Indonesia dan Rusia telah terkoneksi sejak lama, bahkan sejak sebelum Indonesia merdeka, dan masih terjalin hingga saat ini. Benang merah yang menghubungkan kedua negara ini bukan hanya soal politik, namun juga dipertebal dengan aktivitas dan program-program seni dan budaya.

Maka ketika Galeri Nasional Indonesia pertama kali mengetahui bahwa ada sejumlah lukisan para perupa Indonesia yang dikoleksi The State Museum of Oriental Art atau Museum Seni Ketimuran dipamerkan di Moskow, hal tersebut tidaklah mengherankan. Namun setelah mengetahui bahwa karya-karya tersebut dibuat oleh para seniman tersohor Indonesia pada era 1950 hingga 1960-an yang merupakan periode awal kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia, dengan kata lain menandai tahap awal perkembangan seni rupa Indonesia, maka karya-karya tersebut merupakan karya langka yang menjadi sangat bernilai bagi Indonesia. Terlebih, karya-karya tersebut telah berhasil direstorasi sehingga selamat dari kerusakan dan kepunahan, tentu kami merasa lebih takjub lagi. Karena itu, Galeri Nasional Indonesia mengucapkan terima kasih atas upaya restorasi yang telah dilakukan Museum Seni Ketimuran di Moskow, sehingga kini kita bisa menikmati dengan nyaman dan bangga, lukisan-lukisan bercorak estetika kerakyatan tersebut yang berharga bagi bangsa Indonesia.

“Diselamatkannya” lukisan-lukisan era ’50 dan ’60-an karya para perupa Indonesia juga membawa dampak yang signifikan, terutama bagi semakin lengkapnya lini sejarah perkembangan seni rupa Indonesia. Hal tersebut juga akan memperkaya informasi dan memperluas aktivitas seni rupa. Salah satunya adalah pameran yang telah diselenggarakan Museum Seni Ketimuran di Moskow pada tahun 2016, yang menampilkan karya-karya tersebut. Dan kini pada tahun 2021, Galeri Nasional Indonesia menyuguhkan karya-karya tersebut secara lebih lengkap, karena disandingkan dengan karya-karya koleksi Galeri Nasional yang dikerjakan dalam periode yang sama, dalam sebuah Pameran Daring Seni Rupa bertajuk “Zaman Peralihan”.

Dalam Pameran “Zaman Peralihan” (the Period of Transition) ini, disajikan 62 lukisan, tepatnya 24 lukisan koleksi Galeri Nasional Indonesia dan 38 lukisan koleksi Museum Seni Ketimuran, Moskow. Seluruh lukisan tersebut dikerjakan dalam periode ’50 hingga ’60-an, oleh para perupa kenamaan Indonesia.

Dengan menyajikan karya-karya tersebut melalui sebuah pameran daring, diharapkan informasi atau pengetahuan mengenai karya seni rupa yang dibuat oleh anak bangsa pada era awal kemerdekaaan Indonesia dapat dipublikasikan dan diketahui masyarakat secara luas. Selanjutnya, diharapkan muncul kajian dan wacana yang lebih mendalam yang bertujuan untuk semakin melengkapi perjalanan seni rupa modern di Indonesia. Pameran ini juga diharapkan dapat berperan sebagai media edukasi yang multidispliner, baik dalam bidang seni rupa, sejarah, budaya, sosial, maupun bidang-bidang lainnya. Selain itu, pameran ini diharapkan menjadi media diplomasi budaya yang semakin mempererat jaringan koneksi dan hubungan diplomatik kedua negara yaitu Indonesia dan Rusia, melalui aktivitas seni rupa.

Kami ucapkan terima kasih kepada Direktorat Jenderal Kebudayaan-Kementerian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia; para pihak yang bekerja sama dengan Galeri Nasional Indonesia untuk pameran ini yaitu Museum Seni Ketimuran di Moskow, Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia di Moskow, dan Kedutaan Besar Federasi Rusia di Jakarta; para kurator pameran; serta seluruh pihak yang turut mewujudkan terselenggaranya pameran ini. Semoga hubungan baik Indonesia-Rusia dapat terus terpelihara dan berkelanjutan di masa mendatang.

Selamat mengapresiasi.

Jakarta, November 2021

Indonesia and Russia have been connected for a long time, even before Indonesia's independence, and are still intertwined today. The common thread that connects the two countries spans beyond politics, strengthened by arts and cultural activities and programs.

It is not surprising, that when the National Gallery of Indonesia learned that there were several paintings by Indonesian artists being exhibited in Moscow as part of the State Museum of Oriental Art collection that these were deemed rare works that are valuable for Indonesia. Because these artworks were created by notable Indonesian artists during the initial period of the independence of the Republic of Indonesia (the 1950s and 60s) marking the early stages of the development of Indonesian art.

Moreover, these works have been successfully restored so that they are safe from loss and damage, which amazed us even more. Therefore, the National Gallery of Indonesia expresses its gratitude for the restoration efforts that have been carried out by The State Museum of Oriental Art, so that now we can enjoy pleasantly and proudly, these paintings with a populist aesthetic pattern which are valuable to the Indonesian people.

These “conserved” paintings of Indonesian artists’ from the 1950s and the 1960s also had a significant impact, especially on completing the history of Indonesian art development. It will also enrich knowledge in this area and expand art activities. One of these activities was an exhibition that the State Museum of Oriental Art Moscow organized in 2016, which showcased these works. And now in 2021, the National Gallery of Indonesia presents these works in a more complete way, because they will be juxtaposed with the works of the National Gallery of Indonesia’s collections from the same period in an online art exhibition entitled “Zaman Peralihan”.

In the “Zaman Peralihan” (the Period of Transition) exhibition, 62 paintings are presented: 24 paintings from the collection of the National Gallery of Indonesia and 38 paintings from the collection of the State Museum of Oriental Art Moscow. All of these paintings were created during the period of the 1950s to the 1960s, by notable Indonesian artists.

By presenting these works through an online exhibition, it is hoped that the information or knowledge about these works of art made by the nation's artists in the early era of Indonesian independence can be published and will be widely known to the public. Furthermore, it is hoped that more in-depth studies and discourses that aim to further complement the journey of modern art in Indonesia will emerge. This exhibition is also expected to act as a multidisciplinary educational medium, in the fields of art, history, culture, social, and other fields. In addition, this exhibition is expected to be a cultural diplomacy that further strengthens the network of connections and diplomatic relations between the two countries, namely Indonesia and Russia, through visual arts activities.

Finally, we would like to thank the Directorate General of Culture-Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia; and the parties that collaborated with the National Gallery of Indonesia for this exhibition, they are: the State Museum of Oriental Art Moscow, the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Moscow, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Jakarta and the curators of the exhibition; as well as all parties who contributed to the implementation of this exhibition. Hopefully, the friendly relations between Indonesia and Russia can be maintained and sustained in the future.

Enjoy the exhibition.

Jakarta, November 2021