artist

Oct

2022

Ida Bagus Putu Purwa

Ida Bagus Putu Purwa’s (or shortly Purwa) concept of art works is his continuous search of freedom. His paintings speak about human bodies in a true search and longing for freedom, realising that human existence or ones’ due rights was given to them since birth.

Although the subjects in the paintings sometime take different shape or posture, they are in fact an expression of himself. For this reason the figures are embodiments of the artist himself. His works are expression of this quest to freedom and a reflection of the suffering of this urge to realise his dream.

Wearing mask or face painted to hide agony, jumping high or almost disappear to the side while running, the figures move till the edge of the canvas (or paper) as if they are looking to break out of the frame, looking for freedom outside their confined edges. Inspired by the traditional Balinese dance, the figures appear to dance with vigorous movements, expressing anger and frustration. Sometime those figures stand precariously close to the edge of an imaginary cliff with unknown depth.

The figures somehow seem to realise their own physical limitations and destiny if you like and thus reflects a struggle for self-acceptance, perhaps resignation.

Abounding with heightened emotions and rich cultural traditions, Purwa’s stylised figures draw upon the diversity and vibrancy of his background. Graceful composition showing vulnerable strength and light-footed postures bear the weight of mental burden.

Artist Bio

Exhibition

2019

Affordable Art Fair, Brussels, Belgium
First Art Fair, Amsterdam

2017
Solo exhibition, “Vague Memories”, Santrian Gallery, Sanur, Bali
Art Sampoerna, The Atrium Sampoerna Strategic Building, Jakarta
“Art-tivities Now”, group exhibition, Breeze Art Space, Tangerang, Jakarta

2014
“Legacy of Power” ARTJOG 14, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta
“Asah Asih Asuh” Sika Contemporary Gallery, Bali
“Locaforce 2014” Bale Pare Hall Exhibition, Kota Baru Parahyangan, Bandung
“Re(ART)ionship” Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta

2013
“Fascination” Avantgarde Berlin, Berlin, Germany in cooperation with Gallery Lukisan
” IMBA TUBUH ” DIA.LO.GUE Art Space, Jakarta

2009
“Rising sons from the archipelago”, Gallery Lukisan, Dublin, Ireland
Solo exhibition, “Sign Session”, Boya Fineart & Tony Raka Gallery, Ubud Bali

2008
Solo exhibition, “Break Out”, Boya Fineart & Elcanna Art Gallery, Jakarta

2007
Joint exhibition “Question of Distance”, Boya Fineart & Elcanna Art Gallery, Jakarta

2006
“Intuitive Reflection”, at Kiridesa Gallery, Kirds Singapore
“Jago”, at Niki Gallery, Ubud, Bali
“Maskulin”, at Danes Art Veranda, Bali
“Bali in Contemplation”, at O House Gallery, Jakarta
“Shape Expression of Bali Cultural Part”, at Art Centre Denpasar, Bali
“Sanur Festival”, at Santrian Gallery, Bali
“Unlimited Ten Fine Art”, at Danes Art Veranda, Bali
“Panorama Ten Fine Art”, Ganesha Gallery, 4 Season, Jimbaran, Bali

2005
“Melbourne Affordable Art Show 2005”, at Royal Exhibition Building , Carlton Melbourne, Australia
“Ten Fine Art”, at Hogart Collect Gallery, Australia
Twinning Exhibition (with Ketut Teja Astawa): “Art As Self Expresion”, at Santrian Art Gallery, Bali
“Brikolase”, at Ten Fine Art, Sanur, Bali
“Black & White Group Hybridism”, at Pilar Batu Gallery, Ubud, Bali

2004
“Sanur Painter Association Mosaic Exhibition”, at Santrian Art Gallery, Sanur, Bali.
“Drawing New Harmony II”, at Rare Angon Gallery, Sanur, Bali
“Triplet OH”, at Sudana Gallery, Ubud, Bali
“Exhibition at Guet Gallery”, at Sanur, Bali
“10 Artist Introduce Themselves”, at 10 Fine Art Sanur, Bali
“Auction”, at Swissotel the Stamford, Singapore
“Red by Black & White Group”, at Tama Gallery, Ubud, Bali
“The Journey by Sanur Painter Association”, at Puri Lukisan Museum, Ubud, Bali

2003
“TAI Black Dies Natalis STSI XXXVI”, at STSI, Denpasar, Bali
“BIG from Fine Artist In 16”, at Art Center Denpasar & Santrian Gallery, Sanur, Bali
“LELAKUT”, at Peguyangan Rice Farm, Denpasar, Bali
“New Harmony”, at Rare Angon Gallery, Sanur, Bali
“Bali Art Festival XXV”, at Art Center, Denpasar, Bali
“Sarasvaty in Imagination”, at Nandya Gallery, Ubud, Bali
“Red & White Reflection”, at Margarana National Monument, Tabanan, Bali

2002
“Trouble”, at Padang Linjong, Krobokan, Bali
Exhibition of Sanur Painters Association: “Soft Opening Santrian Gallery”, at Santrian Gallery, Sanur, Bali
“Exhibition and Demonstration”, at Apache Bar, Kuta, Bali
“Fine Artist in 16”, at Gabrig Art Gallery, Sanur, Bali
“Paradise Youth Activity for Humanity Sangga Bhuana”, at RRI, Denpasar, Bali

2001
“Exhibition of Sanur Painters Association”, at Balairung Dewi Sri, Garuda Wisnu Kencana Exhibition Hall, Jimbaran, Bali
“Indonesia-Japan Cultural Exhibition with Balinese Flowers”, at Kuta Centre, Bali

1997
“Creativity Exhibition for Welcoming Guest of PERTAMINA”, at STSI, Denpasar, Bali
3rd Anniversary of Kamasra at STSI Sanur, Denpasar, Bali

1996
“Gebyar SMK” Indonesia, SMSRN Denpasar, Bali (“All Indonesian Senior High School Creativity Show)

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Oct

2022

Iswanto Soerjanto

Iswanto Soerjanto has been working for more than 2 decades as an advertising photographer but is seeking to find other forms of photography. As an experienced photographer he makes high quality photos. His interest in the history of photography and techniques leading him to experiment with the medium, stepping outside the traditional boundary of the modern digital camera.

