UNS – Slamet Subiyantoro, one of the professors in Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, showed the uniqueness of the loro blonyo statue. He mentioned that Loro Blonyo is visually a statue of a pair of human figures wearing Javanese clothing (called basahan). However, this statue could interpret certain meaning. The essence of loro blonyo is a manifestation of Javanese way of life that symbolizes the harmony and fertility.
“Javanese teaching has given an important contribution in creating a harmonious relationship between man and the universe within her/his worship. This thing has been crystallized into a foundation in the Javanese tradition,” Slamet said.
Slamet Subiyantoro, who was inaugurated as Professor of Anthropology of Visual Arts Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) UNS on November 9, 2017, had conducted his research about loro blonyo statue in a long period. He started his research since 2005 until May, 2018. He also obtained Intellectual Property Rights (HAKI) for the design rights of Loro Blonyo Mask in 2017 and the industrial design rights for the design of loro blonyo handicraft packaging in 2016.
Slamet Subiyantoro, The Expert of Loro Blonyo
According to Slamet, the position structure of loro blonyo as a traditional art symbolizes Javanese language which asserted that the world is always in pairs and always paradoxical (opposite). Those pairs include birth-mind, top-down, mother-father, male-female, and life-death. Alignment is created after a mixture of space called liminality (means ‘a threshold’).
“In the level of Javanese mystic, the harmonization of kawula (means ‘person’) united with the nature of Gusti (means ‘God’), really mix in the substance of purity. So, it can merge in one inner space,” he explained.
He also added that the transitional space of the filthy profane world to the sacred world was an adjustment effort to reach empty space. The effort was done by ritual acts of apprehending appetite, pleasure, and anger towards lust of good. Slamet explained that the ‘emptiness’ transformed into the central space of Javanese house called senthong joglo. In that space, the statue loro blonyo is placed as a manifestation of the persons and their God. Statue and house represent the unity between person and God.
Applying the philosophy in human life
In his family life, the philosophy of loro blonyo statue was also applied by Slamet. His wife, Pargiyanti, would conduct family affairs when Slamet worked outside. Since 1992, Slamet had achieved Lecturer of Achievement 2 level of Faculty and Lecturer of Achievement Department of Language and Art Education. After achieving the highest achievement in the academic field, Slamet admitted that he will not stop there. He will continue to conduct research, to teach, and to spread benefits of his research to all of the people. humas-red.uns.ac.id/Tni/Dty