Span of green grass always brings the aura of coolness and becomes a place to release the jaded mind. That is immediately seen and felt at the residence of painter, Suprobo. The house that is located in Pondok Petir Village of Sawangan Sub-District in Depok, West Java; does not show what is stored within the inner area, just a tall construction of grey viewable from the road. The private path to enter the residence is also a bit hidden, with just one vehicle pass width.
After passing a wooden gate, Arti team got to see the entire building named by the owner; the “Prasada Suprobo” zone. In his red shirt, the painter most-known for his child-themed paintings showed Arti around for a tour of the multiple constructions along with the facilities.
Amongst others are three buildings facing one another, encircling a rather spacious grass area. One of the buildings is a Joglo house which is the main building, where he and his family do their activities. “This house is the first main construction I built. It was taken in directly from Jepara, a Joglo house aging hundreds of years old,” explained the Pati town born man.
The concept of village house he developed came off from his boredom over the concrete constructions he’s always seen. He explained that, with the existence of the village house, he gets a chance to unwind, especially with the span of grass and bushy trees surroundings. The other reason why he deliberately built a green and ethnic valued zone is for his love for his childhood.
“I wish to immortalize the memory of when I was still living in the countryside. That memory has always been pleasant, so I chose to build a house similar to the one my parents had,” he said calmly.
Adjusting to the traditional house, the entire furniture of his residence located in the main room are also antiques. Such as the two ethnic beds originating from Madura at the right and left sides of the room, along with a long bench used to welcome guests.
Meanwhile, at the backside of that main room, three separate buildings are located. Two of them are the bedroom and kitchen along with the semi-outdoor dining room, with the formation of chairs simulating a street vendor bench and dining place.
As a painter, Suprobo owns his own creating room separated from the family room. He purposively built a gallery in triangular shape and a studio he calls Rumah Nusantara. According to him, the concept of that gallery construction is an improvisation of traditional and modern buildings. Triangular shape was chosen to illustrate the shape of a diamond.
“Artists tend to design as they will, no certain formal theory to follow,” smiled the VW automobile and antique motorcycle collector.
He also established a three storied construction directly facing his triangular gallery. The building is a museum used as the display spot for his painting journey. There, he also stores his collections; paintings from other artists he purchased. The museum dominated by grey tone was constructed accordingly to Suprobo’s painting themes with the modernrealist style.
With the area width of 7000 m2, the Prasada Suprobo has not only serve as he residential area of the painter and his family, moreover as a facility for activities he conducts with friends and or groups that intentionally visit for artistic tours.
“There’s a small stage there on the corner, usually used for artistic performances, all from poetry citing to keroncong play. Often times there are also groups of fellow painters or students that visit, usually to learn the traditional culture of the Joglo house, to then knowing more of the trees surrounding this place, to then do a mass painting,” Suprobo concluded the lively conversation.
