Karseno, a 'Furious Generation' art dealer

Karseno, a 'Furious Generation' art dealer

JAKARTA (JP): In the 1980s, when formalism hit every studio at the Bandung Institute of Technology's School of Fine Arts, a number of art students embraced views which deviated from the norm as taught by their teachers.

Semsar Siahaan burned Sunaryo's sculpture Citra Irian; Harry Sulistryarto pulled out the trees around the campus, and offered the result of his efforts as sculpture; Arahmaiani used clay as a medium to paint; Acep Zamzam Noor, in a chaos of paint, painted a close-up of a vagina; while Irawan Karseno "destroyed" his canvass with a brush stroke of banal color abstraction, in rebellion of orderliness.

The late Sanento Yuliman, who was a prominent critic and a staffer at the institute, called the deviating 1980s generation the "Furious Generation".

Irawan Karseno, 39, belongs to the Furious Generation. Irawan's works, as can be seen in his solo exhibition at the Executive Room of Hilton Hotel from Sept. 9 to Sept. 15, still show remnants of his "furious" past. Don't expect orderliness on Irawan's canvasses, although he is still loyal to his pop colors, bright, contrary but simple.

Irawan, who loves to call himself an "art dealer" rather than an "artist" represents, in fact, the urban and pop artist phenomena. For him, painting is like "playing a guitar" when relaxing, not something that makes his forehead wrinkle and creates sacredness. That is also the reason why, in his works, we find actual as well as pop themes, with line drawings and lively brush strokes.

In this his third solo exhibition, Irawan displays 30 works, including drawings in ink, conte and acrylic. Among his best works on display are Walking The Dog, Gara-gara Buah, and Long Beach.

Irawan's works are usually well-liked by yuppies and decorate a number of buildings and offices in Jakarta. This painter who like to sit around in cafes and play music is also active in designing and filmmaking. (Chandra Johan)