Paintings and Installation by Dewa Gde Agung, Putu Edy Asmara Putra, Wayan Januariawan (also known as Donald), and Rio Saren.
At Gaya Fusion Gallery, Jl. Raya Sayan, Ubud.
Tel: 979252.
Works of art that alter the boundaries of Art must be admired. The new always contains the possibility of significant change; innovation, derivation, originality and even novelty. Further, the artist’s solution to the next step, no matter how logical it appears after the fact, never ceases to surprise. In 2007, at Danes Art Veranda in Denpasar, four young artists, Dewa Gde Agung, Putu Edy Asmara Putra, Wayan Januariawan (also known as Donald), and Rio Saren, who, at the time, were all still students at the ISI (Institute of Indonesia Art) in Denpasar, held a group show entitled ‘Nyawa Senyawa’. This exhibition was an intensive exploration into birth processes. For their current exhibition, ‘Siklus’, these same artists clearly demonstrate their maturity, development, and vigorous new personal vision.
In Balinese terminology, the artworks which appeared in the ‘Nyawa Senyawa’ show could be labeled as coming from a period of ‘brahmacari’, that is, an era of mischievousness and rebelliousness which finds its artistic expression in spontaneous and unpredictable forms. For the artworks in the ‘Siklus’ show, these artists should be approaching a stage of ‘grahasta’, that is, a period where the artists prepare themselves for a creative marriage. A marriage to the realistic circumstances of a life in art. However, the traces of these artists’ mischievous ‘brahmacari’ can still be felt in their current exhibition, for as these artists enter their ‘grahasta’ creative era, they still find themselves in a period of revolt. A defiance, or a turning away from, what is thought in the world of fine arts to be typical forms of art products.
Wayan ‘Donald’ Januariawan is probably the most radical. Donald is adamant that ‘my work is not a product’. He utilizes found objects, such as damaged plaited bamboo walls, second-hand doors, used cloths, used plastics, and old rubber sheeting, as his chosen medium, and he leaves his works unfinished. He tries to let the ‘inner beauty’ of these found objects emerge to the surface. Donald is attempting to defy the glamorous side of fine arts within the market place, where art dealers, auction houses, and collectors buy art for re-sale purposes. His painting, ‘Li La Li Lu Li La Li’, which is created on an old tarpaulin, brings to mind suggestions of the ‘Shroud of Turin’, but, the explicit and confrontational sexual shenanigans going on in the background are not of a religious nature!
Putu Edy Asmara Putra is also interested in exploring the ‘inner beauty’ of an object, but, he also likes to arouse or invite a sense of disgust. His previous paintings of caterpillars, worms, and the female or male genitalia, were presented in a highly decorative and pleasing form, yet, there could be no denying a sense of revulsion which these works provoked. Utilizing a precise hyperrealist painting technique, Edy has now expanded his area of exploration to investigate imaginative and fantasy images based on real world objects. Possibly, he is currently finding his inspiration in the fantasy world of dreams, taking direction from the great surrealist painter Salvador Dali. It could also be possible that Edy is exploring a fantasy world of ‘psychological unconsciousness’, similar to that which can be found in the work of Marc Chagall. In his painting, ‘The President of Childrens’, Edy presents a horrifying image of a deformed political leader, addressing a political rally. The canvas could be commenting on the current state of Indonesian politics, but, it could also be implying an uneasy future full of depravity and decadence.
Rio Saren’s work is an exploration of the identity of Balinese society. He displays images of icons and mythologies that reside in Balinese culture, and which have been formed by the traditions of the Hindu religion. At the same time, Rio also exhibits an interest in the value of Balinese archeology. In previous works he has investigated Balinese architecture and town planning for traditional Balinese houses and villages. In his artwork, ‘Wajah Dalam Tempurung’, over an aerial photograph of a Balinese city, highlighting streets and roads, Rio has placed fragments of caricatures of the people and activities to be found in various localities. These simple sketches can be of a sacred or profane nature stressing the vibrancy of Balinese life.
Finally, Dewa Agung, in his installation piece ‘Saat-Saat Panen Tiba’, presents a three-dimensional work which is created from timber, then implanted with smaller chunks of wood and painted with red, yellow and black color. Carved here and there, it is possible the work takes its cue from the wood carvers of the Tegalalang area. Agung’s wood is mostly left in its original shape, it is suspended from the gallery ceiling on thin nylon string, and, as it sprawls throughout the gallery space, swaying in breezes and from the touch of a viewer’s hand, the sculpture sets off a mesmerizing rhythm which suggests the motions and movements of rice harvesting, but, with a subtle undertone of ancient animistic rituals and ceremonies.
The ‘Siklus’ exhibition is a splendid presentation of the stage of the creative journey these four artists are presently undertaking. It shows what they have achieved up until this point, and it also indicates the possible directions their work may take in the future. The show is highly recommended.
