The Way of Grace | Roby Dwi Antono

INTRODUCTION TEXT

Roby Dwi Antono

Event Bazaar Art, Jakarta, 27-30 July 2012

You are new to the Roby Dwi Antono's work? For me, Roby is an extraordinary talented young man. Comes from Ambarawa, Central Java, and he is only 22 years old (born in1990), but Roby can display his maximum ability on drawing techniques. In his daily lives, Roby is busy with his profession as an illustrator and graphic designer in Yogyakarta. Roby do not have an educational background in academy level or even in the art college. His painting skills come naturally since he was a child. Then he deepened during his study in SMK (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan) Negeri Grafika (Central Java), majoring in Graphic Design. He also learns a lot and observes anyone's works which later inspired him. One of them is Mark Ryden (American artist known from his pop surrealism style) who still become his favorite artist till now; also drawings by Rachel Goodyear which are simple but meaningful, according to Roby. Roby still do not have a great exhibition track record in  his curriculum vitae. However, recently his works are able to penetrate the Elle Magazine and online media sites Juxtapoz Magazine.

At this time presentation, Roby brought us into imagination world more deeply. His last solo exhibition in Tirana Artspace, New York (April 2012) entitled 'Imajinasi', has made him more mature in working. Feedback which is obtained in his first solo exhibition, makes him think again and encourage him to learn more intensively. Roby deliberately wants to deepen his technical concept for the presentation at this time. We can enjoy the techniques from 5 acrylic works which are worked on canvas and 7 works on paper drawing. He works everything on more or less in the last 2 months. Professional background made ​​him discipline in doing his works, so no doubt that Roby can produce much deeper concept works. He is also very adaptable to response other forms of collaboration in the work. So, many Roby's illustrations works using digital techniques can be found in cyberspace; such as its relationship with fashion or music.

Concerning to the concept of canvas work, he is still struggling with his wild imagination. This time, Roby takes the theme of human life; start from birth, babies, grow up, until death. We can see and read his five canvas works that will be a series of the journey of human life . More or less, his drawing works will also describe the same theme. Roby wants to re-question what is the purpose of human is created? At this time, how is human function as the guardian to the universe? And what we should do as human to seek the straight path toward the eventual goal, which is heaven.

This time, new figures appear in Roby's works. Still with his peculiarities, Roby also includes a lot of messages and symbols in his work. If we observe, there are many symbols that Roby wants to convey to his audience. Such as, there is a picture of a pine forest, for him pine forest symbolizes immortality. Or small dinosaurs which implies the early of living in the world. Roby even deliberately refers to a symbol dictionary when he wants to inscibe the paint on the canvas. He learns it carefully, what the appropriate symbols that he wnts to combined in his works composition.  And he wants his work can be read universally, so that the selection of symbols will be major consideration for him.

Concerning to the selection of muted colors but still fresh, Roby do not deny that he refers to the works of Mark Ryden, especially a work entitled 'California Brown Bear'. The painting is very inspired him for color selection character. Landscape picture, such as a bed of pine forests, lakes and mountains of ice which are he likes much and then almost always look for the peculiarities of Roby's works. On the previous solo exhibitions, Roby introduces his alter-ego through the rabbit figures, which he named Kinci. Together with Kinci, which he regarded as a highly symbolic art, sensitivity to beauty, comfort and love to the confidential things; sometimes rabbit is also suggested as a sad, fool animal, but still funny. Rabbits hate the decision, violence, criticism and something untidy. In this theme, Roby was still 'invited' Kinci to greet his audience although it is not as intensive as the first. For approximately 9 months exploring Kinci, Roby wants to lose it  slowly. Roby wants to show his working process to the different, new things. though still with a pop surrealism style which is satire or creepy, but also sweet and adorable. As his audience are suggested, Dwi Antono Roby has a very Childish quality to his work, brining in a rugged sort of Alice in Wonderland, Storybook style. Most of his Illustrations are of bunny rabbits That resemble the old Peter Rabbit Drawings in their simplicity and sweetness. (Source: http://d2gapparel.com/2012/fashion-illustration-2/art-attack-illustrator-roby-dwi- Antono /).

Nunuk Ambarwati

TULISAN PENGANTAR
ROBY DWI ANTONO
Event Bazaar Art, Jakarta,  27-30 Juli 2012

Anda baru mengenal karya Roby Dwi Antono? Bagi saya, Roby adalah sosok muda yang memiliki talenta luar biasa. Asal Ambarawa, Jawa Tengah, usianya baru 22 tahun (kelahiran 1990) namun Roby mampu menampilkan kemampuan teknik drawingnya dengan maksimal.  Sehari-hari ia disibukkan dengan profesinya sebagai illustrator dan desainer grafis di kota Yogyakarta. Roby memang belum pernah mengenyam pendidikan selevel akademi bahkan perguruan tinggi seni. Keahlian melukisnya ia dapat secara alami sejak ia kecil. Kemudian ia perdalam semasa sekolah menengah di SMK (Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan) Negeri Grafika (JawaTengah), jurusan Desain Grafis. Ia juga banyak belajar dan mengamati karya-karya siapa pun yang kemudian menginspirasinya. Salah satunya adalah Mark Ryden (seniman asal Amerika yang dikenal dengan aliran pop surealisme) masih menjadi favoritnya hingga kini; juga drawing-drawing karya Rachel Goodyear yang menurut Roby sederhana namun sarat makna. Catatan jam terbang pameran Roby pun belum banyak di dalam curriculum vitaenya. Namun, jangan salah, karya-karyanya mampu menembus Elle Magazine dan situs media online Juxtapoz Magazine baru-baru ini.

