Basoeki Abdullah (b.1915 – d.1993)
Portrait of Adam Malik, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, 1976

Oil on canvas

Painted in the same year that Adam Malik donated his art collection to the Jakarta Fine Arts Gallery, this portrait stands as a symbol of the meeting between art, public service, and cultural vision. Renowned as Indonesia's foremost portrait painter, Basoeki Abdullah captures not only Adam Malik's physical likeness but also the dignity and presence of a statesman who was equally committed to the arts.

 

More than the portrait of a national leader, this painting marks the beginning of a cultural legacy. The friendship between Basoeki Abdullah and Adam Malik played an important role in the establishment of the Jakarta Fine Arts Gallery- today the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics. When the museum opened in 1976, Adam Malik donated his private collection to the nation so that it could be enjoyed by the public. Displayed in the inaugural exhibition, Se-Abad Seni Rupa Indonesia (A Century of Indonesian Art), this portrait stands as a lasting testament to that vision.