Artist : Agus Suwage
Genre : Sculpture and Photographs
Period : November 6 till November 30
Everyday, 9.00AM till 10.00PM
Location : Gaya Fusion of Senses
Jl. Raya Sayan, Ubud
Tel: 979252
After finishing his degree in the Faculty of Art and Design at Bandung Institute of Technology Agus Suwage worked as a graphic designer for ten years. It was not until 1996 that he became a professional artist with his first exhibition in the Cemeti Contemporary Art Gallery in Yogyakarta. Since then he has had fifteen solo exhibitions, both in Indonesia and abroad, and has established himself as one of Indonesia’s prominent contemporary artists. Suwage’s work is noted for its self-portraits, and the use of photographically documented body-art, which comments on the “problems arising from the tensions and complexities of Indonesia’s multi-cultural condition, the huge gaps among the social and economic classes and the prospering of corruption and consumerism in various levels of society”. Suwage’s work also contains psychoanalytical elements that confront problems dealing with ‘self’ and ‘identity’. In his exhibition ‘Toys “S” Us’ issues of ‘self’ and ‘identity’ are represented in “the form of an interaction by which the audience experiences, or encounters, the artworks directly”.
Inspired by the traditional games and toys of Indonesia, Suwage has created a collection of amusing mechanical ‘toy’ sculptures that are activated by pulling strings, turning knobs or pushing buttons. Photos, zinc plates, nylon strings, fabrics and found objects are all beautifully assembled in the works.
Can the diversity and complexity of Indonesian culture and society (or any other) be considered a ‘toy’ that is manipulated by an unseen ‘big brother’ via a series of complex controls? What are these controls and more ominously who controls them? What is the role of the individual in such a ‘mechanical’ world? And what is the role of the artist? Is it as a passive ‘toy’, an observer, a critic or as a political activist? Suwage’s witty ‘toys’ raise all these questions and much more.
However, because of the photographic prominence of his face and body in these works Suwage’s ‘universal’ message is somewhat diluted. The ‘toys’ appear to address problems connected to Suwage’s psyche rather than the bigger social and economic issues. What emerges are works that are akin to the concept of artist as ‘performer/object/commodity’. ‘Toys’ such as those found in the “Micky is Dead” collection are more successful as they are free of Suwage’s visage and deliver their warnings on the evils of consumerism quiet succinctly.
The five panel piece “Holly Beer & Kawan-Kawan” is a fine example of Suwage’s art. Within these life-size photographic images issues of role playing and aspects of Suwage’s psyche are handled with humorous yet compelling results. The “Paradiso-Inferno” photographic duo shows Suwage’s body reproduced in both positive and negative. The concept of good and evil co-existing within an individual is obvious. This theme is taken up in the ‘toy’ “Yin Yang” which depicts two headless bodies fighting over a single head. The clarity of these works shows the success Suwage is able to achieve when dealing with psychological issues.
Agus Suwage is an artist who cannot be ignored and this is a very amusing and thought provoking exhibition which brings up many intellectual and intriguing questions. There is no way around it, you are either going to love it or hate it. The best advice I can give is to decide for yourself.
