Maryanto

  • Artist Biographies

    Maryanto (born in Jakarta, 1977) completed his studies at Fine Arts Faculty of Indonesia Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta in 2005, and completed a residency program at Rijksakademie in Amsterdam in 2013. He creates evocative black and white paintings, drawings and installations, which dismantle romantic language of traditional landscape painting as an attempt to explore socio-political relations in several sites through his works. Through fairy tales and theatrical settings, Maryanto is interested in retracing areas that he believes have been subject to the desires of colonialists and capitalists through technological development, industrialization, land pollution and exploitation of natural resources.

    Some of his solo exhibitions include Breathing Home, Ruang Dini Gallery, Bandung (2024), Meru/Fractured Paradise, TabulaRasa gallery, London, (2023), A Journey of Forking Paths, Yeo Workshop, Singapore (2019), and permanent osmosis, LIR Space, Yogyakarta (2019). He is also involved in several other exhibitions, including Archiving landscapes, Yeo Workshop Gallery, Singapore (2024), Art Dubai 16th edition 2023, Madinat Jumeirah (2023), Wealth from Overseas, Tropenmuseum, Amsterdam (2023), Chance Constellations, S.E.A. Focus, Singapore (2022), and Pollination: Of Hunters & Gatherers, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Thailand (2021)

  • Concept of Artwork

    Nature, with its boundless beauty and ever-changing landscapes, has long captivated the human imagination. Artists seek to capture the essence of nature and reflect humans' relationship with nature. Allegory is a tool for conveying complex ideas through simple imagery. In a natural context, allegory often uses natural symbols, plants, and natural phenomena to convey deeper truths about human experience. The towering banyan tree symbolizes strength and resilience, the winding river symbolizes life's journey.

    Allegorical of nature is the cyclical rhythm of life. Symbols of renewal and transformation, such as the changing seasons or the life cycle of a butterfly, serve as a reminder of the eternal cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth. The theme of this cycle invites us to accept change and impermanence, and to find solace in the natural rhythms of the earth.

    In this work, the exploration of human interaction with the environment is depicted through harmony, balance and imbalance, where human actions have caused environmental degradation and destruction. By using contrast imagery, we are encouraged to reflect on the consequences of our actions and the importance of responsible stewardship of the earth.

    In addition to their vivid representations, allegorical nature often refers to spiritual and mythological traditions to inspire awe and reverence. Faithful, spiritual, sacred rituals with a sense of mystery and transcendence invite us to explore deeper dimensions of existence and our connection to the Divine. 'Allegory of Nature' fosters a deeper sense of appreciation, empathy and concern for nature.