions. In an anthropological perspective this phenomenon of mass is important because human behavior in a mass is spontaneous yet it remains connected with certain patterns known to a given culture. Therefore, according to Koentjaraningrat, by studying human's spontaneous behavior in a mass an anthropologist may get into matters concerning a culture he/she is researching. The exhibition theme In the Crowd can at least be taken as Hansen's reaction, or opinion if you like, in the face of the realities he's been living with from day to day.

Aside from such thematic offer, those who are already familiar with Hansen's abstract (non¬representational) work are likely to wonder why the artist now tends to give us representational paintings and at the same time makes his art 'social commentaries'. It is as if there was 'aesthetic dualism 'in Hansen's creative process.

I think Hansen's aesthetic dualism is a latent potency everyone and every artist has. In philosophical study dualism is characterized/marked by, for instance, interactions between immaterial and material 'forms' or, else, between spirit and body (in the Cartesian philosophical tradition, for example, there is the adage of cogito ergo sum "I think therefore I am" - 'I think" refers to immateriality while "I am" to materiality). To put it simply, what I have to say on this point is that for things on an artist's mind (Hansen's in this case) that are not easy to find synonyms in terms of visual physicality, the un associable 'representations' of (the artist's) thoughts will bring about obscurities, 'immateriality': abstraction abstract art (non-representational art). Conversely, things easily associable from certain forms, specific symbol the realization of thoughts about material things, will tend to generate representational art works. This is actually a simplification of something quite complex. Anyway,

with respect to the potency of aesthetic dualism in artists we could at least note that artists do not necessarily always move along one single linear direction.

In fact since long art has not been believed as representing a linear process towards certain essentials with artists being imagined as proceeding to some peak of aesthetic achievement (or creation) that later becomes his/her characteristic mark. Anyway there will always be aesthetic developments and growths along his/her artistic career. Such developments and growths will often generate 'new aesthetics' previously unthinkable. Meanwhile, such process is closely connected with mental (psychological) and contemplative (spiritual) aspects and is affected by intrinsic (personal) and extrinsic (social) factors.

In such perspective artists are actually free beings with the right of self-determination concerning anything. In the paradigm of modern art this is recognized as the point of departure for building art's autonomy and an artist's integral identity. But still the paradigm gives rise to a sort of myth that makes an artist seem to have to stick to a certain aesthetic style and theme, in consistence with the creative process that he/she already developed before. The myth usually operates in the name of the consistency and commitment of the artist in question regarding himself/herself and the illusion of 'moral responsibility' in the face of the society he/she belongs.

To get deeper into such dualism in Hansen's case, it won't be far-fetched if we begin with some glimpses of the history of our art.

The dualism that grows out of the desire to have autonomy (internal integration: individual) coupled with some social commitment (social integration) was in the long past a point of interest to the critic Trisno Sumardjo. He already wrote his opinions concerning the issue as early as the 1950s. He wrote, for instance:

"I will not say that artists are extraordinary humans with feelings, thoughts and lives that are extraordinary, but, rather, it will seem more justified to say that they are ordinary humans but with one special quality, just the way every human has his/her own. I am beginning to say that artists are ordinary people like you."

Trisno Sumardjo's definition seems simple. Yet he soon takes the readers into a complex discussion.

"Artists' individuality is coupled with their strong will to pursue the realization of their concepts, imaginations and dreams not only in their artworks but also their living"

Artists are not merely 'individualists' seeking the fulfillment of all their wishes. At the same time they are also not ones who merely pursue essential values for the sake of quenching the thirst of their hearts and souls. Here what Trisno Sumardjo actually wants to impart is that being incarnated by the desire to find essential values, artists often look as if they stand ahead of other society members and behave coldly toward social conditions and ways common in a given era. Trisno goes on:

"In that state they no longer like what they daily see so they flee to the world .of their own aspirations, far beyond other people's feelings and attitudes to life in their era. Artists seem to be detached from their society, dissatisfied by what society offers, and they fled into the spheres of their own creations where they enjoy the tastes oj their beloved aspirations and inspirations. "

Trisno Sumardjo seems to be trying to understand that every 'modern artist' in Indonesia feels that way so they eventually sense that only few special people, or those who really have the relevant capacity, can understand them.

Up to this point Trisno Sumardjo effectively describes the process of elitism formation in our modern art. Such elitism or ivory tower is regarded as ignoring the people's needs and conditions.

