Teguh Karya

Biography

Teguh Karya was born Steve Liem Tjoan Hok on 22 September 1937 in Pandeglang, Banten. He was the first child of Chinese Indonesians Laksana Karya (Tjon Hok) and Naomi Yahya ; there was some Bantenese descent from his grandmother. He attended elementary school in Pandeglang, but moved to Jakarta for junior high school, where he struggled with the exact sciences but did well in the creative arts and history.

Karya studied at the Academy of Art, Drama, and Film (Indonesian: Akademi Seni Drama dan Film) in Yogyakarta from 1954 to 1955. He then studied at the Indonesian National Theater Academy (Indonesian: Akademi Teater Nasional Indonesia, or ATNI) in Jakarta from 1957 to 1961, where he obtained experience as an actor. He later studied at the East–West Center in Honolulu, Hawaii from 1962 to 1963.

Karya acted in Jenderal Kancil (General Deer Mouse; 1968), while working at Hotel Indonesia as a stage manager. It was directed at children. That same year he established Teater Populer at his home in Kebon Kacang, Tanah Abang, Jakarta. Mainly from ATNI students; he often booked them to perform at Hotel Indonesia. The troupe later went on to produce critically acclaimed dramas, including 1971's Pernikahan Darah (Blood Marriage), 1973's Inspektur Jenderal, Kopral Woyzeck (Inspector General, Corporal Woyzeck), and 1974's Perempuan Pilihan Dewa (Woman Chosen by the Gods).

In 1971, Karya released his first adult-oriented film, Wadjah Seorang Laki-Laki (The Face of a Boy). Two years later he released Cinta Pertama (First Love), which garnered him his first Citra Award and launched the acting career of its star, Christine Hakim. It was followed by three more romances, Ranjang Pengantin (Wedding Bed), Kawin Lari (Elope), and Perkawinan Semusim (A Season's Marriage).

Karya's most commercially successful work, Badai Pasti Berlalu (The Storm Will Surely Pass), was released in 1977. Based on a novel of the same name by Marga T, it was watched by 212,551 people in its original run. It later won four awards at the 1977 Indonesian Film Festival.

Two years later, Teguh directed the historical epic November 1828, which received six Citra Awards. It was followed by Di Balik Kelambu (Behind the Screen), Secangkir Kopi Pahit (A Cup of Bitter Coffee), Doea Tanda Mata (Two Eye Marks), Ibunda (Mother) and Pacar Ketinggalan Kereta (Lover Left Behind by the Train).

Karya also directed sinetron, or Indonesian soap operas. He released his first sinetron, Pulang (Go Home) in 1987. In 1995 he directed Alang-Alang, sponsored by the Family Planning Coordination Board (Badan Kependudukan dan Keluarga Berencana), and the Johns Hopkins University Population Communication Services.

In 1998, Karya suffered from a stroke, which caused some memory loss and put him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He died at the age of 64 at the Mintoharjo Navy Hospital in Central Jakarta in December 11, 2001.

Influences

Karya's work was influenced by numerous directors and stage managers, including Asrul Sani, D. Djajakusuma, and Usmar Ismail.

Legacy

Karya won numerous (described by The Jakarta Post as "countless") Citra Awards.

In 2005, the Twilite Orchestra held a memorial concert featuring songs from Karya's films. Performers included people he had directed, such as Berlian Hutauruk, as well as pop stars like Krisdayanti and Ruth Sahanaya.

Personal life

Karya never married, although he occasionally dated. When asked why, he said that there everyone had "rooms" in them, for art, friends, country, and other things; the order these rooms were filled was different for each person.