The Jakarta Post
Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
| Thu, 03/19/2009 1:54 PM | Life
In the world of artist Hanafi, dark and gloomy shadows are the colors of memories and reflection.
In exploring what lies hidden beyond the shadows, Hanafi reveals in his latest paintings and installations that the notion of “shadow” can simply mean an absence of light, or a collection of the thoughts and memories that run through his mind.
In his solo exhibition “Of Spaces and Shadows”, Hanafi adopts the first of these two meanings to reflect his own shadows – boundaries that accompany him and never stray from his side.
“Our shadow has the most concrete and tested loyalty,” Hanafi said. “It is something that never leaves us.”
Independent art curator Enin Supriyanto says that in one way, the approach shows that painting for Hanafi is an act that allows freedom to flow through his body.
“Hanafi truly knows how his fingers, hands and body interact with his [painting] tools, materials and the spaces of his canvas,” he added.
This freedom, Enin says, reflects Hanafi’s self-expression of “the joy of creating”.
“In my context of creating, I’m free to enter my own themes through the door of literal sense,” Hanafi said.
| Thu, 03/19/2009 1:54 PM | Life
In the world of artist Hanafi, dark and gloomy shadows are the colors of memories and reflection.
In exploring what lies hidden beyond the shadows, Hanafi reveals in his latest paintings and installations that the notion of “shadow” can simply mean an absence of light, or a collection of the thoughts and memories that run through his mind.
In his solo exhibition “Of Spaces and Shadows”, Hanafi adopts the first of these two meanings to reflect his own shadows – boundaries that accompany him and never stray from his side.
“Our shadow has the most concrete and tested loyalty,” Hanafi said. “It is something that never leaves us.”
Independent art curator Enin Supriyanto says that in one way, the approach shows that painting for Hanafi is an act that allows freedom to flow through his body.
“Hanafi truly knows how his fingers, hands and body interact with his [painting] tools, materials and the spaces of his canvas,” he added.
This freedom, Enin says, reflects Hanafi’s self-expression of “the joy of creating”.
“In my context of creating, I’m free to enter my own themes through the door of literal sense,” Hanafi said.
When it comes to the second interpretation — of revealing past memories — Hanafi adds drama to his canvases through the use of deep pastel colors. He represents his ideas with the appearance of dark shadows that later emerge as forms and colors.
“[His] canvas turns into a horizon or a spacious field that once might appear only in our dreams, memories or fantasies — shadows that we don’t really recognize,” Enin said.
Following the traditions of abstracts and expressionism, Hanafi’s paintings are the combination of a large canvas, simple strokes and fewer fundamental objects and colors.
“We witness splashes, melts and wide [brush] strokes, which are all presented in yellow, white, gray, ocher and black,” Enin said.
Playing with the idea of freedom within the shadows, which is represented by both dark and deep warm colors, Hanafi’s works are far from the creation of “noises” on his canvas. His paintings tend to show loneliness and calmness, but at the same time, they also show his ability to “provoke” his own canvas. He is likely to invite us to take a journey to see his paintings through the exploration of imagination, intuition and self-dialogue.
“In this way he makes everyone busy recognizing, marking and arranging the patterns [found in Hanafi’s paintings],” Enin said.
By this, Hanafi shows that interpreting meaning is an endless process in appreciating a work of art.
And what is tangible among his intangible ideas of shadows is that he does not let any work stand alone as it is. Each of his works is a part of the others, resulting in an entire composition of paintings, installations, statues, audio, video and spaces. In his own words, “My works are part of a series.”
That’s why, he added, he chooses not to give titles to his paintings.
“I want people to focus on the theme of shadows that I offer,” said Hanafi, who completed 24 artworks under the theme of “shadows” within three months.
“From my experience, putting titles on paintings separates one work from another, failing to represent them as a whole.”
Born 49 years ago in Purwerejo, Central Java, Hanafi studied at the Indonesian Art School in Yogyakarta from 1976 to 1979.
Before uncovering his works on “shadows” at Salihara Gallery in Jakarta, Hanafi recently held solo exhibitions “Enigma” at O House Gallery in Jakarta and “Home of Images” at the Museum d’Art de Girona, Spain.
During his career, Hanafi has held 24 solo exhibitions, including in Singapore, Barcelona and
Toronto.
Hanafi’s exhibition at Salihara runs until March 26, 2009.
— Photo by P.J. Leo
Of Spaces and Shadows
A solo exhibition by Hanafi
Salihara Gallery
Jl. Salihara No. 16
Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta
Tues–Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Until March 26, 2009
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/03/19/hanafi%E2%80%99s-shadows-deep.html
“[His] canvas turns into a horizon or a spacious field that once might appear only in our dreams, memories or fantasies — shadows that we don’t really recognize,” Enin said.
Following the traditions of abstracts and expressionism, Hanafi’s paintings are the combination of a large canvas, simple strokes and fewer fundamental objects and colors.
“We witness splashes, melts and wide [brush] strokes, which are all presented in yellow, white, gray, ocher and black,” Enin said.
Playing with the idea of freedom within the shadows, which is represented by both dark and deep warm colors, Hanafi’s works are far from the creation of “noises” on his canvas. His paintings tend to show loneliness and calmness, but at the same time, they also show his ability to “provoke” his own canvas. He is likely to invite us to take a journey to see his paintings through the exploration of imagination, intuition and self-dialogue.
“In this way he makes everyone busy recognizing, marking and arranging the patterns [found in Hanafi’s paintings],” Enin said.
By this, Hanafi shows that interpreting meaning is an endless process in appreciating a work of art.
And what is tangible among his intangible ideas of shadows is that he does not let any work stand alone as it is. Each of his works is a part of the others, resulting in an entire composition of paintings, installations, statues, audio, video and spaces. In his own words, “My works are part of a series.”
That’s why, he added, he chooses not to give titles to his paintings.
“I want people to focus on the theme of shadows that I offer,” said Hanafi, who completed 24 artworks under the theme of “shadows” within three months.
“From my experience, putting titles on paintings separates one work from another, failing to represent them as a whole.”
Born 49 years ago in Purwerejo, Central Java, Hanafi studied at the Indonesian Art School in Yogyakarta from 1976 to 1979.
Before uncovering his works on “shadows” at Salihara Gallery in Jakarta, Hanafi recently held solo exhibitions “Enigma” at O House Gallery in Jakarta and “Home of Images” at the Museum d’Art de Girona, Spain.
During his career, Hanafi has held 24 solo exhibitions, including in Singapore, Barcelona and
Toronto.
Hanafi’s exhibition at Salihara runs until March 26, 2009.
— Photo by P.J. Leo
Of Spaces and Shadows
A solo exhibition by Hanafi
Salihara Gallery
Jl. Salihara No. 16
Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta
Tues–Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Until March 26, 2009
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/03/19/hanafi%E2%80%99s-shadows-deep.html