Schizophrenic Patient’s Painting Passes the Exhibition at the National Gallery of Jakarta

DENPASAR, NusaBali

Inspired by the biggest sport event in Asia for people with disabilities, a number of artists, curators and activists were moved to create an art festival entitled 'Festival Bebas Batas (Border Free Festival)' which featured brilliant works of people with disabilities both physically and mentally. Reporting from festivalbebasbatas.org website, one of the founders of the festival was artist Hana Madness, who had visited a similar festival called ‘the Unlimited Festival’ in London in 2016. So, she was inspired to hold a festival with the same spirit in Indonesia.

There are also some parties who worked together in this festival, among others; National Gallery of Indonesia, Ministry of Education and Culture, Art Brut Collective, and British Council Indonesia. This festival will also be the first in Indonesia in 2018 with a series of 2018 Asian Para Games held in October.

Previously on (01/08), an Open Invitation to the Festival Bebas Batas 2018 was announced with the theme 'Pokok di Ambang Batas' by the Ministry of Education and Culture, then on (29/08) based on the decision of the jury, 32 participants were chosen from various regions in Indonesia to showcase their artworks at the National Gallery of Indonesia, Jakarta, on 12-29 October.

Among of the 32 participants chosen, apparently one of them came from the Rumah Berdaya Denpasar, a social institution for ODS (People with Scizophrenia) who directly provided care and education for ODS mental health, so that they could be able to be useful in their respective environments.

It was Saka Rosanta, the man whose painting was chosen to be exhibited in the Festival Bebas Batas 2018. Met by NusaBali in Rumah Berdaya Denpasar (19/9), he cheerfully showed his painting called 'Cute Dog' and told him that his painting would be exhibited at the National Gallery Indonesia, Jakarta.

"Later, this painting will be exhibited at the National Gallery of Jakarta, representing Rumah Berdaya Denpasar," he said while showing his paintings and other ODS’ handicrafts in a small gallery which belonged toRumah Berdaya Denpasar.

He claimed that painting can be a mental recovery therapy for him. Besides painting, the man who had ever worked on a cruise ship also has a hobby to express his feeling through writing. He also briefly said that he had made four novels from the results of his critical thinking and his interest in the spiritual world. *ph