Gajah Gallery presents OFFBEAT, a group exhibition gathering young and upcoming contemporary artists from Indonesia; threading together their works through their histories of forging alternatives outside of the traditional paths and methods expected from them as artists. Bringing to light each artist's unconventional route, the show reveals how rather than impeding their art, their unique approaches in fact enrich and complexify them—birthing idiosyncratic artistic forms that meld a plethora of influences.
Some of the participating artists were not traditionally trained as artists, or draw inspiration from backgrounds outside fine arts which, whether implicitly or explicitly, arguably spill over into their art. Herru Yoga's visceral, emotionally-charged paintings, melding classical painting nuances, futuristic elements, and the gestural strokes of abstract-expressionism, contain a sharp awareness of human drama that reflect his background in French literature. Having previously delved in the craft of making women's accessories, Dini Nur Aghnia became drawn to the creative possibilities of synthetic clay, seeing it as an alternative medium that allows her to fully express her fascination with nature beyond conventional art materials.
While many were trained as artists, their current practices venture beyond what they were conventionally taught or the artistic traditions with which they engage. Jemana Murti built his career as a painter, particularly pushing the traditions of portrait painting—but for this show, he presents a recent, unexpected foray into conceptual sculpture. His most recent 'veiled' series questioning the state of traditional culture in his locale. While Ridho Rizki follows in the tradition of still life painting, his works incorporate techniques of pointillism to create hauntingly ambiguous paintings of objects, imploring audiences to explore a multiplicity of meanings rather than fixed, singular perspectives. Rosit Mulyadi has established an oeuvre full of masterful appropriations of iconic works throughout art history, from Baroque to Pop Art. Yet he melds tradition with a distinctly contemporary aesthetic as he obscures, blurs, or vandalizes parts of these revered works—forming an irreverent visual language that alludes to the internet's ubiquitous 'remix culture'.
Finally, there are artists who see mark-making and their unique gestures on canvas as subversive acts in themselves. Blurring the boundaries between street art and the commercial art world, Oggz brings the crude aesthetic of murals and graffiti into the polished walls of a gallery—seeing his mark-making as a way to prolong his existence not only in public but private spaces too. Defying formal techniques and styles, Mutiara Riswari finds inspiration in her childhood memories of sketching with crayons. Her works employ raw, uninhibited scribbles and gestures that capture the visceral freedom in refusing to restrain one's artistic expression. Coinciding with the show are performance art pieces by artists and groups that further capture the vibrant, offbeat spirit that has come to characterize Indonesia's contemporary art scene, brimming with alternative art spaces. Forgoing the traditional concept of stage as a performance arena, P(ART)Y LAB brings performance art into public places through a guerilla strategy. Their piece titled Chill-Look-Baa elevates the mundane into something intriguing and joy-inducing.Shaking our anthropocentric views, the Freak Show and Marten Bayuaji present pieces that subvert the preconceived human-nonhuman hierarchy. A form of satirical role reversal, Frank the Stone is an anthropomorphised volcanic stone created by artist Marten Bayuaji. A subject of absurdity, Frank performs Fly Me to the Moon, a futile attempt which acts as both art installation and durational performance. The Freak Show pokes fun at humans' confidence in their separation from other animals. Their performance Seekor Ayam presents a visual paradox, where a chicken visits an art exhibition while enjoying a special breakfast, instigating its audiences to question things we define as humane versus animalistic.
As the show corresponds to the opening week of ARTJOG, one of Indonesia's biggest annual art events, Gajah Gallery will simultaneously hold a roster of activities within the gallery, such as a curator's tour and a foundry tour accompanied by the foundry's director. Offbeat ultimately encapsulates the experimental spirit of emerging artists and brings fresh voices to the forefront during a significant time, while also revealing not necessarily a penchant for defiance, but a constant engagement and renegotiation with tradition.
Press release courtesy Gajah Gallery.
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Indonesia
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