Macan meets Heri Dono

heridono — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 04:35:34 +0000

A couple of words and images cannot capture the critical impact of Heri Dono’s almost four-decade-long art practice. His animistic artworks have witnessed precarious cultural changes and are still very much alive in contemporary debates. To truly experience his work, watch his documentary ‘The Enigma of HeDonism’ (2021). Or go see his work at exhibitions.

Here’s our experience of meeting him. Heri Dono could be a character straight out of a Wayang play. A living legend. He is one of Indonesia’s best-known visual artists, with an iconic status around the world. But you can still easily meet him when he is casually cycling around town on his vintage roadster. So we took our chance. We approached him and he was happy to give us a tour of his studio and share his insights. We had Tahu Guling for lunch while we talked about tigers, animism and artistic dialogues between Indonesia and the Netherlands.

Heri Dono’s workspace is called Studio Kalahan, which means ‘loser’. The name is a reflection of Studio Kalahan’s belief that ‘imperfections, mistakes and failures are a blessing and an essential part of the creative process’ (Studio Kalahan). The building was a Dutch police station in colonial times. Heri Dono’s artistic creations have taken over the place, subverting the foundations of the building itself. Self-moving installations and lively paintings are the new residents. Visiting Studio Kalahan is like flying with Howl’s Moving Castle into the mind of Heri Dono.

See the interview and studio visit here: macanmountain.com

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