Art as Child’s Play, Dolls Included

by Jenny March, July 12, 2012

http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/arts/art-as-childs-play-dolls-included/529768

Invincible. Powerful. Fast. There’s about a million different ways to describe Superman. 

But cute? 

“It’s so humorous,” exclaimed Jeong-ok Jeon as she admired the blue-suited figure. “Too small, too cute.” 

Well perhaps those adjectives were, in fact, correct, seeing as she wasn’t describing Superman, but rather “Super-MON” — a six-inch-tall female version of the famous superhero. 

“Super-MON” is one of dozens of pieces included in “Imaginary World: Childishly Inspired,” a contemporary art exhibition on display this month at Plaza Senayan in South Jakarta. The show, which is sponsored by Art Sidharta, features installation and sculptural work from three Yogyakarta-based artists. 

Jeong-ok, the exhibit’s curator, said “Imaginary World” aimed to blur the lines of childhood, explaining that there’s no definitive boundary between youth and adulthood. 

“As I get older, if I do something naughty or childish, people think that’s not really proper. Adults have to behave in a certain way, but nobody really says why,” Jeong-ok said. “As I was putting together this exhibition, I realized that it could make us question that.” 

But while the official mission may be to blur the lines between two of life’s biggest chapters, a closer look at the work reveals each artist’s relationship with the idea of childhood itself. 

For thedeoMIXBLOOD, a man and woman who together create assemblages, youth can only be conceptualized in terms of their personal memories, which are apparently painful. According to Jeong-ok, the duo experienced some traumatic events that are reflected in their grotesque creations. 

Made out of recycled doll limbs and figurine heads, pieces like “Dasamuka” resemble toys in terms of shape and stature. But the discordant combinations create a sinister quality, as if they were designed in a toy shop gone wrong. As if to heighten the confusion, “Dasamuka’s” main head — which protrudes from five others — is a smiling clown, a seemingly happy character that is the source of so many children’s nightmares. 

“Our childhood memories are not always happy,” Jeong-ok reiterated while examining the piece. “Sometimes we feel very scared about things, and those things are stuck in our minds.” 

Whereas thedeoMIXBLOOD can’t seem to escape their own demons, Tina Wahyuningsih explores youth with the help of her 2-year-old daughter. Using mostly fabric, she stitches together whimsical dolls that would be at home in any infant’s nursery. 

In work such as “Flying Elephants,” Tina re-creates the world through her daughter’s eyes — an imaginative place where animals fly, rabbits speak and anything is still possible. Whether these pieces are influenced by her daughter’s own musings or the fairy tales that they read together, it’s clear that Tina looks at childhood with a sense of wonderment. 

While these first two artists seem to interpret youth through their own experiences, Rennie “Emonk” Augustine may be the only one to consider a childhood beyond her own. Inspired by well-known superheroes and comics, Emonk produces both sculptures and felt patchwork that combines her own persona with that of the character. As with “Super-MON,” Emonk creates a new alter-ego in all of her pieces. “She’s not just the creator creating art,” Jeong-ok said. “I think she’s a part of her art work by putting in her own personal story lines.” 

Perhaps these pieces reflect Emonk’s inability to leave her own childhood behind. Or maybe they’re asking us to not loose touch with our inner child. Whatever the case may be, they certainly come the closest to begging Jeong-ok’s original question — what exactly is the difference between childhood and adulthood? A particular age? A certain moment? 

According to these three artists, there is no definite answer. But if you’d like to try and determine that for yourself, the work will be on display in South Jakarta until Sunday.

Imaginary World 
Until Sunday, July 15
Plaza Senayan, Jl. Asia Afrika 
South Jakarta

NAFA’S Residensi Showcase Cycle One 2012 | Thursday July 12th, 7.30 PM

A Group Exhibition by
Anisa Abdullah
Anissa Aziz feat. Tina Wahyuningsih
Hirzaq Harris
Imam Santoso
Mulyo Gunarso
Shahrul Hisham Ahmad Tarmizi

At Independent Art-Space & Management | I AM
Jalan Nagan Lor 25 Yogyakarta

Officiated by Farah Wardani
Music Performance by Rattlesnake
________________________________________
A Breathing Voice of South East Asia
By Anis Azlinda Abdul Ghani

NAFA’S Residency was established in January 2012; born with a grand intent to discover a Southeast Asian voice of art. There is much richness in the diverse culture of Southeast Asia, and it is not surprising that its layers of depth could leave one marveled and overwhelmed at the same time.

Since January, NAFA’S has housed four Malaysian and two Indonesian emerging artists, whom had spent varying period at the residency – each between one, three and six months. Although their presence there may be concurrent, they each work independently.

Interestingly though, all works featured at this First Cycle Exhibition centers around themes of personal reflections.

In Shahrul Hisham's works, artist is portrayed a traveler in continuous search of new knowledge. Yet he can never deny his origin and identity thus will still be a Malay and a Muslim wherever in the world he may be.

Hirzaq Harris showed another side of Muslims he finds to be common these days: disgusted by the haram pigs yet gladly opt to ignore other haram aspects in life. Oblivion is unacceptable in lives of Muslims. Rather, a life in search of truth should prevail, one that strives to put halal over haram with no excuses. The noblest of intentions could still pave the route to hell.

Anisa Abdullah chose to take her viewers along through her life adventures. She painted snapshots from her stint in the city from her point of view. Yet her quest is one that we can all relate to; of dreams and ambitions and decisions. She warns us though, to never be too rushed and uptight in our own. And to remember to have a breather to enjoy our life surroundings at the same time.

Along similar lines, Anissa Abdul Aziz's installation that is currently in Galeri Chandan @ Publika, Kuala Lumpur, was derived from the idea of tracing her artistic journey. Anissa created and manipulated the overlapping baby cloth as a metaphor to represent her newness, freshness and immaturity in the industry. The artwork is an imagination with stuffed fabric suspended from nowhere. To her, the gaps between the pieces is as important as the connection, as when viewed in totality, is a mixture of logic and intuition. Her installation for this exhibition will be a continuation from the one that is currently being exhibited in Kuala Lumpur.

