Page 7 - Inner Gazing

INNER GAZING form of metaphor for life and living. Nano explores the issues

About the Work of the Four Artists of self-identity as humans in various dimensions—whether in
the personal domestic space as a husband, father and so on,
or the social space of Balinese as human beings in a struggle
By with culture with all its dynamics, to the position of humans
I Made Susanta Dwitanaya
in their interactions with nature. Nano’s works always present
For artists, creating is a process of expressing a particular layers both visually and thematically. Layer by layer in Nano’s
“something” with their own choice of visual language. The work is the space of self-expression in which there is a way of
expression can dwell on personal and non-personal issues. interpreting life itself. In his works Nano presents an attitude
But whatever it is, each artist certainly has his own point towards a phenomenon that is interwoven in his unique
of view in seeing a phenomenon and determining how to perspective—which is that, according to Nano’s view, all the
express it himself. In short, every artist has the awareness to problems that exist in life are a matter of how this self reacts.
formulate and understand for themselves what has been, is, “A problem is actually in us and how we react,” Nano told this
and will be done, and all that they will share and offer to the writer. Thus he often chooses self-portraits as a visual choice
viewer. The exhibition is an event where the ideas, concepts, in his works. In his self-portraits, Nano does not just an attempt
ways of expressing and the views of the artists who embody to copy objective reality from his face onto the canvas; there is
the work are brought to the public. As well, it is expected that a wider problem that he wants to present, layer by layer. These
communication will occur between artists through their work. layers are not only related to technical aspects that he uses
in making additions to other objects in his portrait paintings,
Four artists—Wayan Sudarna Putra (“Nano”), I Wayan Suja, I Putu but also in layers that can be interpreted more broadly. In
Sudiana (“Bonuz”) and Wayan Januariawan (“Donal”)—appear this exhibition, Nano presents several self-portrait panels
in a group exhibition at Komaneka Art Gallery entitled INNER with different smiles, ranging from simple smiling to smiling
GAZING. These four artists each have their own territories broadly as if laughing. Each self-portrait is covered in colorful
of exploration. These comprise the choice of visual style, the paint. “Imaging” is the title he gave to this painting consisting
manner of expression, subject matter, and the concepts and of several panels. In this work, the Nano presents his idea of
views about their respective arts and artistic stance. The what “imaging” behavior is. To what extent imaging behavior
exhibition that brings these four arists together is not organized is needed in building image or self-branding, in every behavior
around a specific thematic approach. Rather it provides space there must be a duality of good and bad. But Nano chose not to
for the four of them to present their “self” in full in interpreting oppose it. “Enjoy it, the name also lives” he said, laughing freely.
their work and their artistry. Thus the title of this exhibition is
INNER GAZING or an inward contemplation where the process In the recent works of I Wayan Suja, the subject matter is the
of looking into oneself is more of a frame that summarizes dynamics of social issues faced by Bali in regard to ecology.
their differences. The curatorial frame of this exhibition is This is the continuation of previous subject matter. Earlier,
also fluid and invites artists to present their exploration or Suja was interested in exploring ideas of identity by presenting
creative research in art and display it in their work. In this group portraits of Balinese human beings in their interactions with
exhibition they meet because they realize each “self” is different various influences from outside Bali. In his works in the early
from others; their only similarity is that they make art as a form 2000s we saw Suja often presenting portraits of children or
of expression of the various “somethings” they want to address. Balinese adults who were dealing with various products from
outside. This was Suja’s way of representing the idea of Balinese
I Wayan Sudarna Putra, familiarly called Nano, is an artist cultural identity amid the inevitable reality of cultural influences
whose visual language takes a metaphorical approach. In outside Bali. In the next period, Suja’s works showed a change
recent years Nano has often explored his self-portraits as a with the presence of plastic and plastic packaging objects with

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