Sunday, June 1, 2008

"Dari A Sampai Z"







"Dari A Sampai Z" ("From A to Z"), solo exhibition of Sudandyo Widyo Aprilianto (Lilik) on May 31, 2008. Lilik, my boyfriend, had his first big solo exhibition in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. On display were forty-seven artworks on paper and canvas, the majority painted in 2007 and 2008, but with a few included from as early as 2004. Most paintings on paper were made during his six-month residency in America in 2007, and following the earthquake in Yogyakarta on May 27, 2006. The newest paintings experimented with the idea of the 'bottle', and how the bottle can represent the human experience in different contexts. The exhibition was packed with people, including Lilik's family (mother, sister and her two twin daughters), who came all the way from his hometown in northeast Java (five hours away), to participate in the event. The opening event included several bands ranging from reggae, punk and experimental dj music, as well as contemporary shadow puppetry and a traditional-contemporary dance by myself. For my dance I blended a traditional Jaipongan dance (Jaipongan is a newer style of traditional dance from West Java that is quick and variative), with a contemporary character whose personality balanced on the edge of hillbilly and hip-hop. It was a blast! Hurray for Lilik in expressing himself, in being brave to go for his dream in being a painter, and in making work that isn't cheap or boring or just to sell for high prices and put on somebody's wall as an addition to their fancy tv and couches! Yeah for Lilik for believing in the beauty of true artistic expression, and going for it!!!