ARTOTEL Sanur – Bali with Npaaw and Monez are collaborated to create an art exhibition with the theme Berteman Kertas. Life is like drawing on a blank white paper, we will decorate it with ink, color, or through expressions that will later reflect who we are in this life. In other words, making friends with paper is an articulation which is interpreted as a procession of relationships, both referring to friendship, as well as to more special and more specific things. The procession of establishing this relationship is familiar if it has been done in the process of life, which begins with a meeting, introduction, that is intended as a familiarity. This became one of the foundations of this exhibition.
NPAAW (Denpasar, 1990) sees art as a reflection of knowledge, experience, and sensibility of an artist. Not long after he graduated from ISI, Denpasar, NPAAW spent some years in Yogyakarta to expand his perspective and enrich his insight. It was during this time and through going back and forth Yogya – Bali, that he developed his current style of painting. His works project a curious amalgam of realism and surrealism, as well tradition and modernity. Bringing into play animal idioms as a language in works, NPAAW wittingly fabricates objects in his paintings where they occupy varying dimensions of the canvas, framing unusual spatial directions. NPAAW believes that the characteristics and symbols of each animal are formulated by our perceptions. Although visually his paintings are far from the traditional principles of Balinese art, laid in his works are concepts relaying scores of stories and beliefs implanted in him as a young Balinese.
Ida Bagus Ratu Antoni Putra S.Sn M.Sn, known as Monez, is a Balinese illustrator who was born and raised in Bali. He received his education, both Bachelor and Master of Art at The Indonesian Institute of the Arts Bali. Monez has been working as a professional illustrator for 15 years. After having worked as a pattern designer for the “garment industry” he started sharing his work on social media, where he began his successful career in illustration. His long list of clients includes: Apple, Procreate apps, Affinity by Serif, Starbucks, Havaianas, Bali Zoo, Grab, Walt Disney Indonesia, etc.
Monez has done a variety of illustration work areas like packaging design, merchandise, as well murals on hotels and restaurants in Indonesia. He still works independently as a full-time illustrator now, and starting to paint and draw with acrylic, water color and charcoal.
The work of Monez and Npaaw represents the condition that we live in today, here in Bali. Bali becomes the scope of the exploration field, taking into account the position of the self, the extent to which it can provide a perspective related to social and cultural issues in Bali. Monez and Npaaw’s work invites us to see Bali from a different perspective, Monez’s awareness with his educational closeness makes monsters as Niskala figures that can be interpreted as a scary situation, like a situation that is going on until now. Our fear of the current situation (pandemic) seems to be implied through the image of a figure invisible to him, such as the perception of monsters. Npaaw’s perspective reminds us of the importance of “Village kala Patra” which is the place, time, and condition / state, related to the space of Npaaw’s creation, to understand the space in which we stand, so that we can understand the relationships that exist around us. Through their works, it helps us to see the current issue of Bali that we are experiencing together.
Bapak Agus Ade Surya Wirawan as General Manager from ARTOTEL Sanur – Bali said, “It is a pleasure for us to be able to work together with a Bali based artist, to hold an art exhibition. We hope that this art exhibition can be enjoyed by Indonesian contemporary art lovers in Bali and especially for ARTOTEL Sanur – Bali guests.”
This exhibition is curated by Windi Salomo, Art Director ARTOTEL Group, and open for public from February 10th – March 10th, 2021, at ARTSPACE, ARTOTEL Sanur – Bali, Jalan Kusuma Sari 1, Sanur – Bali.