Mulyo Gunarso reflected on the negative effects of rapid industrialisation and the lack of control in logging and forestry industry. The impacts not only affect humans but also flora and fauna around us. Should we continue at this pace with little intent to preserve, balance and regenerate, certainly future generations would not carry the same memory of the world as we do.

Imam Santoso's paintings are a consistent reflection of himself; he communicates through them. He includes symbols from his daily life and repeats them in various paintings. He is a symbol of contradiction and is expressive about it. He painted sekaten (fun fair) yet without the usual crowd and noise. He painted the traditional keraton and wonders if teenagers these days would be interested to preserve this iconic culture of the city, or be more consumed by urbanisation and pop culture. His works are vivid yet adaptive, real yet imaginative.

The outcome of the residency hopefully extends beyond better-developed artists, but will also elevate awareness and appreciation of art in the region. Better understanding of our differences and similarities would certainly increase tolerance, empathy and interest for one another, which in turn could only impact all of us positively. May the efforts at NAFA’S encourage others to do the same thus opening more doors of other potential collaborations in the future for continuous evolution of the art industry.

--------------------------------------------

NAFA’S Residensi
Jalan Ngadisuryan No 7 Patehan
Yogyakarta 55133
T/F +62 274 379 054
E nafasresidency@gmail.com
FB www.facebook.com/nafasresidensi
CP Nunuk Ambarwati 0818 2770 73 | Icha 0815 7871 3748

Royal Ambarrukmo Pendopo Activities

IMAGINARY WORLD: CHILDISHLY INSPIRED

Artists: Tina Wahyuningsih, thedeoMIXBLOOD, Rennie ‘Emonk’ Agustine

Curated by Jeong-ok Jeon

Artist management by Nunuk Ambarwati

June 30 ~ July 15, 2012

ART Temporary Space

Plaza Senayan, ground level (by main entrance)

Jalan Asia Afrika No 8, Jakarta Selatan

Sensibility of kids, fantasy of adults

An American movie, Tooth Fairy, tells a story about an adult, Derek Thompson, who is unyielding to childish fantasy. He particularly tries to squash the tooth fairy myth: that when a child puts their fallen tooth under a pillow, the tooth fairy visits and exchanges the lost tooth for a dollar. For children, tooth fairies are heroes, providing comfort from fear of losing a tooth, and the promise of growing a new healthy one. But for Derek, this fantasy figure that lives in an imaginary world promotes a silly custom and encourages a false belief to those should be ‘growing up’.

In typical Disney fashion and morality, Derek’s lack of wonder is novelly punished when he is sentence to be an actual tooth fairy for a fortnight. His subsequent change of heart brings to light the impasse between what is ‘childish’ and what is ‘grown-up’, and raises some interesting questions relating to the current exhibition Imaginary World: Childishly Inspired.

Imaginary World: Childishly Inspired features the work of three artists based in Jogjakarta who share an interest in exploring their vision of a fairy-tale-like world full of magic and fantasy. Using childhood memories and dreams as their pivotal concept, the artists, Tina Wahyuningsih, thedeoMIXBLOOD, and Rennie ‘Emonk’ Agustine suggest that we contemplate what it means to be an adult and what draws a boundary between children and adults. Unlike Derek, the artists affirm that childhood fantasy is still alive in the hearts of adults, and more importantly it is critical in the process of creation.

Tina creates her imaginary world where surrealistic creatures and personified animals come to play together. In her world, we find elephants are flying in the sky and a bunny rabbit becomes the next supermodel. Looking at her imaginary creatures, we become a part of a whimsical story where anything is possible. As a mother of a two year old girl, Tina also often creates characters that are family members in her works. Mother House for instance shows that her creativity cannot be separated from her motherhood and symbolizes her domestic responsibility as a wife and care-giver.

While Tina’s imaginary world is illustrated in fictional narratives, the works of thedeoMIXBLOOD -- a project duo consisting Dila and Otong -- stand as individual sculptures. Inspired by Graffiti and Pop Art and influenced by childhood traumatic events, thedeoMIXBLOOD creates collages using toys, Barbie dolls, Wayang puppets, fabrics, batiks, magazines, and beads. By taking parts from one context or medium and piecing them together into another, their sculptures become akin to the hybrid, grotesque, yet fantastic mythical characters found in fantasy movies. thedeoMIXBLOOD is certainly gifted in embodying the indescribable into a work of art. 

Emonk extends her creation of an imaginary world further by being both creator and creation in her series ‘MON’s world. Borrowing from many superhero characters in various famous comics, Emonk creates a new set of superheroes. What is interesting in her superhero series is that Emonk re-titles them by combining their original name and her own. Thus, her alter ego comes to a life as Super-mon (Superman), Bat-mon (Batman), Wonder Wo-Mon (Wonder Woman) and Ultra-Mon (Ultraman). Through her works Emonk tries to send an important message: we can be anything in our life and whatever we choose to be, we become the main performer.

In our constantly busy contemporary lives filled with “adult” responsibilities, it is ever-more important for us to search beyond the surface. The super-power of this exhibition is its ability to recall our inner child’s sensibilities, providing a momentary escape from the mundane as we enjoy the experience of playing and playfulness within the art. After all, the fantastical can bring joy and stretch our imaginations, and could even bring us closer to our deeper selves if we just allow it.

Jeong-ok Jeon (Curator)

Tirana House : Fashion, Art & Creativity

TIRANA HOUSE
Paduan segar Art, Fashion & Creativity
 
Soft Opening: Sabtu, 21 April 2012

Grand Launching: Sabtu, 9 Juni 2012
 
Fashion adalah bagian dari seni.  Orang membeli produk fashion bukan hanya karena fungsinya, namun juga karena keindahan desainnya, warnanya dan juga karena desainer/perancang nya. Tidak ada bedanya dengan pertimbangan orang dalam membeli karya seni.
 
Di Tirana House, kami menggabungkan semua karya seni itu dalam sebuah butik yang terintegrasi dengan Art Space. Tirana House, seperti arti harfiahnya adalah sebuah rumah. Kenyamanan dan keserasian interior menjadi perhatian kami, sehingga dapat memberikan pengalaman yang berbeda dengan berbelanja di mall atau pasar. Kami menyebutnya, “Senyaman belanja di rumah”. Selain butik dan art space yang berada dibagian depan dan siap dibuka untuk umum, di bagian teras Tirana House akan hadir coffee shop serta dibagian belakang akan menjadi rest area yang dilengkapi dengan mini library dan kids’ corner yang saat ini sedang tahap penyelesaian.
 
