Rudi is a member of the art group "Jendela" ("Window"), a group of young artists from Minangkabau, West Sumatra. His works are known for their artistic precisions. He has a keen sense in recognizing the media, objects, or matters for his works, as is evident in the work displayed in this biennale, Sudut Langit (Edges of the Sky) and Mencari Bentuk (Searching for a Form). In Sudut Langit, we see a clean, smooth, and transparent window frame made of glass--plus a surprise: a transparent resin hand stuck out smoothly through the glass. The glass and the hand appear to be standing firmly on a hard, strong iron base. For Rudi, the transparent, smooth, and clean glass is the symbol for the wide-open horizon, a universe framed by the edges. The stuck out hand symbolizes the desire to attain something, the wish to hold something over the limited universe. Rudi indeed begins with a philosophy of life that sees the horizon and the sky as an invitation to feel the void, and the belief "that we decide something through our 'hand'."

Rudi does not use mere objects. He selects his objects on grounds of the nature and the characters of the matters, which he then uses to symbolize his concepts and artistic ideas. Rudi mostly employs metal in his works--a symbol of something strong, firm, and robust; although he also uses other matter and media. His other work, Mencari Bentuk (Searching for a Form), is a solid, square object, accented with trickles and textures of concrete. "For me, textures are interesting," says Rudi. The work has indeed some philosophical nuances as Rudi disturbs the stability of the work by carving one third of the concrete square. Rudi carves out the side of the work just like workers carve out the walls of a limestone hill. He then places a pair of traditional Javanese mortar and pestle, symbols of a traditional life. This particular work reveals the humility of traditions in the midst of the arrogant concrete; the simplicity amidst the robust matter. 'Searching for a Form' here can have a literal meaning, but it can also mean a search for the wisdom of culture.

A particular culture can be materialized through sound, smell, movements, and objects. The objects Rudi uses in his works, therefore, represent the contemporary world: modern and traditional at the same time. Rudi often employs ready industrial objects such as concrete, cement, glass, resin, wood, and nuts and bolts; while he simultaneously uses unique objects with certain characteristic meanings. Rudi turns these things into aesthetic objects with certain artistic qualities. He turns the objects into symbols.

Sudjud Dartanto

Born on April 21, 1973 in Padang, West Sumatra.
Studies at Indonesia Institute of The Arts (ISI), Yogyakarta (1993).

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2002 Nadi Gallery, Jakarta.
2003 Chouinard Gallery, Hongkong.

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
1999 "From A Window", Group Exhibition of the JENDELA, Padma Gallery, Bali; Sculpture Exhibition with Yusra Martunus, Lontar Gallery, Jakarta.
2000 "Giving Possibilities", Group Exhibition of the JENDELA, Purna Budaya Art Centre, Yogyakarta and Ismail Marzuki Cultural Centre (TIM), Jakarta.
2002 Group Exhibition, Chouinard Gallery, Hongkong; "Re-Creations", H. Widayat Museum, Mungkid, Magelang; "ESTETICA MUNDI", Group Exhibition of the JENDELA, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung - Ismail Marzuki Cultural Centre (TIM), Jakarta.
2003 "Epic", Gajah Gallery, Singapore Borobudur International Festival (BIF), H. Widayat Museum, Mungkid, Magelang.

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