While other photography artists experimenting with the digital forms of photography, Iswanto Soerjanto goes back to the old camera obscura, antique tintype photography, glass photographic plates eventually omitting the negatives, and using unusual chemicals and different ways of processing the photo-sensitive paper. The majority of his artworks consist of chemigrams and cyanotypes, created with techniques and philosophy rooted in oriental culture.

Chemigram (link to Wikipedia for the definition) is a method to produce work on photo-sensitive paper using all kinds of chemicals with or without light exposure. Due to the absence of physical or digital negatives (or positives) there is no possibility to reproduce or reprint the photos, hence the works are all unique pieces.

Cyanotye is a photographic process that produces a cyan-blue print. While cyanotype method allows reproduction from drawings, other printed media or many sorts of other materials, due to the method of creating the artwork, most of the cyanotype artworks are also unique pieces. Note that all Iswanto Soerjanto’s cyanotype works are unique pieces.

Artist Bio

Solo Exhibition

2020
“Painting With Light”, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore

2018
“Re-Definition” – Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung, Indonesia

Group Exhibition

2022
Art Jakarta 2022, Mizuma Gallery (Singapore), Jakarta, Indonesia

2021
“Road To Bandung Photo Trienale”, Bandung, Indonesia
“How Are We Doing”, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore

2020
Art Jakarta 2020 (online), Mizuma Gallery (Singapore), Jakarta, Indonesia

2019
“On/Out Of Paper” – Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
KunstRAI Amsterdam – Gallery Lukisan
Affordable Art Fair, Brussels, Belgium
First Art Fair, Amsterdam

2018
“From the Archives”, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
ART JAKARTA, The Ritz Carlton Jakarta Pacific Place Ballroom

2016
Why are we doing What we r doing? – Mizuma Gallery, Singapore

2015
Mizuma Gallery, Singapore

2011
“Beyond Photography”, Ciputra Artpreneur Center, Jakarta

2008
Garis Art Space, Jakarta

2004
Garis Art Space, Bali

2000
Nine Art Gallery, Yogyakarta

1996
“PHOTOMORGANA” Photography Exhibition held by Professional Photographer Association of Indonesia (APPI)

1993
“INSPIRATION” Photography Exhibition held by Professional Photographer Association of Indonesia (APPI)

Publications

Iswanto Soerjanto: His cameraless explorations – The Jakarta Post http://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2018/04/26/iswanto-soerjanto-his-cameraless-explorations.html
Mengintip Pameran Foto Tanpa Kamera Iswanto Soerjanto – CNN Indonesia https://www.cnnindonesia.com/hiburan/20180421191908-241-292542/mengintip-pameran-foto-tanpa-kamera-iswanto-soerjanto
Instalasi Seni Keren, Pengunjung Berasa di Dalam Kamera Obscura _ Liputan6 https://www.liputan6.com/regional/read/3476203/instalasi-seni-keren-pengunjung-berasa-di-dalam-kamera-obscura
SOLO EXHIBITION “Painting With Light”, Mizuma Gallery Singapore, https://www.mizuma.sg/exhibitions/2020/02/22/painting-with-light/

Artist’s statement (by Iswanto Soerjanto)

The relationship between what we perceive as visually recognizable and what is considered abstract is fascinating. In our daily life, we encounter many different environments, each of which has its own impact on us. I believe that everything in the world can be broken.down into multiple layers or elements of abstraction and pattern.
I am interested in the history of photography, the beginning we have the ability to capture an image and to preserve it permanently. Photography as a process of chemical reactions that involve light, light-sensitive material, and photographic chemicals. This is what I do to create my works, recording light and convert it into an abstract reality. These photos do not depict something, apart from the photo itself.

Basically, I use almost anything that can be functioned as a resist in order to control the amount of light hitting the photo paper and later dipping the photo paper into the chemical simultaneously and not to follow the ordinary steps. This western print making process is very much similar to javanese batik print making that has been exsisted in Indonesian culture for many generations, but instead of drawing a batik pattern, I initiate the light to draw on their own and let chemical reactions form the image. My control of making the image is minimum.

Chemigram as an alternative photography process was first discovered by a Belgian artist named Pierre Cordier in 1956 and then rolled all over the world.

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Oct

2022

Hengki Koentjoro

Hengki Koentjoro is an award-winning and accomplished fine-art and landscape photographer, specialising in capturing the spectral domain amidst the shades of black and white. Born in Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia, he proceeded to pursue further education in Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California; an expedition that plunged him into the professional arena of video production and fine art photography. Childhood introduction to camera on his 11th birthday is by now an earnest love affair that involves an elaborate choreography of composition, texture, shapes and lines.

Upon his return to Indonesia, Hengki settles in Jakarta as a freelance videographer and video editor for nature documentaries and corporate profiles. Delving into what he believes to be his true purpose in life’s journey of expression, he indulges himself in the art of black and white photography on the side. Exploring along the borderlines of light and shadow, yin and yang. Celebrating complexity in the minimalist, while diving into the spiritual in the physical.

Hengki Koentjoro is named one of Hasselblad Ambassadors.

“Photography can never be separated from the aspects of making the common things unusual, welcoming the unexpected, indulging and embracing ourselves with the joy of photography”—Hengki Koentjoro, 2013