Sindoedarsono Soedjojono (b.1913 – d.1986)
Thus Was Born the Generation of ’66,1966

Oil on canvas

Painted amid the political upheaval of 1966, this work captures the atmosphere of Jakarta as slogans, graffiti, and calls for change filled the city's public spaces. At its centre stands a young man in a red jacket holding a paint can, surrounded by protest slogans referring to the political events of the time. Sudjojono deliberately leaves the figure ambiguous- it may be read as a student, a symbol of Ampera (The Mandate of the People's Suffering), or another figure reflecting the uncertainty of the period.

 

A pioneer of modern Indonesian Realism, Sudjojono did not use painting to offer definitive answers but to invite viewers to confront the complexity of history. Through his concept of Jiwa Ketok ("the visible soul"), he sought to reveal the emotional truth of an era marked by tension, hope, courage, and uncertainty as Indonesia entered a new political order. The painting entered the Museum of Fine Arts collection through a donation by Adam Malik in 1976.