Simon Admiraal and the Romantic History of Mazhab Bandung

After attending two consecutive scientific conferences in Bali and Yogya, my life apparently has to be switched back into its balance position. Fortunately, after coming back to Bandung, this month, Faculty of Fine Art and Design, Institut Teknologi Bandung (FSRD ITB) is celebrating its 70th anniversary. It's special of course and some interesting events are waiting for art lovers. 

Last Friday, I had a chance to attend a talk show about Simon Admiraal, an important figure who initiated the art school (Universiteit Leergang voor Tekenleraren) in Bandung back in 1947, which is now FSRD ITB. Simon was born in Jakarta in 1903 and had an art education in Den Haag. Just 2 years after the opening of the school, he went to his father's homeland, The Netherlands, without ever coming back to his mother's homeland, Indonesia. That's why, people know very little about him as FSRD's founding father. Twenty five years after his death, the story has been eventually revealed and trace its roots. 

This event was held in Galeri Soemardja ITB, as a part of the exhibition about Simon Admiraal, opened two days earlier. That afternoon, Mrs. Marjon Berkenvelder (Simon's granddaughter), her husband and daughter told us about Simon's life, the humanistic side of the maestro. How they describe Simon as a serious and dedicated person. He never spent his days without working on any kind of arts. He always shared his view about art and its all possible forms to his family. Mrs. Marjon is also an artist and Simon was very proud of her. Simon worked in almost every kind of arts. He was a painter, a sculptor, a graphic designer, an interior designer, and also an architect. No wonder, FSRD ITB has grown gracefully with those genres until now. 

Simon had very complicated experience of life. In the end period of Dutch authorization in Indonesia, he had to spend his life in concentration camps in Pekanbaru and Cimahi. He even lost one of his children. But, even in those very tough time, he never lost his spirit. With a hope that one day he would be released from the jail, he designed his dream house in a very detail scale and order. That house was supposed to be built in Bogor. Though, it had never been materialized, I found it very romantic and emotional. 

With one of its visions in history, Galeri Soemardja team really did a really great job. They have researched this material from the scratch and coming with this wonderful history about their school and its roots. Back in 2016, they searched every possibilities to find any valuable information and eventually found a bright spot. They (my friend, Michael Binuko is one of them) even went to The Netherlands to meet Simon's family. This is just a beginning of their upcoming long project. I am really looking forward for other amazing works and stories. Like what your founding father did, a wonderful work never be done without dedication and perseverance.

*I wrote this note on August 2017 as a memento of the 70th anniversary of Faculty of Fine Art and Design, Institut Teknologi Bandung. I am not part of it, but this event has left a fond and special memory for me as an art enthusiast.

Matematika - Nostalgia, Cita-Cita, dan Keindahan Bahasa

Sejak aku bisa mengingat, aku sangat tertarik dengan segala sesuatu yang berhubungan dengan angka dan ide tentang mengurutkan benda-benda. Waktu kecil, aku sering membangun miniatur rumah-rumahan dari susunan ranting-ranting perdu yang kupotong dalam ukuran seragam. Lain waktu, kucingku kulatih untuk melompat sampai ketinggian tertentu, atau kuajak dia berlari dalam jumlah putaran yang kuatur sedemikian rupa.

Sejak masuk Sekolah Dasar, mata pelajaran yang paling kusukai tentu saja matematika. Pengalamanku bersama guru matematikaku di Sekolah Dasar mungkin adalah satu dari sekian banyak hal yang mempengaruhi pilihan-pilihan hidupku hingga dewasa. Guruku itu, Ibu Fatimah namanya. Dari kacamata anak-anak, matematika seringkali menjadi momok yang menakutkan. Tapi, Bu Fatimah memperkenalkan matematika kepada kami dengan caranya sendiri, hingga menjelma menjadi sesuatu yang indah, menarik, dan tidak membosankan. Cara pandang ini membuka cakrawala yang lebih luas di kepalaku untuk menerima berbagai kemungkinan tak terbatas dari hanya sekadar angka-angka.

Masuk ke Sekolah Menengah Pertama, aku bertemu dengan guru matematika yang boleh dibilang langka. Kami memanggilnya Pak Nawi. Mengapa kubilang langka? Karena Pak Nawi mampu mengubah matematika menjadi dongeng-dongeng yang membawa pikiran kita ke alam imajinasi yang luas. Kadang bisa ditertawakan, kadang menggelitik rasa penasaran, kadang pula membuat kita mempertanyakan hal-hal yang jarang terpikirkan.

Dua orang guruku ini adalah orang-orang yang seringkali tanpa kusadari telah mempengaruhi banyak hal dalam hidupku. Mereka menembus batas-batas pikiran kecilku yang dulu hanya membayangkan dunia tak lebih dari cakrawala Pantai Tanjong Pendam, tempat aku dan teman-temanku biasa menyaksikan matahari tenggelam. Mereka menantangku, menuding raguku, mencambuk rasa percaya diriku, bahwa aku bisa menjadi apa saja yang aku mau. Mereka mengajarkan matematika sebagai sebuah falsafah, sebuah puisi, sebuah nyanyian merdu yang berkelindan dalam alam bawah sadarku:

"Matematika adalah bahasa. Dia tidak bergantung kepada fenomena-fenomena yang direpresentasikannya. Namun sebaliknya, fenomena-fenomena tersebut yang bergantung kepadanya. Kebergantungan inilah yang menentukan seberapa dalam kita (ingin/dapat) memahami realitas yang tertangkap oleh panca indra atas fenomena-fenomena yang terjadi di alam raya. Sebagaimana bahasa, matematika pun mengandung takaran keindahan yang mampu ditangkap oleh mereka yang (ingin) memahaminya."

Bandung, 24 Maret 2021