MURAL

Instead of city beautification programs full of slogans in a one-way communication like a lot happened in Indonesia's cities, the creation of murals in public spaces feel more effective in improving the public's active participation in efforts to design visual quality city.

Yogyakarta City Mural. The impression was strongly attached in the City Gudeg which has perpetuated the creation of murals on walls all over town by adhering to the social and aesthetic value of the local. This movement became a phenomenon. There was recognition of the city government and the involvement of all community among artists, school children, villagers up to the singers of the city. Their initiative to bring the mural than just "street art" to become a model of creativity that beautify the city.

As has been described by Ir. Ikaputra, M Eng, Ph D and Dyah Titisari Widyastuti, ST, Mudd in the paper Creation of Public Space City Mural on the Culture-Based and Community Participation: Case Study of Yogyakarta. Of the 30 point spread in the city Yogakarta murals, murals move the city first started the participatory community beautification in Yogyakarta in 1997 there were in the Palace and Malioboro. Continued until 2003 in suburban locations like Jalan Solo and Parangtritis. Sultan Palace and Malioboro area as the start of action, because of its proximity to the community gathering place of artists Pharmacies Comics Samuel Indratma leadership, as the originator of the movement.

Image of the Society of Aesthetics

As the "street art", the mural not be resisted even rage. Evident from the vast area of ​​Yogyakarta and the spread of the murals in commercial areas, about the means of education, housing, gangs and even villages on the columns and fly over the buffer areas. No wonder that mural art has been given its own aesthetic image of the face of this warm city. Because in addition to legal process through which the artists the mural through the wall or the owner's permission, plus the forms of compromise and guarantee the quality of the work of its artists.


Rapid and widespread this movement is also due to the emergence of awareness of the benefits of learning through social messages murals, such as anti-drug messages, anti-corruption, or social inequality. Residents seemed to enjoy their real role and the efforts of beautifying the environment, while expressing themselves through the messages they convey.

The city faces an alternative arrangement

The mural, like graffiti, using the outside walls or canvas as a medium of expression. This deliberate action done to expose the work to the widest possible public. To that end the general category of the selected location is a place that is considered important and publicly known, easily seen in passing, or easy to find (accessible) everywhere. But unlike graffiti containing writing or marks that are less clear because the message is usually a mere existential urban youth, the work tends to be a work of collage mural depicting people, places, and words that clearly reveal the issues that are widespread in society.


As the work, the mural became an alternative arrangement the city faces a somewhat opposite trend-setting city that promotes a beautiful modern city with a clean look. In the development of cities in the world, as well as graffiti murals, thick with the association of city slums, the representation of the disorder, reducing the sense of security, crime prone, and ultimately slows economic growth in urban areas concerned. But on the other hand, due to the orientation of economic growth as well, the movement of ideas through the installation of commercialism-city billboards and other advertising forms, seemed to dominate in every corner of the city. This in turn also led to irregularities in other forms. Even away from the sense of community ownership of the space city.


In Yogyakarta murals proved to be present in the creation of an effective process involving the citizens. Residents moved to format the face of the city together in an aesthetic and social themes. The walls of the city that was once empty, dull, full of graffiti, under-under the overpass full of garbage, has become more beautiful and interesting views. People have become real actors of the beautiful city.

history of Graffiti

The term graffiti comes from the Latin, namely graphium which means write. From the literature mentioned that the term was originally used by archaeologists to define the writings of the ancient buildings of the Egyptians and the ancient Roman buildings.

In the 1970s, in America and Europe to encroach on urban graffiti as a gang of identity that have appeared in urban areas. As a result, graffiti becomes charged provocation of a war between the gang or group. Thus the image of graffiti is not whether it is a scourge for the security of the city.

