The symbolism found in Andi's works often insinuates the many questions of our contemporary struggle. Andi frequently makes himself, as well as figures of children at play, as the main attraction of his works. His self-portrait and the figures of children apparently appear as the main access to a territory where he sees himself as a part of the dispossessed and defeated. In his works, he portrays himself complaining or questioning his life. In one particular work, he depicts a child with the game of snakes-and-ladders. Here he is clearly trying to question the conventional perceptions and to play-act the contemporary situations in the public.

In the work displayed in this biennale, Andi depicts himself as an actor, using his canvas as the stage. He inscribes texts on the canvas, making it as the dialogues of the current play. He copies his self-portrait in several places on the canvas to show his discontent about the questions, corrections, controls, and the many debates he witnesses in life.

When public demonstrations are taking place so easily in this country, especially when the demonstrators are beginning to do some happening or performance arts - using only their underwear, painting their body with paints or mud - do these demonstrators truly realize what they are doing? Andi also wonders about the image of the "celebrity-artist," as the public often mistakenly thinks that "celebrities" are glamorous, "valuable" artists, who often appear on TV; while the mere "artists" are those who are living improper lives, who appear poor and broken, and who are clearly not celebrities.

In his previous works, as in Ular tanpa Tangga (Snakes sans Ladders, 2001), Andi often questions how the world would be without opposites (as the world, many believe, always bear opposites, as in ying and yang). Two children depicted in that particular work appear to be thinking, "why should we play it if the game has no ladders?" "What is actually the model of this game?" "How can we play without the bad side in it, or with incomplete players?"

In his later works, Andi tries to interpret things in ways that are different with the public perceptions. He exposes his mind with news on economy, socio-politics, cultures, and technology. He sadly concludes that he is a victim and goes on trying to pose many questions in his paintings. Sometimes he can only open his mouth in confusions, sleep with a naked torso, or merely become the sick party.

Technically, he uses various methods and styles: he employs silk-screens, oil mixed with acrylic or pencils, he depicts realistic figures amidst non-representational ones... Sometimes it is difficult to detect the main technique of his work. Everything is mixed with everything else. This, therefore, is just one small part of the questions and forms of Andi's "interpellation" on the contemporary public issues.

Mike Susanto

Born on January 30, 1977 in Nganjuk , East Java.
Studies at Indonesia Institute of The Arts (ISI), Yogyakarta (1998).

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1998 "Blobor '98", Vredeburg Fortress, Yogyakarta.
2000 Philip Morris Indonesia Art Awards, Jakarta.
2001 Nokia Art Awards Asia Pacific, Jakarta; Yogyakarta Festival of Arts, Vredeburg Fortress Museum, Yogyakarta; Students Group Exhibition, ISI Gallery, Yogyakarta.
2002 'age-hibition', Edwin Gallery, Jakarta.

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