Trisno Sumardjo did not, of course, recommend I'art pour I'art as the only attitudinal option for our modern artists although he was aware that such mindset was about drenching the era. "That's not what I mean", he said; "It would mean glorifying the spirit of I'art pour I'art while it feels to be a luxury unsuitable for the present stage of historical development in our country. Art as a natural product of its homeland soil should also regard life with all its manifestations and facets among all the people from all strata. "

Trisno Sumardjo then detected the shroud of dualism in the attitudes of our modern artists. The setting of Indonesian revolution, back then, confused artists when they were to define their positions or develop the appropriate formulation of their existence. Such a situation, as Trisno 5umardjo's writing implies, placed artists in the tug of war between ideologies, namely 'art for arts sake' and 'art for the people' or between the emphasis on 'individuality' and that on 'collectivity'. If the premise of 'art for art's sake' was to be pursued, said Trisno 5umardjo, considering that the people were still suffering, it would be improperly opulent. Yet, at the same time, artists are people described as lf you want to force them to use the yellow color while they wanted to use red, your wish will simply be turned down!" On another occasion 5. 5udjojono once declared the dualism of his position: While I hate today's society, I love the people ... "

In Hansen's case dualism concerns his experience; there are two biographical experiences that he has, which he later often refer as a phenomenon of Where East Meets West. The phrase highlights the hybrid figure of Hansen hybridity being a necessity in contemporary art practice.

For me a historical proof of dualism in an artist emphasizes what our art history has lined; moreover, it improves our insight into the character of indonesian artists and therefore it will always provide our 'typical issue"'(I don't want to call this the construction of Third World artists' identity). Besides, such reality plays a role in reducing the myth around 'artist' consistence and 'commitment' mistakenly taken by some as referring to the requirement that someone ought to always stick to a definite terms of reference, one single aesthetic track. This is to say that we should not suppose on artist to maintain consistence in a realist style to another. This doesn't only provide potency; it can possibly mean a chance for artist to freely make use of.

So we see that in wrestling with his artistic processes Hansen has two aesthetic abilities that can walk side by side without effecting any significant tension between them. Fluently and easily Hansen has managed to successfully make out of the two potencies strong artistic points for his works. These latest serial works of his demonstrate how the two can effectively operate together. One, there are the strong photographical realistic images given by Hansen's technical skills in painting. Secondly, there are images that retain the traits of abstract art. Both flat and dimensional images are presented to complement and fill each other while bringing about the notion of proportion that makes it hard to tell which are forms (or figures) to be taken as background and which ones are main subject. In the other words, although those figures are rendered by different techniques, their presence has equal significance.

By using the distinctions of contrasting colors, in some of his works Hansen shows how he experiments with space: the real and the imaginary form a unity (for example those paintings entitled Kasih, Bermain, Antara panas dan dingin). Such attempt seems to reflect the spatial layer that Hansen's masses(kerumunan) contain.

In the painting that features child figures ( In the Crowd # 8), Hansen renders the kids standing still, standing toward the direction of some empty space. From our point of view the perspective of their poses suggests alienation or an alienated mass(kerumunan) of children. Similar rendering is obvious in In the Crowd # 4.

When I said that in the Crowd series has connection with the preceding Global Warming series, I meant to refer to the atmosphere of 'heat' and 'glare' that Hansen purposely introduces in both series. In the Crowd as a whole emphasizes such atmosphere(that affects our retinas as we are looking straightly at the paintings). The low lighting photographic effects on central figures(given in the realist technique in comparison to other figures) suggestively refer to the very topic of global warming. Half closed eyes on the figures' face appear now and again. The work In the Crowd # 6 and In the Crowd # 9 feature juveniles staring against dazzlling light. In both Hansen obviously makes use of the rough textures of the canvas in rendering the central figures. The impression of thickness in these particular parts makes it easier for Hansen to work on formal details like wrinkles and folds on clothes, skin, and through color intensity. The rest of the figures are rendered flat without accenting formal details to any significant extent.

Not all central figures are given in the standing still pose amid emptiness. The central figure in In the Crowd # 2 is presented as being in motion, cheerful in a way. From a certain viewpoint the work Bermain seems to have a similar tendency while in Dialog Hansen features a child seemingly blushing. The various poses of the figures featured in this series bring about the dynamic of masses ( kerumunan) and at the same time guide the viewer's perceptions to sumbolic issues.

I don't think Hansen aesthetic and thematic offers as seen in these newest series of his will be final. As he has so far already shown us, a specific achievement may suddenly proceed to the next aesthetic development and thematic extension. Such change might take place very swiftly, drastically and even in the extreme, or it might occur though some gradual, unhurried process of transformation. Anyway the central feature that will always tie together such processes is Hansen's ability to rely on the two technical strong points he's already acquired.

Aminudin TH Siregar

Lecturer of Art - the ITB Bandung Institute of Technology