This is my Style

By Darma Ismayanto

Come on, keep playing, and keep being happy. Forget about those struggling for power.

The fine artist, Arie Kadarisman expressively released his cheerfulness without any burden in his painting entitled “Playing in front of a Shadow” (Bermain di Depan Bayangan) and “Zone Up”. He was freely playing, with or without a tool, a way to let go off life weariness in the midst of the global problem as it is now.

The bright colors that Arie chooses very much support the cheerful theme he is presenting. Huuppp...huuuppp...huuupppp... Keep playing, cheer up. Forget about those struggling for power. It is the simple message that appears when one looks at the two of Arie’s works. He, together with 18 other artists is presenting their works in the “I Report, I Decide” exhibition in Seven Star-Art Space (Tujuh Bintang Art Space), from 27 March – 12 April in Yogyakarta, at the time of legislative political campaign, quite/cooling off time, and the cast voting day for legislators in this country.

Saptoadi Nugroho, The Director of Tujuh Bintang (Seven Stars) provides a space for artists to give announcement to the public and to make a decision, “This is my (painting) style” (Inilah gaya (lukis) saya). Therefore observers are given the freedom to translate those works.

A variety of themes can be directly seen when we look at the works of Budi Yonaf who presents religious and spiritual works. Something intentional (kesengajaan) is presented by Budi in his two works “Asa Dirinya” and “Kaki-kaki Langit” (Horizons), that is to voice out an announcement “This is my paintings.”

While the theme of woman body form is chosen by Wibowo Adi Utama in his two works”Super Impose in Silence” and”Loneliness in Friday Night”.

He describes a natural flexibility and beauty; however it is not wrong if there is someone understands it as a way of exploiting woman’s body and being sensual. Yoyok Sahaja also has a different work to present. Two paintings that he brings to the exhibition this time, “They keep falling” (Pada Berjatuhan) and “Grow Up to Spirit” are describing small objects sticking to the wall.