Tentu saja kualitas produk adalah hal yang mutlak harus kami berikan pada pelanggan. Cara termudah mendapatkan kualitas yang diinginkan adalah dengan memilih produk yang dikeluarkan oleh merk-merk yang sudah terjamin kualitasnya. Kami menghadirkan koleksi Victoria’s Secret, LaSenza, Bonprix, George, Next, Guess, DKNY, Zara, H&M, Mango, Esprit, Ralph Laurent, Nike, Adidas dan masih banyak merk lainnya, mulai dari pakaian dalam (underwear) hingga busana anak, dewasa pria dan wanita. Selain itu kami juga menyediakan produk perawatan kulit merek Eveline dan Perfecta yang merupakan merk asal Eropa. Seluruh koleksi kami dijamin originalitasnya. Harga produk di butik kami cukup bersahabat, bila dibandingkan dengan harga yang dipatok bandroll di mall.
 
Di Tirana House, kami juga bermitra dengan wirausaha-wirausaha muda Jogjakarta . Melalui unit usaha Mitra Tirana, kami menghadirkan karya-karya wirausaha muda Jogjakarta . Saat ini, yang sudah bermitra adalah produk coklat dari dapur “Kakaoku” dan boneka-boneka unik dari workshop “Jahit Tangan”. Selanjutnya akan ada banyak lagi wirausaha muda Jogjakarta yang akan bergabung sebagai Mitra Tirana.
 
Unit kami yang lain adalah Rumah Tirana, yang akan memproduksi produk-produk fashion merk kami sendiri, “Tirana”. Mitra Tirana dan Rumah Tirana merupakan wadah kami untuk dapat berpartisipasi lebih banyak dalam memutar roda perekonomian kota Jogjakarta yang kami cintai.
 
“Little Act for Greener Jogja”, adalah inisiatif-inisiatif kecil kami dalam usaha mengambil peran dalam membangun Jogjakarta menjadi kota yang lebih ramah lingkungan. Melalui konsep “Sustainability Consumption & Production”, kami mencoba mengurangi pemakaian plastik, menghindari pemakaian energi yang tidak perlu serta melakukan kampanye-kampanye kecil dalam kegiatan promosi kami.
 
Jelas, Tirana House bukan sekedar butik tempat berbelanja. Tirana House adalah rumah, butik, ruang seni, wadah kreatifitas dan aktualisasi, tempat bersosialisasi, sarana belajar dan berbagi, yang semuanya harus dapat memberikan keuntungan bukan hanya bagi pemiliknya namun juga masyarakat dan lingkungan Jogjakarta . Tirana House melayani masyarakat Jogjakarta sekaligus menjadi alternatif kunjungan bagi pengunjung kota Jogja.
 
Sebagai penghuni baru Kota Jogja, Tirana House berharap dapat diterima dengan baik oleh masyarakat Kota Jogjakarta serta berperan serta membangun perekonomian kota Jogja dan sekitarnya. Mohon doa restu dan dukungan nya.
 
 
Salam hangat,
Nunuk Ambarwati
Manajer Operasional
 

Kado Malaikatku untuk Tuhan

Introduction

Solo drawing exhibition by R. Bonar Diat Senan Putro

A gift From My Angel to God’.

Tirana Artspace

Jalan Suryodiningratan 55 Yogyakarta

June 9th – July 9^th, 2012

For having a chance to meet R. Bonar Diat Senan Putro or also known as Otong (30 years), was like bring our memory back to our childhood. The world full of fantasy, playing all around and liberate our imagination. Those were my first impression when I looked at Otong’s drawing. Otong was born in Surakarta November 22^nd, 1982. He had studied at Art Institute of Solo (ISI), in a year of 2003, but only last for 5 semesters. After that he studied through his experiences, starting as an art worker at Bali until stayed and worked in Yogyakarta. He was also assisted one of the artist in Yogyakarta, Bob ‘Sick’ Yudhita for 5 months. Today with his close friend, Fahla F. Lotan, also known as Dila, both are collaborated to make art toys in thedeoMIXBLOOD. Child characters in his works, also realized in his activities along with the children. As I quoted in Otong’s biographical, together with his close friend in 2010 and 2011, he did a variety of workshops with the children.

With introduction by Bob ‘Sick’ Yudhita, Ugo Untoro and S.Teddy D. (in a year of 2008), he admitted that he has been given a little influences at the beginning of his creative works. He also admires some figures like, Nirvana, Basquiat, Andy Warhol and the genre of Cobra painting. Until today he fell comfortable with his character in a figure of octopus. An animal that lives in the sea, has four pairs of hands, adaptable, can be camouflaged and claimed to be the most intelligent animals in the ocean for the class of invertebrates (animals without backbones). He has been made figures of octopus for 4 years since 2009. So, look at his artworks, although it appears to be the drawing of Batman, but Batman with tentacles. Or the human figure, still with tentacles.

Not only figures of octopus that I found interesting from Otong’s drawing, but also the texts that we can observe in his works. Most of the texts are written backwards. We can read it by reversing the texts, for example ‘otiuqsam namtab isamiofsnart atatirug’, read as ‘mosquito batman transformasi guritata’. And usually those texts are the titles of his drawing. For otong, reversing texts is his play zone during the process of drawing. Even for Otong it can be confusing, puzzling through words/texts. However from his ‘text game’ he can found reversed words to have its own meaning. Such as, ‘Ibu’ reversed to be ‘ubi’, and still be legible. Unique. Moreover, he wants the audiences to be paused for a moment while ‘reading’ his texts. And hopefully there’ll be questions or feedback for Otong’s works.

Otong’s drawing that is shown in Tirana Artspace this time, was only a small part of hundreds works/drawing that are stored neatly in his narrow boarding house, located in the south of Jogja. Even honestly, I didn’t have enough time to select all the entire works for this exhibition. It is too many! Otong has compiled his works based on its year. From there, we could see his process of making the artworks, started from water color, pencil, crayon, ballpoint, markers, etc. Presentation of his works in this exhibition represents his process of making artworks since 2009 until now, 2012.

