REFRESH — Indonesian Post-war Art: Art: 1 New Museum
Before contemporary art, there was modern art.
Modern art emerged during a relatively difficult and lengthy period when Indonesia was still under foreign occupation, in and out of wars and just beginning to build a national identity. Life for the common people was not easy, living conditions was below ideal and infrastructure for the arts was minimal. However, this situation did not deter a few from utilising their creativity to reflect upon the beauty and meaning of life alongside its difficulties as well.
Fast forward as the country progressed, contemporary art entering the frame even began to cast modern art as a “has been”. With this backdrop in mind, REFRESH is an intimate exhibition serving as a checkpoint to revisit and rediscover modern art through new perspectives. In the works of S. Sudjojono and Affandi, we see how their chosen aesthetic principles changed the course of art history. We see nuanced depiction of beauty seen through the eyes of Indo-Europeans Adrien-Jean Le Mayeur De Merprès, Antonio Blanco, and Willem Gerard Hofker. With Fadjar Sidik, Handrio and Ahmad Sadali, we examine how modern forms find meaning through rhythm and composition.
Modern art might have come from a past forgotten time, but its essence distilled stays relevant.
