Jakarta, IO – The celebrated painter passed away in Yogyakarta, Saturday (12/8). The sad news was shared by artist Butet Kartaredjasa through his Instagram account. “Goodbye, Pak Djoko Pekik. Sumangga Gusti,” he wrote.
Djoko, born in 1937, breathed his last at 8:19am WIB at Panti Rapih Hospital, Yogyakarta.
Djoko was arrested and imprisoned without trial by the authorities in 1965 because he was believed to be associated with the People’s Cultural Institute (Lekra), an arts institution affiliated with the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
Together with Lekra, he has grown to become a painter who focuses on social issues as his theme of work. After being released in the 1970s, he took a break from painting.
But his artistic soul never faded. In 1989, he participated in an international exhibition in the United States. His work was admired by the global community. Djoko finally returned to hold exhibitions in Indonesia in the 1990s.
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Djoko is known for his criticism of social and political conditions through his works. One of his most popular works is a painting titled “Berburu Celeng” which was created in 1998. Considered as a the critical depiction of the state of Indonesia’s leadership during the New Order regime, it was even valued at Rp1 billion.
In 2013, Djoko Pekik held a solo exhibition themed “Jaman Edan Kesurupan.” The exhibition displays 28 paintings and three sculptures he created during the 1964-2013 period. (Compiled from various sources/un)