The maturity of his ideas appears from the chronology of his drawings. When Otong start to draw, he always draws simultaneously by minimum 10 blank papers. His ideas flow wildly, messy but impressive and honest. For each paper that he draw have its own fantasy like fairy tale. Because basically he likes narratives fairy tales, such as Narnia, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.

And later, piles of hundreds of Otong’s drawing become ‘A gift From My Angel to God’. Every time he draw, for him is like playing, for him is a contemplation, for him is some kind of therapy. And also worshipping, according in his own way. Every time he draw, he fell there’s ‘an angel’ with him. When I get the chance to meet Otong and having interviewed with him for few times, he showed that he is a serious person in searching for God. Although for the moment, status of religion doesn’t important for him, but his religiosity is quite strong through religious journey that he had since childhood until now. Each work that he made is returned-back to God. And furthermore we’ll wait for your feedback.

Enjoy the artworks and get inspired!

Regards, Nunuk Ambarwati

Short Biography

R. Bonar Diat Senan Putro ( Otong )

Was born at Surakarta, 22 November 1982

Education: Fine Art department, Indonesian Institute of Art, Solo (ISI, Solo)

Solo Exhibition

2012 – ‘Kado Malaikatku untuk Tuhan/A Gift from My Angel to God’, Tirana Artspace, Yogyakarta

2011 -  “INTROVERTASY PHOBIA”, thedeoMIXBLOOD’s Solo Exhibition, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta

Group Exhibition (selection)

2012 : Pameran JANEFO #1 – Jogja New Emerging Forces, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta

2011 : Performance, Istvan Kantor’s Neoist Project from Canada, “NEOIST DISASTER”, collaborator Iwan Wijono, JNM Jogjakarta / Performance, “BoredDay” Doger Panorsa’s Solo Exhibition, at Via-Via Café, Jogjakarta. / Workshop boneka, “Pameran Boneka Jogja Istimewa”, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta / Pameran Kelompok Six Needlle Six, “Sew And Share”, Via-via Café Yogyakarta / Pameran Terseleksi, “Imaji Ornamen”, Galeri Nasional Jakarta / Pameran kolaborasi residensi bersama kelompok eksperimental Six A (Hobart, Tazmania), “Machine No.6”, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta / Kids Programme dalam CellsKid rangkaian acara Cellsbutton, International New Media Art Festival, “Institutional Cells”, Bersama HONF / Group Exhibition, “AYO MIX FUN”, Survive ! Garage and Friends,  at Disco Beans, 238 High St, Northcote, Melbourne,Australia / Workshop dan pameran, “DIS” , bersama Metropolelightberry dan Difable SLB Negeri 1 Bantul, Rangkaian Program Biennale 2011.

Award: 5 Finalist at Bazzart Art Award, by Vanessa Art Link and Harpers Bazzar, Vanessa Art Link Jakarta and Ritz Carlton Hotel Jakarta, 2010

Activities:

Recycle workshop for children, by thedeoMIXBLOOD at Bienalle Anak Jogjakarta, 2010

Workshop and performance with collaborator by Iwan Wijono at Istvan Kantor .aka. Monty Cantsin’s Neoist Project from Toronto (Canada), 2011

Clay Workshop and Simple Animation at CellsKid Programme with HONF, 2011

Flour a Sense, Workshop for Difable, SLB Negeri 1 Bantul, Yogyakarta, with Metropolelightberry, Biennale 2011.

Exhibition periode Juni 9th – July 9th 2012.
Open daily, 9am – 9 pm.

Open for public and free.

Information and reservation of artworks, please feel free to contact:

Nunuk Ambarwati

Tirana Artspace

Jalan Suryodiningratan No 55 Yogyakarta

Ph/ +62 81 827 7073

e/ tiranahouse@yahoo.com, qnansha@yahoo.com

TEKS BAHASA INDONESIA

Tulisan Pengantar

Pameran Tunggal Drawing karya R. Bonar Diat Senan Putro

Kado Malaikatku untuk Tuhan

Tirana Artspace

Jalan Suryodiningratan 55 Yogyakarta

9 Juni – 9 Juli 2012

Bertemu dengan seorang R. Bonar Diat Senan Putro atau lebih dikenal dengan Otong (30 tahun), seperti kembali pada masa kanak-kanak kita. Dunia anak-anak yang penuh fantasi, bermain sesuka hati, membebaskan dan meliarkan imajinasi, demikianlah pandangan pertama pada karya-karya drawing Otong. Otong, lahir di Surakarta, 22 November 1982. Pernah menempuh studi di Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI), Solo, angkatan 2003 namun hanya bertahan hingga semester 5 saja. Selebihnya, ia menimba studi langsung dalam perjalanan pengalamannya, mulai dari jadi pekerja seni di Bali hingga akhirnya berlama-lama tinggal dan berkarya di Yogya, dan pernah selama kurang lebih 5 bulan tinggal bersama Bob ‘Sick’ Yudhita dan membantu proses berkaryanya. Saat ini bersama teman dekatnya, Fahla F. Lotan atau akrab dipanggil Dila, mereka berdua berkolaborasi meng-custom mainan dengan bendera thedeoMIXBLOOD. Karakter kanak-kanak dalam karya-karyanya, juga terrealisasi dalam berbagai aktivitasnya yang berhubungan dengan anak-anak. Seperti saya kutip dalam biodata Otong, bersama teman dekatnya Dila, di tahun 2010 dan 2011, berbagai kegiatan workshop ia lakukan bersama anak-anak.

Perkenalannya dengan Bob ‘Sick’ Yudhita, Ugo Untoro dan S.Teddy D (di sekitar tahun 2008) diakuinya memberi sedikit banyak pengaruh di awal proses kreatifnya. Dia juga mengagumi figur-figur seperti Nirvana, Basquiat, Andy Warhol dan aliran Cobra Painting.

Hingga kemudian, saat ini, Otong mengaku merasa nyaman dengan karakter karyanya di sesosok figur Octopus. Sebuah hewan yang hidup di laut, memiliki 4 pasang tangan, mudah beradaptasi, bisa berkamuflase dan diklaim sebagai hewan paling cerdas di laut untuk golongan invertebrata (hewan yang tidak memiliki tulang belakang). Bersama figur Octopus ini, Otong sudah menggeluti selama kurun waktu 4 tahun terakhir (awal 2009). Maka, cermati saja, karya-karyanya, meski pun itu muncul gambar Batman, maka Batman dengan tentakel. Atau figur manusia, tetap dengan tentakelnya.

