BREAK ON THROUGH
Heri Dono’s work is challenging, and the Indonesian will showcase some of it at this year’s Bangkok Art Biennale
Heri Dono isn’t afraid to push boundaries. In a way, he seems to operate outside of the normal confines altogether. With his cheeky, assured and politically engaging nature, Dono, born in 1960, has carved himself a position as one of Indonesia’s leading contemporary artists. He was in town last week to give a talk at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, and later this year he will be one of the 70 participants who will showcase their work at Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB 2018).
Dono’s rebellious side stems from a philosophy of valuing creative freedom and individuality. After seven years of art school, Dono dropped out before graduating. This was due in part to his exploration of the independence of water via the use of an aquarium, as opposed to the conventional use of water to mix paint. After his teacher rejected the quirky installation and asked if he was crazy, Dono concluded that he could still be an artist without a degree.
“The problem was when the teacher asked me to explore creativity but at the same time not allow me to stand out from the aesthetic of the art school,” said Dono.
Contradictions seem to be a common theme throughout Dono’s work. His now distinctive style seamlessly mixes traditional and modern techniques, drawing inspiration from both Wayang kulit, a traditional Javanese form of puppet theatre, and from comic books and cartoons. The result is paintings, installations and performance pieces that are caricatured and colourful, yet simultaneously detailed and insightful.
Throwing in recognisable faces — think Trump, Obama from the US and Indonesia’s Suharto — is Dono’s personal way of commenting on the many inconsistencies and issues within politics, both in Indonesia and globally. One installation named Shock Therapy For Political Leader (2004), features 10 Indonesian leaders hanging upside down from chairs, poignantly highlighting the public’s concern over politicians caring only about their place in Parliament, and not about the people.
“Many politicians give promises to our better life,” says Dono, “but only promises.” Dono views it as his responsibility to give witness to political consciousness.
“Art without a message is only decoration. I don’t like politics but I have to make comments in art as a human being. I think everybody has his or her individual perception or individual things that are very important to give a message.”
One of his most recent paintings, The Political War, is a depiction of the 2016 election in the United States. Two large creatures, dressed up as superheroes and seemingly controlled by the presidential candidates, fight each other with guns on what appears to be a stage. The image is almost cathartic; a comical reminder that often politics and political debates are just for show.
But Dono’s satirical portrayals of the world’s socio-political arena have not been without issue. In 1996, when returning to Indonesia after exhibiting Blooming In Arm’s, a piece depicting the 1965 Indonesian Communist massacre, Dono was arrested at the airport.
“I had to stay for three days at the police headquarters to get interrogated. When I came back home, I said to my parents that my flight had been delayed in Singapore. I didn’t want to involve my parents in my art activities because it was very political at that time, it was very dangerous.”
Although Dono cannot discuss the details of his art in the upcoming Bangkok Biennale, he hints that it will focus on hope for the future.
“My work is not really political; my work is more about our existence, our humanity, because this is the most important. If you see in the future, people are already thinking about living on another planet, some architect tries to send food to another planet and build robots. Politics is not really important anymore in this kind of future.”
In challenging our perceptions through a humorous yet meaningful manner, Dono’s art helps us make a little more sense of the world today. His work will be on show at the East Asiatic Company’s building located along the Chao Phraya River later this year.
My work is more about our existence, our humanity, because this is the most important