Hi Jonathan, could you tell us more about “Jogja, the Next Chapter”? How long will this exhibition be held, and what can viewers expect to see?
Yogyakarta is known by many as the “Art Capital” of Indonesia. I have been collecting works by several artists from the city. I decided that it was also the right time to share works by some of the emerging artists, who are getting good attention from international galleries. Hence, I curated six artists of different styles and techniques. They have put together a total of 26 original works for the show. Since early March, the show has been ongoing and will run till mid-April, when we start to ship pieces to the respective collectors worldwide. Viewers expect to see (and buy) good-sized original works at a reasonable price.
Who are these artists that you have chosen to feature in this exhibition and why have you picked them?
I have chosen these six artists to come together, and it’s a special moment for me as a first-time curator. I am really glad all of them agreed and bought into my vision for the show.
Anton Afganial is an artist who uses colours and neo-traditional Indonesian motifs in his contemporary works. Using opaque techniques where the vivid and intense colours were mixed up, lines are made to emphasise the object or deformation he creates on the canvas.
With pieces of visual, Petek Sutrisno steals from what he sees every day. He combines and brings it all together in his work, interacting with each other, which results in a refreshing blend of cartoon & still life elements.
Fandi Saputra is fascinated by the beauty of the natural world. The artist likes to observe surroundings — the people, plants, animals, transform it into unique objects or figures to create harmony in his painting. He hopes his painting could recall and clarify these kinds of memories, then spring up a feeling to love nature.
Fika Leon creates a portrayal of “Self” through his deliberate use of paint colours and textures. Creating stories of identity, reflection and self-portrayal through his abstract paintings of human faces, still life and landscape settings.
Oggzgoy uses a cheeky character, “Oggz” to bring us on his journey through the streets and walls of Jogja. The speed in execution and balance of works achieved with the spray-paint can are testament to his skill level as a graffiti and contemporary artist.
Valdo Manullang chooses charcoal on canvas and puts it in a higher advanced technique level. The skill level to create intricate works of art through charcoal powder is something I have not seen before. Truly a master at work.
Is there a particular reason why you chose to feature Indonesian artists?
As part of our gallery’s goal for 2022, we hope to exhibit new contemporary artists from all over South East Asia. We feel there is always a misconception when Southeast Asian art is discussed — that is always has to be very traditional. We feel these six artists do well to tell the story that a great diversity of styles and techniques can come about within one city, let alone the entire region. This show is just the beginning. We plan to showcase more exciting talent from the region, including planned shows with artists from Korea, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, and other SEA cities.
How would you describe the artistic styles of these artists, and what do you think is the common factor that links all of them together?
In my opinion, all six artists have done well to blend seemingly traditional techniques and content with a new interpretation of what contemporary art should be. This has resulted in works that look vaguely familiar but super fresh at the same time. I love the feeling of how you can almost recognise an element within the works, but also have the feeling of seeing a brand new work for the first time.
Would All About Art be staging another exhibition? If so, could you share some details with us?
Yes, we intend to keep the cadence of a show every other month. This could sound quite daunting to many galleries, but we hope to keep up our goal of always bringing fresh and exciting content to the community in Singapore and abroad. In May, we have lined up a group show for “hyper-realistic” artworks, and following that in July, our first full solo exhibition with Thai contemporary artist “Benzilla”. Stay tuned!
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