Tak hanya sosok figur Octopus yang menarik dari deretan drawing Otong. Teks-teks yang termuat didalamnya menarik untuk kita cermati. Hampir sebagian besar teks yang tercantum di dalam karya drawingnya ditulis terbalik. Kita bisa membacanya dengan membalik, misal ada teks ‘otiuqsam namtab isamiofsnart atatirug’ maka dibaca ‘mosqiuto batman transformasi guritata’. Dan biasanya teks-teks itu pula yang akan menjadi judul karya drawing Otong. Bagi Otong, membalik tulisan tersebut merupakan zona bermainnya ketika menggambar. Mengkutak katik teks, bahkan Otong mengaku pernah kesulitan sendiri membaca kembali teks-teks tersebut. Dari permainan teks tersebut, Otong juga menemukan kadang sebuah teks yang dibalikpun, akhirnya mempunyai arti sendiri. Misalnya, kata ‘ibu’ dibalik menjadi ‘ubi’ dan tetap bisa terbaca. Unik. Selebihnya, dia ingin supaya setiap penikmat karyanya bisa terdiam sejenak ‘membaca’ teks sambil memandang karya dan berharap ada selebih pertanyaan atau feedback untuk karya-karya Otong.

 

Karya-karya drawing Otong yang ditampilkan di Tirana Artspace kali ini, hanya sebagian kecil saja dari ratusan karyanya yang tersimpan rapi di rumah kos sempitnya di wilayah Yogya selatan. Bahkan sejujurnya, saya tidak cukup waktu untuk bisa menyeleksi keseluruhan karyanya untuk rencana pameran ini. Terlampau banyaknya! Otong menyusun karya-karya drawingnya berdasar tahun pembuatan. Dari sana, kita bisa melihat proses berkaryanya. Mulai dari media cat air, pensil, crayon, ballpoint, spidol dan seterusnya. Presentasi karyanya dalam pameran ini pun cukup mewakili proses berkaryanya mulai dari tahun 2009 hingga saat ini, 2012. Kematangan gagasannya nampak dari kronologi deretan drawingnya tersebut. Ketika Otong mulai menggambar, dia akan selalu mulai menggambar secara simultan dengan minimal sepuluh kertas kosong. Ide-idenya mengalir begitu saja, liar tak bisa ditahan, berantakan tapi keren dan jujur. Setiap kertas yang dia gambar selalu mempunyai cerita fantasi layaknya dongeng. Hal ini pun didasari karena kesukaannya dengan narasi-narasi dongeng seperti Narnia, Harry Potter, Pirates the Carribean dan sejenisnya.

Dan kemudian, setumpuk ratusan karya drawing Otong menjadi ‘Kado Malaikatku untuk Tuhan’. Setiap kali menggambar, baginya adalah bermain, baginya adalah kontemplasi, baginya adalah terapi. Dan juga bentuk ibadah menurut cara dia sendiri. Setiap kali menggambar, ia merasa ada ‘malaikat’ yang mendampinginya. Ketika bertemu Otong dan sempat interview dengannya beberapa kali, Otong menunjukkan orang yang serius dalam pencariannya akan Tuhan. Meski pun saat ini, status agama tidaklah penting baginya, religiusitasnya cukup tinggi melalui perjalanan keagamaan yang dilewatinya dari kecil hingga saat ini. Setiap karya yang ia hasilkan, pertama kali dikembalikan kepada Tuhannya. Selanjutnya, kami tunggu feedback dari Anda.

Selamat berapresiasi dan semoga terinspirasi.

Salam, Nunuk Ambarwati

Biodata singkat

R. Bonar Diat Senan Putro ( Otong )

Lahir di Surakarta, 22 November 1982

Pendidikan Institut Seni Indonesia (ISI) Solo

Pameran tunggal
2012 – ‘Kado Malaikatku untuk Tuhan’, Tirana Artspace, Yogyakarta

2011 -  “INTROVERTASY PHOBIA”, thedeoMIXBLOOD’s Solo Exhibition, Kedai Kebun Forum, Yogyakarta

Pameran bersama (seleksi)

2012 : Pameran JANEFO #1 – Jogja New Emerging Forces, Langgeng Art Foundation, Yogyakarta

2011 : Performance, Istvan Kantor’s Neoist Project from Canada, “NEOIST DISASTER”, collaborator Iwan Wijono, JNM Jogjakarta / Performance, “BoredDay” Doger Panorsa’s Solo Exhibition, at Via-Via Café, Jogjakarta. / Workshop boneka, “Pameran Boneka Jogja Istimewa”, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta / Pameran Kelompok Six Needlle Six, “Sew And Share”, Via-via Café Yogyakarta / Pameran Terseleksi, “Imaji Ornamen”, Galeri Nasional Jakarta / Pameran kolaborasi residensi bersama kelompok eksperimental Six A (Hobart, Tazmania), “Machine No.6”, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta / Kids Programme dalam CellsKid rangkaian acara Cellsbutton, International New Media Art Festival, “Institutional Cells”, Bersama HONF / Group Exhibition, “AYO MIX FUN”, Survive ! Garage and Friends,  at Disco Beans, 238 High St, Northcote, Melbourne,Australia / Workshop dan pameran, “DIS” , bersama Metropolelightberry dan Difable SLB Negeri 1 Bantul, Rangkaian Program Biennale 2011.

Penghargaan:
5 Finalis dalam Bazzart Art Award, Oleh Vanessa Art Link dan Harpers Bazzar, Vanessa Art Link Jakarta dan Ritz Carlton Hotel Jakarta, 2010

Aktivitas:

Recycle workshop for children, by thedeoMIXBLOOD at Bienalle Anak Jogjakarta, 2010

Workshop and performance with collaborator by Iwan Wijono at Istvan Kantor .aka. Monty Cantsin’s Neoist Project from Toronto (Canada), 2011

Clay Workshop and Simple Animation at CellsKid Programme with HONF, 2011

Flour a Sense, Workshop for Difable, SLB Negeri 1 Bantul, Yogyakarta, with Metropolelightberry, Biennale 2011.

