Politics of Nashar’s ‘Night Letters’ and Mohamed Salehuddin’s ‘Our Art’
By Ian Tee

'My Own Words' is a monthly series which features personal essays by practitioners in the Southeast Asian art community. They deliberate on their locality's present circumstances, articulating observations and challenges in their respective roles.

Cover of ‘Nashar oleh Nashar’ (2002), Indonesian artist Nashar’s memoir, published by Yayasan Bentang Budaya. Photo by Nabila Giovanna W. — Cover of ‘Nashar oleh Nashar’ (2002), Indonesian artist Nashar’s memoir, published by Yayasan Bentang Budaya. Photo by Nabila Giovanna.

Of late, I have been thinking about artist-writers whose writings made an impact on the discourse. It is a train of thought sparked by research into the Indonesian modern painter Nashar, who is the subject of a monograph I am working on. Nashar is best known for his notion of “theory-less painting”, articulated in the collection of texts “Surat-Surat Malam” (The Night Letters, 1976). At the same time, I was also reading “Intersections, Innovations, Institutions: A Reader in Singapore Modern Art” (2022), edited by Jeffrey Say and Seng Yu Jin. What grabbed my attention was the fact that a significant number of texts in the reader are penned by artists.

It raised the question: should artist writings be a category unto its own, akin to how we think about art criticism, exhibition texts and art historical research? Implicit is an expectation that artist writings offer something unique or that it comes from a privileged perspective. I approach these assumptions by ruminating on what artist writings can do, rather than speculate on why artists write. This is because artists write for many reasons. It might be to make a living (such as for myself) or to articulate a manifesto. At other times, there are no other suitable advocates and one needs to take on the mantle in addition to working in the studio.

My essay looks at two artist writings: Mohamed Salehuddin’s “Our Art” (1950) and Nashar’s “Night Letters”. Both were originally published in the artist’s first language and circulated in local magazines. While they provide critical commentary about the art of their times, I am interested in what we can glean by reading between the lines. Beneath the surface, what are these two artist texts doing?

In “Our Art”, Salehuddin wrote about the difference in artistic concerns between the Western and Malay worlds. The final takeaway was his advice: “aspiring Malay artists who wish to create an artistic legacy should begin to pay attention to painting with oil.” This text was first published in Mastika Issue 49, a monthly magazine by Yusof Ishak. “Our Art” is first translated into English in the aforementioned ‘Intersections’ reader.

“The final takeaway was his advice: “aspiring Malay artists who wish to create an artistic legacy should begin to pay attention to painting with oil.””

To provide some context, the author Salehuddin was a prominent artist in the 1950s in Malaya and the secretary of Persatuan Pelukis-Pelukis Melayu Malaya (PPMM, or the Society of Malay Artists). He wrote from the perspective of a practitioner who had the privilege of travelling to England and viewing oil paintings by the Western masters. What I enjoyed about this short essay is its clarity. Salehuddin had a systematic outlook that focused on the material conditions of artistic production. He highlighted practical concerns such as the longevity of materials and specific qualities of oil paint, which cannot be replicated with watercolour and charcoal on paper, which were favoured by his contemporaries.

Even though oil painting was a relatively new medium to Malay artists, Salehuddin espoused aspirations of mastery. His sense of pride in his cultural heritage is evident when he proclaimed “it is only that our artists have not yet attained prominence” (emphasis mine). One cannot separate this attitude with the rising nationalist sentiments in postwar Malaya. By reading Salehuddin’s essay from this vantage point, its decolonial undertone becomes apparent. Yet, “Our Art” is unlike the manifestos of its time. Its messaging comes from a measured confidence rooted in the practical steps proposed.

“Yet, “Our Art” is unlike the manifestos of its time. Its messaging comes from a measured confidence rooted in the practical steps proposed. ”

Similarly, it is useful to apply a historical lens to Nashar’s “Night Letters”. In the publication, the Indonesian painter articulated a new mode of expression that is unconstrained by thought. This approach is guided by what he termed the “Three Non-s” principles: non-preconceptional, non-academic techniques and non-academic aesthetics. They constitute a proposition that embraces intuition, uncertainty, and purity of form. The modern artist’s mature body of work are lyrical abstractions that capture a mental space. The improvised forms were painted with quick brushstrokes, and canvases were often completed in a single night to retain their freshness.

The title “Night Letters” is incredibly apt, not only because Nashar probably wrote them after dark when he was most active. It also suggests an air of introspection and mystery. At times, he remained veiled with only vague allusions to events that happened. However, in instances such as his “Letter to an Actor”, Nashar gave vivid recounts of his involvement in Putu Wijaya’s groundbreaking plays LOH and ENTAH, which were the first non-scripted productions in Indonesia. More importantly, Nashar mused on their philosophical implications and what freedom entailed, both within the context of the arts and beyond.

“More importantly, Nashar mused on their philosophical implications and what freedom entailed, both within the context of the arts and beyond. ”

Here is a particularly suggestive excerpt, translated by Elly Kent and published on the Southeast of Now (Volume 6, Number 2, October 2022): “In problematising this word ‘freedom’, I am reminded of how some of my friends, when we are chatting, are quick to express their reactions. Idle chatter is a freedom in this life because we're no longer tied to what is implied in this new freedom. From the tone of their reaction, I can see it is born out of fear; fear of what, who knows.” Against the political backdrop of Suharto’s dictatorship, the fear Nashar implied becomes clear. Consequently, the notion of freedom and unconstrained expression embedded in his Three Non-s principles also carry a sharper edge of resistance.

Salehuddin’s “Our Art” and Nashar’s “Night Letters” are artist writings that do more than just speak about art. I appreciate the layers of meaning built into the texts, and how they connect artistic concerns with the socio-political. Their richness stems from the inferences one could make from close reading. Perhaps what makes artist writings different from other forms of art writing is that an artist has more skin in the game than anyone else. Both of the artists brought the realities of daily practice and the struggles they confront to their writings, be it the immediate question of freedom or the possibility of leaving a legacy.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of A&M.

This essay was first published in CHECK-IN 2023, A&M’s third annual publication. Click here to read the digital copy in full, or to purchase a copy of the limited print edition.

Read all My Own Words essays here.