Fadli Zon asks Basoeki Abdullah Museum to dare to display original works

JAKARTA - The Basoeki Abdullah Museum is asked not to be too busy storing collections, but to be more daring to show original works to the public. Museums, said Culture Minister Fadli Zon, must live from works, not just a list of inventories.

The message was conveyed by Fadli when he visited the Basoeki Abdullah Museum on Jalan Keuangan Raya, Cilandak, Jakarta, Wednesday, July 1. The museum is an asset of the DKI Jakarta Cultural Preservation Agency.

Fadli assessed that the quality of the museum must be strengthened through curation, narration, and more serious exhibition management. Basoeki Abdullah's original work needs to be the center of attention. Not a printed copy that makes visitors feel like seeing a reproduction in the waiting room.

"Museums must have a spirit of exhibiting, not being excited about inventory. Original works are exhibited, not prints. Storage is minimized, display is maximized, with rotation when space is limited," said Fadli.

According to Fadli, the Basoeki Abdullah Museum has very rich story material. Not only paintings, but also important events in the life of the maestro, the figures who have ever been painted, quotes, newspaper clippings, to television archives.

All these materials can be put together into a thematic exhibition so that visitors not only see the paintings, but also understand the context of the work and the life journey of Basoeki Abdullah.

"Basoeki Abdullah's narrative material is abundant. Events, figures, clippings, archives, everything can be part of a thematic curation so that visitors get a complete experience," he said.

Fadli also encouraged the development of museum collection-based merchandise. Products such as postcards and other visual derivatives are considered to strengthen the visitor's experience, as long as they are based on the original works on display.

Head of the DKI Jakarta Cultural Preservation Agency Desse Yussubrasta said his party would follow up on the direction. One of them is by implementing the "No Print on Display" policy in the main exhibition room.

The hall will also arrange the rotation of original works, rearranging the zoning of exhibition spaces, narrative spaces, archive areas, and storage spaces. A number of curators will be involved in compiling thematic exhibition narratives based on important events in the life of Basoeki Abdullah.

In addition, original works that have been in storage will be identified. Priority works will be moved to the exhibition room so that more people can see them.

The visit was also attended by the Director General of Cultural and Traditional Protection Restu Gunawan, Special Staff to the Minister for Protocol and Household Rachmanda Primayuda, and Director of History and Museums Agus Mulyana.

Fadli hopes that the revitalization of the Basoeki Abdullah Museum display can be carried out immediately. He also hopes that the museum will be more crowded and become an inspiration for young painters.

"We hope that in the future the revitalization of the Basoeki Abdullah Museum will be carried out. At the same time, we hope that more people will visit," said Fadli.