Pameran berlangsung mulai 9 Juni – 9 Juli 2012.
Buka setiap hari, pk. 9 pagi – 9 malam.

Terbuka untuk umum dan gratis.

Untuk minat karya dan informasi selanjutnya, silakan hubungi:

Nunuk Ambarwati

Tirana Artspace

Jalan Suryodiningratan No 55 Yogyakarta

Ph/ +62 81 827 7073

e/ tiranahouse@yahoo.com, qnansha@yahoo.com

Mimpi Dunia Empuk / Dream of Pillowy World

Mimpi Dunia Empuk / Dream of Pillowy World
Solo Exhibition by Agustina Tri Wahyuningsih

Via Via Café Traveller
Jalan Prawirotaman No 30, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
22 December 2011 – 12 January 2012

Pillowy Fairytale World

Agustina Tri Wahyuningsih, intimately called Tina, is a person who cannot stand idle. Although she is very calm in nature, a typical Javanese woman, she has many activities and ideas. She creates Japanese dolls, bags and t-shirts, paintings on wooden boards. Her latest works are hand-sewed dolls. According to her, the inspiration for these works actually had long existed in her mind, but she just could realize it in the beginning of this year. Now she has more spare time to continue the work while taking care of her daughter, Kaysha (16 months).      

Having Kaysha now has inspired her much more to keep working with her dolls. With artist Edo Pillu, her husband on her side and working experiences and networking in the art circles of Yogyakarta, she can have more fresh ideas for her dolls. She is found of things related to decoration, cotton fabric, fairy tale and illustration. These aspects have shaped the character of her works.

Maria Carmelia, her friend and customer, in her testimony depicts the propensity of Tina’s works; the taste, type and color. Although outside there are similar products, which perhaps have appeared earlier, Tina’s products with the label “jahitangan” have Tina’s distinctiveness. The motif and type of fabric that she chooses, and the figures of dolls she makes are so typically Tina. For her, though what she does seems like a domestic work, it is a means of realizing her distinctive and creative ideas. In addition, it is a place and time where she can play and make explorations, producing tales and contemporary figures in the shape of dolls. Why doll? Doll is a toy that usually looks so cute.  People of all ages, from children to adults, like dolls.  

Maria Carmelia is very impressed with the thickness of her pillow dolls. It fits what customers want. The dolls are really cottony. The exhibition titled “Mimpi Dunia Empuk” (Dream of Pillowy World) is trying to lead us to wander deep into imaginations, making us feel so cozy with the tales created. “And one thing for sure is that I want my dolls not just to be used as pillows. They can be part of something anywhere, anyone can enjoy. I want to invite all my customers to play in the pillowy world”, she said.

Enjoy and let us have beautiful dreams.

Nunuk Ambarwati

Testimonies

I think Tina’s works are unique. I never saw works like them in other place. She is really able to transform buyers’ requests into beautiful pillows. Animal series is done, when will she make vegetable and fruit series? I am waiting for pillows made of batik fabrics. Meida Rosa Delima Tanlain (Teacher of a Kindergarten in Newmont, Sumbawa) 

I really love Tina’s doll works. They are so cute, and the shapes can be customized in accordance with our requests. Miu Kyung (staff of Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta)

Nothing is impossible. In her dexterous hands anything can turn to be unique. She always has fresh ideas. I don’t know what is in her mind. Perhaps her world is so colorful and full of dreams. She materializes them into beautiful things. Her drawings are so unique with childhood character. Perhaps that is the way she is. Despite a grown-up woman and even a mother, she still has an imagination about a little girl in a fairy tale. Tovic Raharja (Creative & Marketing Grand Pacific Hall, Yogyakarta).

Previously I didn’t pay much attention to the term: “Jahitangan”. For me, her works are always unique. She really knows her friends; their inclinations, tastes, types, etc. Though borrowing her hands, I feel like it is indeed my own hand-sewing. And uniquely it is so Tina (or so Jahitangan), isn’t it? One reason that I choose her hand-sewing product is the appropriate thickness of her pillow dolls. They are very much suitable to what we want; they are huggable. They are so warm, very nice to be hugged. The thickness is appropriate to prop parts of our body as we order; to prop our back, buttock, head, etc. They are so versatile like my owl doll, which can be a little travelling pillow. It is child friendly. She chooses materials that cannot injure children’s skin or harm them. So, once it fits me, I won’t go anywhere. J. Maria Carmelia S (Teacher at Sunsmile Kids).

“There are power of love and compassion in your hand-sewed dolls. I want to keep hugging them”.  Nur Cahyati W (Librarian at American Corner, UGM).

They are so cute; they are creatively and nicely made. I give them to my friends and nieces. And they do love them.  Rismilliana Wijayanti (Manager of VWFA).

 “Aunty, thank you for the Dino dolls. I call them Tito and Tato. They’re so cute and adorable. They always accompany my sleep if my mother and father haven’t got home”. Emmanuel Devanand Onduko (5 years old, kindergarten in Salatiga)

A brief profile

She was born in Purwokerto, in August 11st, 1977. She was graduated from Psychology Department of Sanata Dharma University in Yogyakarta. Since 1997 until present, she has worked for various activities of both performing and visual arts. Her exhibition debut took place in 2003 in Sanata Dharma University. On that occasion she was awarded as the winner of painting competition. “Mimpi Dunia Empuk” will be her first solo exhibition after for years working behind the scene, helping artists in many art events. 

BAHASA INDONESIA

‘Mimpi Dunia Empuk / Dream of Pillowy World’
Pameran tunggal karya Agustina Tri Wahyuningsih

Via Via Café Traveller
Jalan Prawirotaman No 30, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
22 Desember 2011 – 12 Januari 2012

Negeri Dongeng yang Empuk

Mengenal Agustina Tri Wahyuningsih atau lebih akrab dipanggil Tina (perempuan kelahiran Purwokerto, 34 tahun) adalah sosok yang tidak pernah bisa diam. Pembawaannya yang kalem, khas perempuan Jawa, namun aktivitas dan ide-idenya terus bermunculan. Mulai dari membuat boneka ala Jepang, membuat tas dan kaos, lukisan diatas papan kayu dan yang terbaru saat ini adalah karya-karya bonekanya. Menurut Tina, inspirasi untuk karya-karya ini sebenarnya sudah jauh terpendam dalam pikirannya, namun baru bisa terrealisasikan di awal tahun ini; dimana sekarang ia lebih punya waktu senggang sambil merawat putri cantik pertamanya, Kaysha (18 bulan).

