Dr. Harry Darsono PhD, is a tangible example of the struggle against stigma, label, stamp, which nearly broke the power of his life. Diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), his childhood was full of labels naughty, annoying, stubborn.  Starting from difficulty speaking, people difficult to understand what he think or say. Those difficulties make him frustrating and often push him be aggressive. To an outsider, Harry then seen as a bad boy.

When Harry’s parents enter him into the deaf school, he later learned to communicate in silence, through sign language.  After that, Harry was put into the mental retardation school, and here, the difficulty of speaking slowly reduced.

However, in France, the genius potential of Harry began excavation. The methods used by the therapeutic were diverse, but it all leads to the excavation of talent (aptitude), among others, by spinning, painting, drawing and playing music. And it was amazing… !! all the potential bursting out in the form of amazing creativity. Harry’s work since childhood until now can be seen in his private museum ranging from Haute couture dresses design, opera costumes, paintings, sketches, textile designs, marble, porcelain and wood. Besides, Harry is also able to play music very well and speaking in nine languages (three of them is the local language)!.

The big debuted in his life keep ongoing.  In the academic field, Harry completed his studies in a number of prestigious institutions in Europe until the doctoral level. And as a fashion designer and textile artist, his name had been famous in his country, Indonesia, since the early ’70s as a pioneer Haute couture.

Harry was also known very perfectionists in deciding his design, one of them is visible in the stage costumes for the Romeo and Juliet opera which are used for many years in various opera theaters in Europe. The inside layer in Juliet dress was done with great accuracy and full passion, including placing the embroidery and spun.

In addition, harry also made stage costumes worn in others several performances of Shakespeare’s operas, such as The Phantom of the Opera, Hamlet, and King Lear. This costume has been using in the shows in Singapore, England, France, Greece and the Soviet Union ( Russian ) for over ten years.

As an artist, Harry was not only expert in the field of fashion alone. Various art works which is displayed in his museum proves that Harry has other skills. Sketches of the museum building which was displayed at the entrance become a sign that Harry as the graduates of the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris is also excellent at drawing like an architect. That sketches was made during a child when Harry lived in Paris. As a sufferer of ADHD, drawing became a means of communication.

Harry is also designed his own chair, rugs, ceramic urns, clocks, pianos up eating utensils. Works of art such as eating utensils and textiles produced royalties from various overseas buyers. Results from the royalty are used to fund his foundation that take care the abandoned children and dropouts.

There are four things that Harry was made as a learning point in addressing the life:
“First, we must learn to change perspective in order to empathize so we can see things in a broader dimension. Second, we must always learn from mistakes. Third, we need to reform that is always improving ourselves every day. Fourth, how to create. Better to do something, working, helping others. The last station of the creation is sincere. How we could sincere if for example there was a friend who stabs us from behind. Without it, you will plant bitterness. “

source : kompas 2010