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TUSAU PADAN

A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBITION

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Biography

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TUSAU PADAN (1930 - 1996) Page 2

BY THE 1970S, TUSAN AND HIS WIFE CORRIE WERE SETTLED IN KUCHING. HE DID SOME WORK FOR THE MUSEUM, SOME FOR PRIVATE COLLECTORS. HE HAD THE OCCASIONAL ART EXHIBITION, SOLO OR WITH FRIENDS. AS HE GOT MORE FAMOUS, HIS CIRCLE WIDENED: HIS WORKS WERE FEATURED OVERSEAS MORE THAN ONCE. BUT HE NEVER GOT USED TO BEING CALLED AN ARTIST.

"I SIMPLY DO WHAT THE OLD PEOPLE TAUGHT ME!" HE PROTESTED, AMUSED, WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THE DEEPER COSMIC SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS CURL OR THAT TWIDDDLE; HE WAS CONVINCED THAT IN LONG NAWAN ANYBODY COULD DO THE SAME.

THIS ISN'T TO SAY THAT HE CONSIDERED HIS PAINTING AS MEANINGLESS! EACH HAS ITS NAME AND ITS FUNCTION IN THE ORDER OF THINGS; ONE OF THE ARTIST'S RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO PAINT THE RIGHT DESIGN IN THE RIGHT PLACE. TRADITIONAL BORNEO SOCIETY DIDN'T VALUE CREATIVE INNOVATION IN THE CULTURAL FIELD: THE BEST ARTIST WAS THE ONE WHO USED AND APPLIED THE OLD SYMBOLS BEST.

AMONT TUSAU'S PAINTINGS, THE "KAYU ARU" (TREE OF LIFE) TAKES PRIDE OF PLACE. IT REPRESENTS MUNDANE AND CELESTIAL LIFE IN ITS VARIOUS GRADATIONS, AND IS WORKED WITH THE PAINSTAKING CARE TO DETAIL OF THE VERY BEST IN BORNEO ART. ANIMALS AND BIRDS ARE ARRANGED ON A PERFECTLY BALANCED BUT ASYMMETRICAL TREE WHICH CONSISTS OF A MAZE OF BRANCHES, SCROLLS AND INTERSECTING STARS. LOW CREATURES DISPORT THEMSELVES AMONG THE ROOTS AND LOWER BRANCHES OF THE TREE, ASCENDING IN LEVEL AND RANK TO CULMINATE IN THE HORNBILL; MAN IS USUALLY PLACED SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE. THE "KALONG KELUAN" PANELS REPRESENT HUMAN FIGURES, ONCE CONFINED TO THE FRONT WALLS OF THE CHIEF'S LONGHOUSE ROOMS BECAUSE THEY WERE CONSIDERED TOO "STRONG" FOR THE DWELLING OF COMMONERS. MANY OF TUSAU'S PAINTING INCORPORATE THE CHARACTERISTIC DRAGON-DOG DESIGN "KALONG ASU", AND SOME VERY INTRIGUING "KALONG LUMUN", DRAGONS OR LIZARDS.

TRADIONALLY, SUCH PAINTINGS DECORATED LONGHOUSE WALLS. IF AN ARTIST WAS COMMISSIONED TO PAINT A TREE OF LIFE, HE WAS PAID A STIPULATED FEE PLUS THREE YELLOW BEADS "TO PROTECT HIS EYES" AND A HEAVY KNIFE "TO PROTECT HIS BONES." ANOTHER LUCRATIVE COMMISSION WAS THE SALONG (OSSUARY) FOR A HIGH-RANKING ARISTOCRAT'S FUNERAL; THIS HAD TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL BECAUSE IT WAS ELEVATED ON HIGH POSTS AND EVERY PASSER-BY CALL IN THE BEST ARTISTS TO MAKE THIS MONUMENT, AND PAY THEM WELL-STINT AT SUCH A TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN UNTHINKABLE!

LIVING IN KUCHING, TUSAU WORKED FOR A NON-TRADIONAL MARKET; NOBODY HERE DEPOSITS THEIR DEAD FOUR METRES ABOVE GROUNDD. HE CARVED AND PAINTED FOR COLLECTORS AND THE MUSEUM, BUT MOST OFTEN HE EMPLOYED A BOARD OF WOOD, AN EXPANSE OF CANVAS, A GOOD SHEET OF PAPER, OR A LENGTH OF BARK CLOTH.

 

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