Two lovebirds were talking. One is holding a cell phone, pointing at a picture of a plant on the screen. Another one shook her head, not knowing. “That’s red stem spinach. It’s an ornamental plant, miss,” I said, joining in.
She was Yuliana Susi Susanti. She was a participant in the Botanical Painting Demonstration with Eunike Nugroho, which was held by the Biennale Jogja XVI Equator #6 2021. The event was held at the Main Stage of the Jogja National Museum on Wednesday (3/11) at 02.30 p.m.
Before starting to paint, the event began with a casual talk with Eunike guided by Ladija Triana Dewi as moderator.
“Does botanical art have to be precise in its painting?” Ladija asked, which was answered by Eunike. No, said Eunike, Keke for short.
Keke then talked about the art of botany. To her, what distinguishes the art of botany from other branches is the research chapter. It doesn’t just support the creation of works, but botanical art also encourages one to know the object of its art.
She regaled me about the botanical art community she had visited in England. “The members are not only artists but also botanists,” said Keke. Botanists research, artists create.
In the past, the art of botany was used as scientific documentation. Now, she said, it has shifted to an artistic aspect only. When asked about the mission of contemporary botanical art, Keke answered, “To revive the existence of plants”.
Keke observed that humans often view plants as non-living things. Even though, she explained, plants are the source of life. Both as a provider of oxygen and a source of food.
Raising awareness of this matter requires an introduction process regarding plants. That relationship, Keke asserts, is what the art of botany strives to bridge. It was like when she painted a corpse flower at Kebun Raya Bogor. “It was then that I found out that Amorphophallus Titanium (latin for the giant corpse flower) is a compound flower. Inside the flower, there are more still.”
That’s what happened to Yuliana too. I helped her look up the red stem spinach plant from earlier. A little bit of clicking here and there, and we found the data we needed. Its Latin name is Iresine Herbstii, as written on plants.ces.ncsu.edu webpage. “Let me borrow (your phone) for a bit,” she said before taking notes of the plant.
That was how Yuliana and the other participants of the Botanical Painting Demonstration learned to know and to paint.