Memiliki Kaysha saat ini semakin menginspirasi Tina bertekun di dunia bonekanya. Dan mendampingi Edo Pillu, sang suami yang dikenal sebagai perupa, juga pengalaman kerja dan pergaulannya di lingkaran seni rupa Yogyakarta, sedikit banyak memberinya ide-ide segar untuk karyanya. Tina memang hobi dengan hal-hal yang berkenaan dengan dekorasi, kain katun, dunia dongeng dan ilustrasi didalamnya. Kombinasi dari latar belakang dan hobinya tersebut, jadilah karya-karya karakter Tina ini.

Mengutip testimoni dari seorang sahabat sekaligus konsumennya , Maria Carmelia, yang menggambarkan bagaimana kecenderungan karya Tina mulai dari soal selera, tipe dan warna. Maka, meskipun di luar sana, mungkin ada produk-produk yang mirip dan sudah lebih dulu muncul, tetapi karya Tina yang kemudian dilabeli ‘jahitangan’ memiliki kekhasan ala Tina. Cek saja dari pilihan karakter motif kain, jenis kain dan figur boneka yang ia buat, itu khas Tina. Bagi Tina, pekerjaan yang terkonotasi domestik ini merupakan pelampiasan dari ide-ide unik dan kreatif, disamping itu ia bisa bermain dan bereksplorasi di dalamnya. Menumpahkan sebuah dongeng dan figur-figur bermotif kontemporer dalam sebuah boneka. Kenapa boneka? Boneka adalah benda mengantarkan kita bermain, berkesan lucu, imut dan hampir semua kalangan umur  menikmatinya, mulai dari kanak-kanak hingga orang dewasa.

Kembali mengutip testimoni Maria Carmelia, ia sangat terkesan dengan ketepatan tebal boneka bantalnya, amat sangat pas dengan apa yang kita inginkan, empuk. Pameran ‘Mimpi Dunia Empuk’ ini mencoba mengantarkan kita pada imajinasi-imajinasi yang melanglang jauh, membuat kita lebih nyaman dengan dongeng-dongeng yang diciptakan. ‘Dan yang jelas aku ingin boneka karyaku tidak hanya sebagai bantal, tapi dia mampu menjadi bagian dari karya yang bisa berada dimana saja, dinikmati siapa saja. Aku ingin mengajak semua penikmat bermain-main di dunia empuk’, demikian angan-angan Tina.

Selamat menikmati dan mari sama-sama bermimpi indah.

Nunuk Ambarwati

Testimoni

Menurut aku, karyanya Tina unik dan aku belum pernah menjumpainya di tempat lain. Tina dapat menuangkan permintaan pemesan dalam kreasi bantalnya dengan cantik. Edisi binatang sudah, kapan ya edisi sayur dan buah muncul? Aku juga sedang menanti kreasi bantal dari kain batik hehehehe… Meida Rosa Delima Tanlain (Pengajar Taman Kanak-kanak di Newmont, Sumbawa).

Saia sangat suka dengan karya-karya bonekanya mbak Tina... Lucu-lucu dan bisa dibuat berbagai macam bentuk sesuai dengan keinginan...Salam, Miu Kyung (bekerja di Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta).

Tidak ada yang tidak mungkin. Di tangan Tina, melalui kepiawaiannya mengolah sesuatu yang biasa menjadi unik. Selalu ada ide segar yang muncul. Entah apa yang ada dalam otak dia, mungkin dunianya yang penuh mimpi dan warna, lalu dia wujudkan dalam pernik-pernik cantik dan karya gambar yang mempunyai ciri khas kanak-kanak. Mungkin itulah Tina, di dalam tubuhnya yang tumbuh dewasa dan bahkan sudah menjadi ibu. Dia masih punya khayalan tentang gadis kecil di negeri dongeng. Tovic Raharja (Creative & Marketing Grand Pacific Hall, Yogyakarta).

Tadinya saya tidak terlalu memperhatikan namanya: ‘jahitangan’. Karena bagi saya, ini karya Tina yang selalu khas. Seperti kekhasannya yang mengenal teman-temannya; kecenderungan selera, tipe, warna dan seterusnya…rasanya memang ini ‘jahitangan’ku – tapi pinjem tangan Tina. Dan uniknya, justru Tina-Sekali (atau harusnya: ‘jahitangan’-sekali ya?) J Salah satu yang bikin ‘jahitangan’ jadi pilihanku adalah ketepatan tebal boneka bantalnya. Amat sangat pas dengan apa yang kita inginkan: pelukable (tebalnya pas buat dipeluk-peluk), ganjelable (ketebalan pas buat mengganjal bagian-bagian tubuh sesuai yang kita pesan peruntukkannya: ganjel punggung, ganjel pantat, ganjel kepala, atau serbaguna seperti owl pesanan saya yang memang untuk bantal mungil travelling, dan children friendly. Bahan-bahannya memang dipilih yang tidak akan melukai kulit anak atau membahayakan anak. Jadi, ya gimana ya…kalau sudah cocok itu kan ya nggak kemana-mana J. Maria Carmelia S (Pengajar di Sunsmile Kids).

“Ada kekuatan dan kelembutan cinta di jahitan tangan bonekamu. Jadi pengen meluk terussss…”. Nur Cahyati W (Librarian di American Corner, UGM).

Bentuknya lucu, kreatif dan rapi. Saya bagi ke teman-teman dan keponakan. Semua suka! Rismilliana Wijayanti (Manajer Jogja Contemporary).

"Tante, terima kasih boneka dinonya. Tak kasih nama Tito sama Tato. Luccuuu banget gemesiinn, sekarang mereka teman bobokku loh kalo mama dan papa belum pulang". Emmanuel Devanand Onduko (umur 5th, TK besar di Salatiga).

