in the public eye

Indonesia grieves for the passing of another artistic maestro

Indonesian painter Jeihan

Sukmantoro passed away on November 29, 2019, at 81 years old at his studio in Bandung. Famous for his unique interpretation of the human figure, he has been described as a humanist painter who created many works that revealed the softer side of changes in human civilisation. Throughout his artistic journey, he spent most of his time with his family in Cicadas, a densely populated area in the east of Bandung.

In around 1963, he painted the now-famous Aku painting, which was the first to showcase his signature back eyes. “His paintings are unique—each human figure he painted had dark eyes, mystery, and a thrilling soul,” said Tisna Sanjaya, a lecturer and artist at the Bandung Institute of Technology. Having studied in Bandung, Jeihan’s work is particularly praised and celebrated there. He is survived by his wife Sri Sunarsih, six children and 11 grandchildren.