Meru / Fractured Paradise
Maryanto, solo
Opening: 15 September 6 - 8 pm
Artist talk: 15 September 7 - 8 pm, RSVP HERE
15 September - 05 Oct, 2023
London
Maryanto, solo
Opening: 15 September 6 - 8 pm
Artist talk: 15 September 7 - 8 pm, RSVP HERE
15 September - 05 Oct, 2023
London
Tabula Rasa Gallery is pleased to
announce Maryanto’s debut UK solo show Meru / Fractured Paradise, opening 15th September at our gallery space in
London. The exhibition presents a new body of paintings and a site-specific
installation from the artist’s most notable series, one that features Indonesia
mountains as a recurring subject matter to investigate the impact of
technological development, industrialisation, pollution, and natural resource
exploitation in his native Indonesia.
An artist talk with Adam Bobbette (Lecturer in Political Geology, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at University of Glasgow) will take place during the opening.
Driven by a deep concern for the relentless pillaging of land in Indonesia, Maryanto has been investigating various industries complicit in destroying the natural environment for years. From volcanic sand mining around Mount Merapi to the more recent issues of irresponsible waste disposal resulting from excessive tourism, these works spotlight crucial issues affecting Indonesia's topography, often overlooked or brushed aside despite their urgency.
Maryanto weaves local narratives, mythologies, and personal experiences into his intense monochromatic paintings and drawings. These works are a culmination of his extensive treks to Mount Merapi and other mountains in Jakarta. In Indonesia, mountains are revered as symbols of divinity, fertility, and life. Adding to the impact of the exhibition is a site-specific mural, meticulously created by Maryanto at the gallery before the opening. With great attention to detail, it underscores concerns about the future of our environment. Complementing the paintings, a documentary offers insights from his two-year expedition. Here, the tranquillity of nature's lush greenery is disrupted by the presence of plastic and trash inadvertently left behind by tourists. The video sheds light on the accumulating damage inflicted on local ecologies due to human negligence.
About the Artists
MARYANTO (b.1977, Indonesia) creates powerful monochromatic paintings and monumental installations that dissect socio-political structures through the depiction of landscapes. His works investigates the impact of technological development, industrialisation, pollution, and resource exploitation on the natural world, reflecting the harsh realities in his home country. Through fable-like and theatrical settings, Maryanto's landscapes present deeply urgent concerns around the encroachment of the environment, both physical and cultural. He will be included in a forthcoming institutional exhibition in Switzerland next year.
Maryanto has been exhibited internationally, selected notable solo and group exhibitions include: Meru / Fractured Paradise, Tabula Rasa Gallery, London (2023); 16Albermarle, Sydney (2023); MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Thailand (2021); Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta (2020); Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2019, 2017 and 2015); the 2nd Industrial Biennale, Labin, Croatia (2018); Koganei Art Spot Chateau, Tokyo (2018); Setouchi Triennale, Naoshima, Japan (2016); Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide; the Asia Culture Centre, Gwangju; the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels (2017); Art Basel Hong Kong, Discoveries Section (2016); Singapore Art Museum (2015); Jakarta and Jogja Biennales, Indonesia (2015); Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam; ArtAffairs, Amsterdam; and Heden, Denhaag (2013). He completed a residency at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam in 2013. His works are in the public collection of Kadist Foundation, Tropen Museum (Netherlands), and Macan Museum (Indonesia).
An artist talk with Adam Bobbette (Lecturer in Political Geology, School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at University of Glasgow) will take place during the opening.
Driven by a deep concern for the relentless pillaging of land in Indonesia, Maryanto has been investigating various industries complicit in destroying the natural environment for years. From volcanic sand mining around Mount Merapi to the more recent issues of irresponsible waste disposal resulting from excessive tourism, these works spotlight crucial issues affecting Indonesia's topography, often overlooked or brushed aside despite their urgency.
Maryanto weaves local narratives, mythologies, and personal experiences into his intense monochromatic paintings and drawings. These works are a culmination of his extensive treks to Mount Merapi and other mountains in Jakarta. In Indonesia, mountains are revered as symbols of divinity, fertility, and life. Adding to the impact of the exhibition is a site-specific mural, meticulously created by Maryanto at the gallery before the opening. With great attention to detail, it underscores concerns about the future of our environment. Complementing the paintings, a documentary offers insights from his two-year expedition. Here, the tranquillity of nature's lush greenery is disrupted by the presence of plastic and trash inadvertently left behind by tourists. The video sheds light on the accumulating damage inflicted on local ecologies due to human negligence.
About the Artists
MARYANTO (b.1977, Indonesia) creates powerful monochromatic paintings and monumental installations that dissect socio-political structures through the depiction of landscapes. His works investigates the impact of technological development, industrialisation, pollution, and resource exploitation on the natural world, reflecting the harsh realities in his home country. Through fable-like and theatrical settings, Maryanto's landscapes present deeply urgent concerns around the encroachment of the environment, both physical and cultural. He will be included in a forthcoming institutional exhibition in Switzerland next year.
Maryanto has been exhibited internationally, selected notable solo and group exhibitions include: Meru / Fractured Paradise, Tabula Rasa Gallery, London (2023); 16Albermarle, Sydney (2023); MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Thailand (2021); Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta (2020); Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2019, 2017 and 2015); the 2nd Industrial Biennale, Labin, Croatia (2018); Koganei Art Spot Chateau, Tokyo (2018); Setouchi Triennale, Naoshima, Japan (2016); Samstag Museum of Art, Adelaide; the Asia Culture Centre, Gwangju; the Bozar Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels (2017); Art Basel Hong Kong, Discoveries Section (2016); Singapore Art Museum (2015); Jakarta and Jogja Biennales, Indonesia (2015); Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam, Amsterdam; Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam; ArtAffairs, Amsterdam; and Heden, Denhaag (2013). He completed a residency at the Rijksakademie in Amsterdam in 2013. His works are in the public collection of Kadist Foundation, Tropen Museum (Netherlands), and Macan Museum (Indonesia).
Tabula Rasa Gallery (London)
Unit One, 99 East Road,
Hoxton, London
N1 6AQ
Unit One, 99 East Road,
Hoxton, London
N1 6AQ
Tuesday - Saturday 12:00 - 18:00 | Sunday - Monday Closed
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