In memoriam

Hilda – pioneer of modern art dies

by Carla Bianpoen

On Friday, January 17, at 9.20 p.m. Jakarta time, Hildawati Soemantri passed away at Darmais hospital here, of cancer. Her brother was at her side along with other family members, as well as sculptor Lydia Poetri who has tended to her throughout her illness.

Although she had been suffering on and off  from the disease for over a decade, and had shown a rapid deterioration in the past year, the news still came as a shock to many of even her closest friends, particularly as she had come out of a coma, suffered a week ago and had been able to communicate in the past few days.

A founder of the Ceramics studio at IKJ, she was laid in state at Galeri Cipta (II), and welcomed by vice rector Wagiono Sunarto, dean of the Faculty of Arts Tris Neddy who both spoke of Hildawati's dedication, personal integrity and commitment to the development and education of art.

Aside from numerous artists of various disciplines, friends and admirers, among those paying their last respects were prominent cultural scholar and member of Akademi Jakarta Prof. Toeti Heraty, Pia Alisjahbana, ex-IKJ Rector Adhi Moersid, Prof. Dr. Fuad Hassan, literati Danarto, Dr. Melani Budianta, Yayasan Senirupa Indonesia chairperson Susrinah Sastrowardoyo.  A special message from Dr. Astri Wright from the University of Victoria expressed also the sentiments of friends in Indonesia, giving thanks for her 'courage in persevering and pioneering combining the roles of artist, teacher and scholar'. 

Hilda died exactly one month after the opening of her retrospective exhibition at Cemara-6 Gallery, held at the initiative and support of friends, ex-students and admirers. Although almost completely incapacitated physically, Hilda cheered up during the preparation of the exhibit, in which she was fully involved for the selection of material.

She rejoiced at the event and was able to communicate with many she had not seen for years, and with State Minister of Tourism and Culture  I Gde Ardika, who had made a special effort to meet the artist.

Having dedicated most of her life to the advancement of Indonesian modern art, she was a pioneer, a dedicated educator, and a fine scholar of ancient Javanese art. Although often torn between her artistic urges and her intellectual inclinations as a scholar, between her talents in modern art and her fascination with ancient Javanese art, she has gave herself fully in whatever she chose to undertake.

Hilda made a historical milestone in Indonesian art with her introduction to installation art in 1976. She then went on breaking through conventional understanding of ceramics in Indonesia, and elevating it to the level of a contemporary visual art language.

Her groundbreaking oeuvre testifies to refined skill and artistic creations steeped in deep human emotion, gradually leading to a profound sense of the spiritual and the transcendental.

Her latest works center around the Cosmic Mountain, a paradigm for her spiritual search on her path to the center of life, and death.

Hilda was the first female Indonesian art historian educated abroad, and the first scholar of ancient Javanese art who filled the gap left by previous scholars, by highlighting the role of figurines in the Majapahit Kingdom.

Her dissertation to obtain a PhD degree in Art History from Cornell University  (1993) was later published by the Indonesian Ceramic Society. International art historians have called her a very reliable resource for other scholars wishing to explore ancient Javanese art in the light of new perspectives, including the gender viewpoint.

Hilda was also the first, and so far the only,  Indonesian independent female curator.  Internationally renowned Indonesian curator and art critic Jim Supangkat who cooperated with her for the prestigious GNB exhibition in Jakarta, speaks highly of her solid views and excellent eye for detail. 

A person with strong principles, she was firm, but disliked open conflicts. 'We never really clashed, although we were often not of the same opinion', reveals Ari Sugiarto, a close friend from the time they both conducted research in Leiden. 'But somehow she always got what she wanted', said Ari.

 Her brother Djoko Sanyoto, affectionately called Mas Jon, once remarked she had always been very independent. Perhaps because she lost her mother at an early age, he explained.

Hilda never spoke too much and refrained from fashionable trends; she was an artist who in her own quiet way continuously kindled the fire of the kiln in the hearts of her students.

Ceramic sculptor F.Widayanto who had admired her from back when he was just her little brother's friend, assured her that her spirit had been contagious and would keep his kiln going, even if modern ceramics has still a long way to go in this country. 

Lydia Poetri credits her own fascination with ceramics to Hilda, who was once her teacher, who then became a colleague and dear friend. Other former students who were inspired by Hilda's passion for ceramics  include Jane Chen and Suyatna.

 Hildawati Soemantri was born in Jakarta (1945), spent her early youth in the Netherlands where her father studied as an accountant, but pursued her secondary and tertiary education in Indonesia. Her fascination with ancient Javanese art almost made her choose archaeology as her major, but she decided to become a ceramist and entered the Department of Fine Art at ITB where she graduated in 1969. She married a young architect and followed him to Jakarta, although the marriage ultimately ended in a divorce.

In Jakarta she dedicated most of her time to the field of education at IKJ, where she founded the Ceramic Studio.   She acquired a Master's degree of Fine Arts at Pratt Institute on Long Island, and a PhD from the Art Historian Department of Cornell University. She was a sessasional lecturer at Dept. of Art History, University of Victoria (Canada) where she was also an artist-in residence.

Although Hilda made major contributions to the written chronicles of Indonesian modern art in her role as art historian, she was too modest to even admit to the part she has played in art development.

It seems Indonesian art history may be due a rewrite, according Hildawati Soemantri the place she deserves.