Take a Line #1 (Go to Temple), 2024, Acrylic on Canvas, 140 x 180 cm, 55.1 x 70.9 in *Resale and database prohibited [Seoul=News]
**Park Hyun-joo, Art Reporter** — A unique art exhibition featuring paintings that make plush dolls seem as if they are moving is set to open. Gana Art Hannam in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, will host a solo exhibition by Indonesian Yogyakarta-based MZ artist Suanjaya Kencut, opening on the 13th.
The artist has developed a body of work ranging from painting to sculpture using ‘plush doll’ characters with large eyes made from buttons. Suanjaya Kencut is internationally active, having participated in group exhibitions in various countries including London, Tokyo, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
The exhibition will feature the series ‘Beyond the Wall,’ which captures memories and experiences related to the walls surrounding the traditional village of Natah in Bali.
The plush dolls are inspired by the large puppet masks of Barong, a traditional performance in Bali. The vibrant and intense colors and patterns of the dolls are borrowed from traditional motifs painted on fabrics decorating the temples in the artist’s hometown of Bali.
The artist explained, “I chose buttons as the material to represent the eyes of the dolls, which I believe are ‘windows to the soul.’ This choice reflects my hope that buttons, like how they connect different pieces of fabric, will serve as a medium connecting me with the viewers.”
Against a vibrant monochromatic background, the dolls with unreadable expressions each display their individuality through different colors, patterns, and lengths, bringing them to life on the canvas.
The exhibited works ‘Take a Line #1 (Go to Temple)’ and ‘Take a Line #2 (Back to Temple)’ depict scenes of people bustling and gathering at Pura, the sacred temple where village ceremonies are held.
Kencut stated, “I painted scenes of people, either with family or friends, waiting in turn between the temple walls during my childhood. This is connected to the rituals performed before reaching the highest deity of Indonesian Hinduism, Sang Hyang Widhi Wasa, in the temple.”
"Like Seeing a Monster (Ogoh-Ogoh Parade), 2024, Acrylic on Canvas, 150 x 200 cm, 59.1 x 78.7 in *Resale and database prohibited"
The artist considers the act of painting as a form of meditation and focuses on detailed expressions such as the doll’s fur and the folds of the fabric. The background is rendered in a monochromatic surface to further highlight the dolls.
Regarding the screen that resembles a puppet show, the artist stated, ‘The relationship between the dolls in the artwork and myself is similar to that of Wayang Kulit, a traditional Indonesian puppet, and its master (the person who manipulates the puppet behind the shadows).’
He added, ‘The pure memories of childhood serve as the main material for the work. Through the dolls, I want to convey a hopeful message about a positive attitude towards life, beyond just illuminating the journey of life.’ The exhibition runs until the 28th.
"Expression #8, 2021, Pencil on Paper, 29 x 42 cm, 11.4 x 16.5 in. *Resale and database prohibited"
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