In American states already have regulations to ban graffiti. Thus, graffiti is illegal in America so that the bombernya will be subject to strict sanctions. Other countries, different story. In Indonesia, graffiti has existed since the time of independence. In the days of the graffiti is often used as pengobar spirit of struggle against the invaders. Such "MERDEKA ATOE MATI", "ALLAH AKBAR! MERDEKA" and others. While in this reform era, we also often see activists or protesters who were demonstrating sepanduk graffitian which takes the contents of his writings in accordance with the issues they demokan. In the future, whether graffiti will become what media.

Colorful graffiti besieging the city

Every day, each time taking roads in Jakarta, once your eyes have probably noticed the colorful tempted spray paint graffiti on the wall empty, bus stops, power poles, walls of zinc, up to a mini metro buses. sound can vary, ranging from simple name of a school ruler, the demands to the government, to the writing which is equipped with design drawings and intricate color composition.

Scratches were divided into two, namely manjadi GRAFFITI (streaks) and MURAL (painting). Her presence also has two meanings, embellish or even considered littering pemandangan.buktinya, mural paintings of the artists work in the arena of "Jak @ rt" five years ago precisely removed the Government of DKI Jakarta. By contrast, in Yogyakarta, the two works that actually become part and parcel of the city. "Yogyakarta to be recognized as a place of growth and development of graffiti and murals. There is much more developed than any other city," said Ing, one of frontman graffiti Distro Bandung is also the owner of WADEZIG.

Meanwhile, in Jakarta for Jakarta down the road, I noted at least there are some graffiti artists who diligently ngebom or create their works around the walls are dull Kota.Sebut DARBOTZ aka Mrs. Darma Adhitia, founder of "tembokbomber.com" who prefer to be called as street graffiti artist from the artist because he did not only work with spray paint, but also with regular paint and sticker.Terkenal with the characters 'squid' that adorn the streets of Greater Jakarta, its mission is to make known his character becomes a brand.

There TOTER Crew, reinforced Kicky and Wormo in mid-2002. TOTER or Total Terror, derived from Malaysian slang word, it means steady. Toter began to be creative on the streets since 2004. Both believe that graffiti is not the destruction of roads and streets is a huge gallery and learn ngebom bebas.Pada while still on the streets of Jakarta, they join the Bomber Wall. Now both are working as part-time graphic design.

There is also an alias Tutu Age senior art world including Jakarta. When the stencil does not exist, we can find the work of a character stensilnya bear Winnie the Pooh & the mysterious face on bemo and bajaj in Kemang, turf Tutu. Currently he works as an animator in SpatLab and AnimagiC. For him, street art is a way to show there is criticism sosial.

There Morden Crew, aka Echo. Graffiti art since the fever began to hit Jakarta in 1997, these artists are known to have very good coloring technique. With his work, he always tries to create something more than just an expression.

Similarly KIMS or Prianggadhi Anga who started graffiti since 1998. Five years later, and two friends formed Fat crew, but lately Kims own creativity and not on Fat tag crew again. There is also Ones, one of ARTCOHOLIC Crew. InterStudi student has been doing graffiti for more than five years. His works contain many messages to the public that graffiti is not crime or vandalism.

Then the engraver, Mase Crew members formed two years ago and have aspirations increase the graffiti in Indonesia and could be one of the legendary heroine graffiti.Salah one in this world is The Slyndicates aka Sanchia. Including newcomers to the graphic design community of Jakarta. This woman is known for its illustrations and character designs are weird, a medium in which she finds happiness in the pouring emotion wall.

Their names sound strange dikuping. Understandably, the art was originally developed in the walls of ancient tombs or walls is a marker of damaged power gang since the beginning of large-scale urbanization in various areas in the U.S.. in the world of graffiti, the sign is known as a tag, but near the end of the 20th century, the tag no longer associated with the gang and becomes effective as a signature. Tag, such as pseudonyms, sometimes chosen to reflect some qualities of the creator (writers). Tagging the Hobos artists and popularized with the help of the media and rap music, so the emulated around the world.

By : Algooth Putranto

Wartawan Bisnis Indonesia