Dozens Of Klowor Waldiyono's Paintings Are On Display In Purbalingga

PURBALINGGA - A total of 71 paintings by Yogyakarta-based painter Klowor Waldiyono were exhibited in Purbalingga Regency, Central Java, on 19 February-19 March 2022, in a series of activities to commemorate International Mother Language Day 2022 organized by the Kie Art Project.

The solo exhibition entitled "Naluri" which was held at the Kie Art Cartoon School Gallery, Sidareja Village, Kaligondang District, Purbalingga, was opened on Saturday afternoon, beginning with a cartoon puppet show, played by Kie Art youths.

The cartoon puppet show tells about the life journey of Klowor Waldiyono who has loved painting since childhood, so his mother, who is a trader, advised his son to become a dignified painter.

Reported by Antara, Saturday, February 19, the opening of the exhibition was also filled with reading 12 poems which are narrations of Klowor Waldiyono's paintings that were created in 12 different locations.

The narration of the paintings uses various regional languages in Indonesia, such as Javanese Alus, Banyumasan, Balinese, Dawan, Batak, Makassarese, Minang and Dayak.

Regarding the 71 paintings displayed in the exhibition, Klowor Waldiyono admitted that many of these paintings depict nature.

"I really love nature, a lot of my objects are landscapes, like this big one, the initial environmental concern. Then, the themes of the paintings that I exhibit are with simple media, pastels and paper," he said, while showing one of the paintings. from several paintings with the theme "The Peak of Ngisis Hill in Kulon Progo".

According to him, the simple media is used to deal with time and mood and the needs of his soul, because the momentum for painting the object must be completed quickly, so it does not require paint, ink and so on.

He said that coincidentally, the locations that became the objects of the paintings had a lot of scenery, because the works were made at the same time as the busy period of the implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM).

"When a lot of people are at home, I actually go to the mountains for therapy, because it's clearly healthy, healthy nature, clean in my opinion. I was fun working there, that's all, after that I went home," said he who is known as the title "Cat Painter".

He acknowledged that President Joko Widodo had asked the public to be disciplined in implementing PPKM as an effort to prevent the transmission of COVID-19.

However, he said, his mental needs as a painter must also be met.

Therefore, he continues to work by visiting mountainous areas while enjoying the beauty of nature.

"I can finish one painting in a matter of minutes because this is the soul's need to express, train intuition, train instincts. So it can't take too long, if it takes a long time it may not be done," said the man born in 1968.

One of the founders of Kie Art, Gita Yohanna Thomdean, said that the Solo Exhibition "Naluri" by Klowor Waldiyono was deliberately held to coincide with the International Mother Language Day 2022, which is celebrated every February 21.

"So, in February, Valentine sometimes brings up Valentine and others. There is one day that actually reminds us of the richness of Indonesian culture, where Indonesia is the country with the second most languages in the world, but sadly, nearly 40 of its languages are extinct," he said.

Therefore, with the painter Klowor Waldiyono who both wants to educate the younger generation, he said, his party will display 34 languages to open the "Naluri" Solo Exhibition and the narrative of his paintings also uses regional languages.

According to him, it aims to educate people, especially the younger generation, not to be ashamed of using their local language.

"Even though the regional language is a national pride and wealth that sometimes people don't pay attention to it. It should be something that is protected," he said.