Samsul Arifin

The work is in good condition overall, as is the canvas, which is clear and taut. There are indications of minor wear and handling around the edges. Under ultraviolet light inspection there is no evidence of restoration. The colors are more vibrant in reality than illustrated in the catalogue. Unframed, on stretcher.
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Samsul Arifin is widely recognized for his works that address the secondary education system in Indonesia. Amidst the country’s economic development, with the population’s notable increase in material wealth, the artist’s oeuvre acts as a catalyst for issues that he believes are undermining the country’s success in the global arena. The present painting continues with this discourse, emphasizing the reciprocity needed to secure a stable environment for younger generations.

The painting Bercurcuran Kata-Kata (Overflowing Letters) is synonymous with his favoured motif, images of No. 2 pencils that frequently populate the works.  While a common object in schools, within the artist’s imagination, it transforms into a symbol of intellectual diplomacy, a universal tool that enables children to write their own futures. The utensil that inhabits the painting is a solidary soldier in the artist’s advocacy for higher learning. As per the title of the piece, a jumble of letters are pouring out from the pencil, gathered together in a feeble display of language. 

Printed onto the exterior of the pencil are the acronyms IQ, EQ and SQ, referencing the terms that adults apply to children to quantify their mental development. The first two are popular idioms within academia. Intelligent quotient (IQ) and emotional quotient (EQ) have become fixtures in the learning environment, with children susceptible to these forms of judgement.

The last term is interesting, for safety quotient (SQ) is more commonly used in scientific fields, such as medicine or engineering. By including this acronym into the artwork, the artist may be implying that Indonesia’s teaching structure does not provide security for their students, as it is unable to give them a solid foundation for intellectual and physical growth.

Curiously absent from the painting is Goni, the rag doll who is Samsul’s alter ego, and embodies the role of the everyman within the artistic narratives. The doll’s absence further intensifies the loneliness that exists within the painting. Therein lies the irony of the work. The artist has adopted the expression “overflowing with words”, and by placing it into a new context, ultimately alters the public’s association with the phrase’s underlining message. 

Bercurcuran Kata-Kata (Overflowing Letters) becomes a cautionary tale of schools, and the universal access to knowledge. The latter is every individual’s right to seek out a secondary education as means to establish a future. However as Samsul communicates in the artwork, it is the government’s responsibility to provide its citizens with equal opportunities to ensure that this future will come true.