TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Neneng, a teenager with “special needs” from the Surabaya Kalijudan Social House, will be exhibiting her paintings at the Bank of Indonesia Library Building, Surabaya starting from August 17 to 22. Neneng, who is known as the Picasso from Surabaya, will participate in the exhibition entitled Believe #2, “Enlightenment” together with 14 other children with special needs.
The exhibition becomes the thirdly held by the Surabaya administration. All the exhibited paintings are the made by the children with special needs from Kalijudan Social House and Anak Negeri Wonorejo Village.
“The city’s Administration is willing to escort these children so that they can be independent in the future,” said Supomo, the Head of Surabaya’s Social Service Agency.
Surabaya mayor Tri Rismaharini is going to open the exhibition on Sunday at 11:00 local time. The paintings will be for sale and the money will go straightly to the children’s bank account.
According to Agus Koecink, a curator, the children’s paintings are mostly expressions of their past experiences. Agus picked one painting by Babil, a child who was found by Surabaya’s Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) at a train station.
“So, his painting is about the train station,” Agus said.
Meanwhile, Neneng’s paintings always depict women. It represents her longing for a mother figure.
Agus hopes that the exhibition can give enlightenments to these children about their true selves. Although they have experienced dark times in the past, they can have more values through the paintings.
AGITA SUKMA LISTYANTI
