JAKARTA - Romance commemorates the fighters in the world of aviation. That was what Soekarno wanted to show through the construction of the Dirgantara Statue. Through this monument that stands in the Pancoran area, Soekarno remembers the romance of the revolution.
Writing by Susan Blackburn in the book Jakarta History 400 Years (2011) explains that the idea of making the Dirgantara Statue is to commemorate Indonesian aerospace fighters in 1964. The Pancoran area in South Jakarta was chosen because it is close to the Indonesian Air Force Headquarters.
Bung Karno entrusted the construction of the Dirgantara Statue to the famous Yogyakarta artist, Edhi Sunarso. Soekarno was attracted by the touch of Edhi's hand when he built the Welcome Statue, as we have discussed in the article Welcome, Welcome Statue: When the Capital is Showing Off Its Hospitality. In Edhi's hands, Soekarno was sure that the Dirgantara Statue would become an icon of the Indonesian aviation world.
At first Edhi was confused by Soekarno's idea. Soekarno is now more idealistic. Edhi even admitted that he was overwhelmed to find the right shape of the statue.
"At that time I was working on the Aerospace Monument. I've collected a lot of designs. But nothing satisfied Bung Karno, ”said Edhi, as stated in the book Tuan Tanah Kawin Muda: The Relationship of the Arts-Lekra 1950-1965 (2005).
In his hesitation, Soekarno reminded Edhi of the powerful and flying figure of the puppet, Gatot Kaca. Edhi was also given a perspective by Soekarno regarding the condition of Indonesia at that time. According to Soekarno, although Indonesia could not yet make airplanes and fighter planes, the native people still dared to fly them.
The capital of courage that Soekarno wanted to highlight. While giving Edhi an overview, Soekarno also posed to inspire the sculptor. Not long after, Edhi translated it into a masterpiece of Aerospace Sculpture.
However, it was not the plane that would become a symbol of flight in Edhi's mind. He prepared to make a human figure who was about to fly. Surely people who see it will get the impression like seeing the brave Gatot Kaca getting ready to fly.
Winding roadThe construction of the Dirgantara Statue did not go smoothly. As explained by Asikin Hasan in his writing in Tempo Magazine entitled Sculptor for Welcome to Go (2016), Edhi revealed his contribution to the country as dedication. Therefore, he often did not get paid enough.
"In connection with the construction of the Dirgantara Statue, for example, he was involved in a lot of debt because the need for materials for the sculpture model was quite high and his house was sealed. Knowing this, Bung Karno sold a private car to cover it up so that the process of working on the statue would continue, "wrote Asikin Hasan.
New problems emerged. Major General Soeharto successfully paralyzed Soekarno's power. As a result, the Old Order changed to the New Order in 1965. This had made the project of the Dirgantara Statue construction project unclear.
Again, Soekarno showed his unyielding spirit. Even though he was not at the helm of government, Soekarno was brave enough to be responsible and committed to completing the construction of the Dirgantara Statue. Because of that, Edhi got excited too.
Quoted from Agus Dermawan T. in the book From the Hallways of the Presidential Palace (2019), the construction of the statue continues. Little by little, until finally it cost me Rp. 12 million. Edhi also took part by donating Rp. 6 million from his own studio. Soekarno will also pay the rest.
Soekarno even promised to pay the fee out of Wisma Yaso, where he was being held as house arrest. "With my own money, later. The state has no money. The Presidential Palace has never had money!" said the First President of Indonesia.
Unfortunately, let alone paying off his debt to Edhi, Soekarno did not have the chance to inaugurate the Dirgantara Statue that he had initiated himself at Pancoran. Because, Bung Karno had already breathed his last.
"At the end of the story, let alone pay off this debt to me. To see the statue that Bung Karno had created himself was not allowed by the New Order officials, until then Bung Karno died in 1970. Most sadly, Bung Karno's body passed under the statue of the Dirgantara Monument that was I finished it. And I happened to be working there, "said Edhi.
The departure of the proclaimer of independence in 1970 made Edhi sad. Because he had made a promise with Bung Karno, Edhi then remained eager to complete Bung Karno's last mandate, and Edhi succeeded.
"Even though it was never inaugurated by the successor government of Soekarno, namely President Soeharto, the statue of Dirgantara stood tall and excited, expressing the face of Gatotkaca," wrote the book Soekarno Poenja Tjerita (2016).
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