Post Modern Ramblings
Paintings by Ketut Teja Astawa and Em Sumba
At Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Resort, Jimbaran Bay Tel: 701010
One of the main themes in contemporary art in recent years is the way in which artists see themselves in the rapidly changing world. Artists Ketut Teja Astawa and Em Sumba have chosen very different visual styles with similar underlying themes, resulting in a stimulating contrast of shared concerns, in their exhibition ‘Post Modern Ramblings’, currently on show at the Ganesha Gallery. The exhibition depicts their individual searches to explore alienation, angst, and the meaning of life, in Bali in the 21st century.
Although born in the south of Bali, Astawa has superficially adopted a traditional style of Balinese painting that originated in the East Balinese village of Kamasan.
While the original Balinese style is based on shadow puppets, the square-headed inhabitants of Astawa’s calendars and scenes seem more inspired by animated cartoon characters, making guests appearances in Balinese mythology. One of Astawa’s best works is ‘Headed for the Shore’; a scene in which scores of block-heads frolic with fish in stylized waves, and swim towards a brick walled shore.
While Em Sumba worked for five years (1994-1999) in animation in Japan, his current work is free of traditional influences. Born in Lampung, South Sumatra, his canvases are edgy and enigmatic. In ‘Art Reflection’, a simple chair casts an odd shadow on a bleak gray background. Like most of his paintings, the surfaces are covered with graffiti-like statements that do not always make sense. Em Sumba’s work can be full of angst and confusion, while, oddly enough, some of his paintings can be ambivalent and emotionally uncommitted. There is something not only dynamic but also sinister about his vision of life. While most of his works are stylized, in others, such as ‘Swing’, in which a large headed doe-eyed man is caught in a swing, go to prove Sumba’s worth as a talented draughtsman.
These paintings are clever, subversive, comments on contemporary Balinese life where each artist translates their lived experiences into paint. A double edged art characterized by a keen wit and a sense of irony. The exhibition is recommended.
Soulscape
Group Exhibition
At Tony Raka Art Gallery, Jl. Raya Mas No. 86, Ubud
Tel: 7816785
Currently, the Tony Raka Art Gallery is mounting a show which is staggering, simply in the sheer size of the paintings on exhibition. Seven well-known and established Javanese artists were invited to present a number of their works, which could be of a minimum of 10 meters each. These are truly big canvases and are larger than the comprehensive image the eye is capable of taking in from the customary distance. Considering that each artist has contributed at least two or three pieces, the scale of the exhibition is enormous. Also, the artists were asked to consider the themes of ‘landscape’, ‘seascape’, or ‘mindscape’. They were requested to create pieces of ‘spiritual’ art, which were heartfelt, and intended to express their inner-feelings and emotions, or, maybe even ‘painted windows into the mind’. Consequently, the resulting exhibition, ‘Soulscape’, overpowers the senses through the sheer magnitude of scale and their physical presence. The viewer is sucked in and overwhelmed. The participating Javanese artists include:
Nunung Ws: Born 1948. Nunung’s work ‘Verzon Vertical-Horizon’ is obviously inspired by the vocabulary of Piet Mondrian, with its carefully placed intermeshing verticals and horizontals, and weighted areas of color. The painting could be seen as a city or landscape, but, the rising colors suggest a much more spiritual location.
Utoyo Hadi: Born 1944. There can be no mistaking Hadi’s pulsating canvas, ‘Metamorphosis, Metaphor, There Symbols of Primary Forest’, as anything but a landscape. Thick, dense, luxurious paint is built up in layers, with swirling, intense brushstrokes, to convey a scene of primal and personal and powerful expression.
Netok Sawiji Rusnoto Susanto: Born 1972. Susanto contributes a surreal ‘mindscape’. The painting, ‘Explovirtual: Membangun Dunia-Dunia Imajiner’, could depict an outer-space journey. However, the glimpse of high-tech deserted cities found within circular alien space ships implies something very mysterious.
Dedy Sufriadi: Born 1976. Sufriadi builds up his painting ‘The Word Under’ in layer upon layer of calligraphy, words, and phrases, until everything becomes illegible and undecipherable. His powerful visual and textual messages exist as an outburst of his inner-thoughts and ideas, asking us to enter the turmoil of his mind.
At Sitompul: Born 1977. At first glance Sitompul’s panels ‘Berfikir Lagi dan Lagi’ appear to be embroidered or woven, but, a closer study will reveal these pieces to be made from intricate and detailed small brushstrokes. The panels take on a primitive expression, and can be regarded as Indonesian tribal religious icons.
Sulebar M. Soekarman: Born 1943. Utilizing everything from found-objects to signs, letters, and western art references, Soekarman’s mixed-media collage and oil painting, ‘Manunggaling Kawulo Gusti’, brilliantly represents a contemporary ‘state-of-mind’. The use of vibrant colors, lines, and composition is outstanding.
Yusron Mudhakir: Born 1977. Reminiscent of the work of Bridget Riley, an English ‘Op’ artist, Mudhakir’s painting, ‘One Rahasia Empat Sisi’, could have, quite conceivably, been ‘sketched-out’ on a computer. Even so, Mudhakir’s optically shimmering canvases create a compelling electronic ‘virtual’ landscape.
Although ‘Soulscape’ is a very impressive exhibition, the monumental scale of the works suggests that the final destination for the paintings will rest in the hands of museum or private corporate collections, rather than with the individual collector.
