Gowa, NusantaraInsight — In the quiet bustle of Komp. Graha Kalegowa, where everyday life in Gowa meets the rhythms of South Sulawesi’s arts scene, Ishakim keeps working at the same art he has practiced since childhood: telling stories.
His canvas is not only paper and paint; it is the stage, the public monument, the classroom, and the pages of poetry and prose he has stitched through more than four decades of creativity.
Born in Ujung Pandang, Ishakim’s earliest artistic steps were shaped by local mentors and the small but fierce cultural networks of Makassar.
Under the guidance of Drs. Bachtiar Hafid at Sanggar Benteng Ujung Pandang, he learned to see painting as a means of dialogue, with history, with community, and with the city’s changing faces.
By 1976 he was already appearing on TVRI Ujung Pandang, contributing to drawing programs that introduced visual art to a wider local audience.
That public presence would become a hallmark of his career: accessible art that connects people to shared memory.
Academic study deepened his practice. Ishakim attended the Fine Arts program at IKJ-LPKJ (class of 1983), where formal training expanded his technical range and exposed him to national currents in contemporary Indonesian art. Yet his work always returned to local ground: monuments of struggle in Bulukumba, Bantaeng, and Polmas attest to his commitment to commemorate collective histories in stone and metal as well as paint.
A Multidisciplinary Life
To describe Ishakim simply as a painter would miss the breadth of his output. He is a sculptor, theater-maker, performing-arts designer, dancer, poet, short-story writer, teacher, and cultural organizer.
Since the late 1970s he has moved easily between disciplines: winning prizes in poetry reading and Qur’anic-translation poeticization competitions, writing scripts for stage productions, and performing in theater and dance pieces across Indonesia and abroad.
His theatre credits read like a map of Indonesia’s independent stage: productions such as I Tolo’, Cabaukan, Aku Perempuan, Musang Berjanggut and La Goa have traveled from local halls to Jakarta’s TIM.
With Teater Kita Makassar he staged works at international venues, including The Eyes of Marege at the Sydney Opera House — an achievement that underlines how regional artists can speak on global stages without losing the root of their stories.
Teaching and cultural leadership
Education and community work have been constant in Ishakim’s life. Since 1993 he has taught extracurricular art in schools across Makassar, from kindergartens to IAIN Alauddin, and collaborated with senior artists like the late Ali Walangadi. He guided students in practical craft and in the confidence to present art publicly.
He also taught scenography to theater students at ISBI Makassar and served as artistic director on countless performances and opening ceremonies since 1986.
His role as mentor extends into formal institutions: he helped found and led cultural organizations including the Makassar Arts Council (DKM), Dewan Kesenian Sulawesi Selatan (DKSS), ISRI SELEBASSI, and Forum Sastra Indonesia Timur (FOSAIT).
His involvement in LATARNUSA and customary cultural bodies shows his commitment to both innovation and cultural continuity.
Exhibitions and environmental practice
Ishakim’s exhibition history charts an artist attentive to form and context. From early collaborations in 1985 and participation in the Biennale Young Artists in Jakarta, to solo shows at Maccini Danggang Gallery and environmental art performances across South Sulawesi in the 1990s, his practice engaged with both the gallery and the public realm.