Profil singkat Agustina Tri Wahyuningsih
Lahir di Purwokerto, 11 Agustus 1977. Tina merupakan lulusan sarjana jurusan Psikologi, Universitas Sanata Dharma, Yogyakarta. Sejak tahun 1997 hingga saat ini, Tina aktif di berbagai kegiatan kesenian sebagai seorang pekerja seni, baik seni pertunjukan hingga seni rupa. Debut pameran pertamanya di tahun 2003, dimana ia sekaligus mendapat penghargaan sebagai juara pertama lomba lukis di kampus Sanata Darma. ‘Mimpi Dunia Empuk’ menjadi gelaran perdana pameran tunggalnya setelah sekian lama bekerja di balik layar membantu para seniman dan sebagai pekerja seni dalam sebuah event.

Ucapan Terima Kasih
Tuhan YME, para malaikat yang baik hati, orangtuaku, suamiku, malaikat kecilku “Kay”, kakak-kakakku | Nunuk Ambarwati & MAM-nya | Farah Wardani | Meida Rosa Delima Tanlain | Miu Kyung | Tovic Raharja | Maria Carmelia S | Nur Cahyati W | Rismilliana Wijayanti | Emmanuel Devanand Onduko & Ruth Onduko | Mie Cornodeus, Putri Santoso dan segenap staf Via Via Café Traveller

Diterbitkan di koran Tribun Jogja, rubrik Art & Culture, halaman 12, Minggu, 30 September 2012

Kinci's Imagination

IMAJINASI

Solo exhibition by Roby Dwi Antono

21 April - 30 May 2012

Tirana House - Boutique & Artspace

Jalan Suryodiningratan No 55 Yogyakarta 

KINCI’S IMAGINATIONS

 

One afternoon, a friend of mine, Iwan Effendy recommended me to see Roby Dwi Antono’s artworks. I was so excited, feeling like just finding an oasis in the middle of a dessert (art scene). Then I thought I had found a new idol. He was born in 1990 in Ambarawa, Central Java. He lives in Yogyakarta and has been working as illustrator and graphic designer since 2010. Despites his young age, his artworks are really refreshing. From the very first time we met, I knew he is a down-to-earth person. He admitted that he started drawing since kindergarten. He never studied art in art school. He developed his painting skill in Vocational High School of Engineering. He took class of graphic design. He used pencil first when he started drawing, then he used color pencil, pastel and poster paint. He also had tried using paper, canvas and wood. He explored the media during his learning. His curiosity to use other types of media than pencil always drives him to create works. At present he is learning to use acrylic applied on canvas. He admitted that he has not had chance to use oil paint.

His artworks are influenced by those of world artists like Mark Ryden, Marion Peck, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Ray Caesar, Jana Brike and Dilka Bear. His family, friends, daily things including his childhood also have important role in influencing his works. He said that Mark Ryden is one of his favorite artists. Rayden is American artist. He is the king of Pop Surrealism movement. For him, the artist is very amazing, not only because of his fine and beautiful visualization but also of the mystery enclosed deeply within his works. “Watching his, artworks, I feel like I am falling into them and able to feel what he paints”, Roby said. Likewise, when we look at Roby’s works, it feels like we are inside them, closely feeling their attractiveness, happiness, sadness and even tragedy. It is like we are entering a dream world. Every mystery is made to make everyone freely contemplate and draw their own conclusions from what they see. 

The theme “Imagination” has appeared out of Roby’s conversation with a friend about their childhood dreams. According to him, we cannot limit whatever we will do in the future, we are never afraid to have dreams. Within an imagination surely lies a strong ambition to make it come true. Such spirit could be felt in his debut exhibition. As quoted from Walt Disney - If you can dream it, you can do it.

In accordance with this headline, Roby would like to share the beauty of children imaginations so that we will always keep our dreams alive. Because usually as we gets older and older, our ambition to accomplish our childhood dream collide with fear of failure. A great idea sometimes comes from impossible imagination. “So, free you imagination,” Roby advised. He has made some researches with his friends as the subjects to find out their childhood dreams. He randomly did the research with friends of the same, younger and much older age. He sort and chose dreams that were considered interesting and imaginative enough. Then he put them into his artworks, combining them with his own imaginations. So, here they are 15 new artworks being exhibited now, along with 5 old artworks as references for comparison.  

Although his artworks belong to surrealism, daily realities are of his inspirations in the process of creations. For this exhibition Roby is presenting artworks of pencil drawing on paper. According to him, drawing is the mother of the beauty of visual art. Every attractive works of art comes from a simple drawing/sketch. Concerning drawing technique with pencil, he prefers shading to blending one. He uses mechanical pencils because with them he can make small objects in detail. His reason of using pencil than other instruments is that for him with pencil it is easier to communicate his ideas. With pencil he also enjoys every stroke and sketch. An attractive subject on drawing medium can be created with different intensity of thickness made with pencil strokes. His skill of using acrylic paint can also be seen in one of the works being exhibited, namely the work titled “Pilu Lalu”.

If we observe especially his drawing works more deeply, we can see that he always have empty space in each of his work. He said that empty space can make his subject get correct focus. Therefore, it is easier for his audience to understand what he tries to communicate through his works although in nature surrealism is hard to understand. For him empty space in an artworks is like air with what the subject of the artworks “breaths”. His reasons above are based on his experiences and education background with graphic design.

            About the rabbit, here is Kinci. It is the character all this time Roby uses in his works. He said that Kinci the rabbit symbolizes the sensitivity to beauty, coziness and mystery like art itself. Although sometimes it looks dumb, it is indeed a cute animal. It hates violence, criticism, untidiness and filthiness. He admitted that it is like him. The rabbits in his works are actually himself, his alter ego. For him, he wants everyone to know him from these rabbits.   

 

Enjoy the works. Keep imagining and hopefully get inspired!

 

Nunuk Ambarwati

 

Sources:

Interview via email with Roby Dwi Antono, 4 April 2012.

http://dgi-indonesia.com/bajigur-10-interview-dengan-robby-dwi-antono-surealis-negeri-kelinci/ (downloaded on 7 April 2012).

http://nylonindonesia.com/article/read/64757/ARTIST-ROBY-DWI-ANTONO (downloaded on 7 April 2012).