FX HARSONO

ARTIST

Among the leading figures in the Indonesian art scene, FX Harsono first made headlines by joining in the 1974 Black December Movement. This protest led to the birth of the New Art Movement (GSRB) in 1975, in which 12 young artists called to change the paradigm and depoliticization of Indonesian art. Harsono continued to be the voice of the oppressed and marginalized groups until today. During the authoritarian reign of the corrupt New Order era, he vocally criticized the rulers and shed some light on the people’s plight.

After its fall in 1998, Harsono further explored the long, painful history concerning his identity as a Chinese-indonesian minority. He received many prestigious awards, such as Anugerah Adhikarya Rupa and Prince Claus Award, both in 2014, for his dedication to the Indonesian art world. His works have been showcased internationally from the 1993 Asia Pacific Triennale in Brisbane to the 2011 Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, and many more. In 2020 alone, Harsono joined four virtual exhibitions in Jakarta, Korea and Singapore, alongside many virtual talks and discussions.