Pada presentasinya kali ini, Roby membawa kita masuk ke dalam alam imajinasi yang lebih dalam. Pameran tunggal terakhirnya di Tirana Artspace, Yogyakarta (April 2012) bertajuk ‘Imajinasi’ membuatnya lebih matang dalam berkarya. Feedback yang singgah pada dirinya saat pameran tunggal pertamanya tersebut, membuatnya berpikir ulang dan menyemangatinya untuk belajar lebih intens. Roby sengaja memperdalam teknik mau pun konsep untuk presentasinya kali ini. Teknik yang ia perdalam bisa kita nikmati dari 5 karya acrylic di atas kanvasnya dan 7 karya drawing di atas kertas.  Ia garap semuanya kurang lebih dalam 2 bulan terakhir ini. Latar belakang profesinya membuatnya disiplin dalam mengerjakan karya, sehingga tak disangsikan dapat menghasilkan karya-karya dengan konsep yang jauh lebih matang. Ia juga sangat adaptif merespon bentuk-bentuk kolaborasi dalam berkarya, sehingga banyak karya-karya ilustrasi Roby dengan teknik digital yang bisa kita jumpai di dunia maya. Seperti persinggungannya dengan dunia fashion atau pun musik.

Perihal konsep karya kanvasnya, ia masih berkutat dengan keliaran imajinasinya. Kali ini, Roby mengambil tema proses kehidupan manusia, mulai dari kelahiran, bayi, menjadi dewasa, hingga kematian. Kita bisa melihat dan membaca 5 karya kanvasnya akan menjadi seri perjalanan kehidupan manusia tersebut. Sementara karya drawingnya, akan menggambarkan hal yang kurang lebih bertema sama. Roby ingin mempertanyakan kembali apa tujuan manusia diciptakan? Bagaimana fungsi manusia saat ini sebagai khalifah yang menjaga alam semesta? Dan bagaimana seharusnya kita sebagai manusia mencari jalan yang lurus dan menuju tujuan akhirnya, yakni surga.

Pada karya-karyanya saat ini, tampak sosok-sosok baru muncul. Masih dengan kekhasan dia, Roby juga banyak menyertakan pesan dan simbol-simbol dalam karyanya. Jika kita amati, ada banyak simbol yang ingin Roby sampaikan kepada penikmat karyanya. Misal terdapat gambaran hutan pinus, baginya hutan pinus menyimbolkan keabadian. Atau dinosaurus-dinosaurus kecil dalam karyanya tersebut menyiratkan awal kehidupan di dunia. Roby bahkan sengaja mengacu pada sebuah buku kamus tentang simbol ketika ia hendak menggoreskan catnya di atas kanvas. Ia mempelajari dengan seksama, gambaran simbol seperti apa yang cocok untuk dia letakkan dalam komposisi karyanya. Dan ia ingin karyanya bisa dibaca secara universal, sehingga pemilihan simbol yang ingin dia cantumkan dalam karyanya merupakan pertimbangan utama baginya.

Perihal pemilihan warna-warna yang kalem tapi tetap terkesan segar, Roby memang tidak menyangkal bahwa ia mengacu pada karya-karya Mark Ryden, khususnya karya yang berjudul ‘California Brown Bear’. Lukisan tersebut yang sangat menginspirasinya untuk karakter pemilihan warna. Gambaran landscape seperti hamparan hutan pinus, danau dan gunung es sangat ia sukai dan kemudian hampir selalu mencari ciri khas karya-karya Roby.

Pada pameran tunggal sebelumnya, Roby memperkenalkan alter-egonya melalui figur binatang kelinci, yang ia namai Kinci. Bersama Kinci, yang ia anggap sebagai sosok yang menyimbolkan kesenian, sensitif terhadap keindahan, kenyamanan dan menyukai hal-hal yang bersifat rahasia; kelinci juga kadang dikesankan sebagai binatang yang murung atau masa bodoh, namun tetap lucu. Kelinci membenci keputusan, kekerasan, kritik dan ketidak-rapian.Pada tema ini, Roby pun masih ‘mengajak’ Kinci untuk menyapa audiencenya meski tak seintens dulu. Selama kurang lebih 9 bulan mengeksplorasi Kinci, Roby ingin perlahan-lahan menyurutkannya. Roby ingin menampilkan proses berkaryanya dengan hal yang berbeda dan baru, meski masih dengan style pop surealis yang terkesan satir atau menyeramkan tapi juga manis dan menggemaskan. Seperti dikesankan seorang penikmat karyanya, Roby Dwi Antono has a very childish quality to his work, brining in a sort of rugged Alice in Wonderland, storybook style. Most of his illustrations are of bunny rabbits that resemble the old Peter Rabbit illustrations in their simplicity and sweetness.( http://d2gapparel.com/2012/fashion-illustration-2/art-attack-illustrator-roby-dwi-antono/).

Nunuk Ambarwati