Singapore's award-winning gallery highlights Yogyakarta artists

Singapore's award-winning gallery highlights Yogyakarta artists

Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Singapore

On April 8, Singapore's iPreciation gallery opens an exhibition
of eight new-generation Indonesian artists.

Aged between 27 and 35, the works of the artists are among the
most recent developments in Yogyakarta, which is considered to be
one of Indonesia's art showcases par excellence.

While most hail from the island of Sumatra, they all pursued
art studies at the Indonesia Institute of the Arts in Yogyakarta,
and currently work and live in the city.

They have exhibited widely, some participating in prestigious
art events like the Philip Morris Awards and CP Open Biennale.

Still struggling with issues relating to social and political
conditions in the Indonesian context, each of the artists has
developed his own unique style.

Take for instance Riki Antoni (born in 1977 in Padang), the
youngest in this exhibition, whose images -- oil on canvas --
reveal creatures that blend the human figure with animal
characteristics.

One is reminded of the wolf in the children's tale Little Red
Riding Hood. Thus he comments on those in power, on manipulation
of the weak, on consumerism and materialism that has society in
its grip, and he yearns for a society where togetherness and
harmony prevail.

Budi Haryono (born in 1968 in Yogyakarta), or Budi Ubrux, as
he calls himself, is known for his newspaper-wrapped figures on
canvas, commenting on social and political issues. His greatest
critique is the information and media influx that tends to shape
the public's opinion in a manner that is out of proportion.

The large national flag lined with tiny newspaper
"decorations" in his painting (oil on canvas) titled Back to
Nature reflects his desire for his people to let their inner
selves speak rather than be overwhelmed by outside influences.

Rudi Mantofani (born 1973 in Padang, West Sumatra), who is
known for his artistic precision in his aesthetic three-
dimensional work, is here represented by paintings that reveal
the same finesse, while the application of volume and space
denotes his close relation with the three-dimensional.

Large, stone sculpture-like images, juxtaposed as if almost
reaching the sky, evoke a sense of the surreal. Subtly critical,
with a touch of the philosophical, and almost lyrical, Mantofani
reveals his dismay with the poor state of his country in spite of
its rich resources.

But somehow, as seen in his acrylic painting Terlihat dan Tak
Tampak, there is an inner energy that even comes out of stone,
and makes people overcome, as seen in the painting Mendekati
Langit, showing tiny trees growing on the huge barren stone that
reaches out to the sky.

Yunizar (born in 1971 in Talawi, West Sumatra), too, takes his
inspiration from social and political circumstances. Yet his
critique is very subtle, using pale colors of white and very
light brown in a painting that may not evoke anything in the
viewer.

But he says that Letter Without Meaning, as the oil painting
is titled, is about people who talk a lot, but without content.

Gusmen Heriadi (born in 1974 in Pariaman, West Sumatra) is
more expressive, his oil on canvas revealing an atmosphere of
chaos, and even a sense of violence. His painting Big City Night
is a sharp critique on the urban condition, with its great
discrepancy between the well-off and the very poor.

For all the critique, Alfi Jumaldi (born in 1973 in West
Sumatra), evidently chose another path to come to grips with
political, social and cultural issues.

In the first painting of his meditation series -- acrylic and
pencil on canvas -- he uses a green cactus to symbolize the
strong spirit of life, which is planted in the midst of a light
brown canvas with text in the background that suggests notes on
historical evolution.

Alfi says he is inspired by Khalil Gibran's spiritual energy.

There is also an oil and pencil on canvas by Kadek Susila
Dwiyana. While the image the painting conveys does not say much
apart from the mountain top that rises up before a window, the
mixture of pencil and oil is quite interesting.

This is the first time that iPreciation has held an exhibition
of Indonesian artists.

Helina Chan, the owner of the gallery, who recently received
the Tourism Entrepreneur Award from the Singapore Tourism Board,
says she thinks young Indonesian artists are gifted with
fascinating creativity.