Arts & Culture: Indonesian Artist Iabadiou Piko on his Manila Residency and Exhibition “Catharsis”

“Jeepney Land” written across a huge canvas was the first thing we noticed upon entering Mono8 Gallery in Ermita, Malate. At first what seems like random words written on the canvas soon becomes clear that these are jeepney routes the artist has chanced upon during his stay here in the Philippines.

The rest of the works then hit you with a mix of bold colors and child-like expressive strokes, filling the room with an energy that captured the vibrant and chaotic city that is Manila, where Indonesian artist Iabadiaou Piko recently had his one-man exhibition called “Catharsis” to mark his month-long residency in the Philippines, in collaboration with 1335Mabini and Mono8 Gallery.

Piko has held many exhibitions around the world including solo exhibitions in Dubai, Taipei, Berlin, Bandung, Jakarta, and has participated in selected group exhibitions in Manila, Taipei, Seoul, Beijing, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, as well as Europe through Galerie Michael Janssen.

His work is abstract, figurative, and intuitive, inspired by people he meets in the every day, chances and moments that he encounters, as well as the places he has been. With a mixture of painting and photography, he captures memories, feelings and imagination as a visual diary.

adobo magazine catches up with Piko on his experience as his residency in the Philippines comes to an end.

You initially studied photography before moving to painting. How was the transition?

I often visited the library on campus, at first I only saw photography books and then I switched to seeing art books that were there. The first book at the time I saw was Pablo Picasso, it the first time I felt happy and there was a sense I could draw and paint.

It was 2003 and at that time, my roommate invited me to watch a documentary on Basquiat. I became confident that I could do it; I practiced drawing every day on A5 size drawing paper. I dont think of anything, I just do it and keep making. I chose to focus on painting, because as a medium of expression, I think it can be direct. In photography, it takes many levels of process.

I participated in one of the art communities in Yogyakarta namely Sakato Art Community. I also mingled with other artists from Java, Bali, Yogyakarta, also from my place of origin in Palembang, South Sumatra. I also actively practice alone in the studio and look for opportunities to be able to get exhibition and residency activities. In 2015, I had a residency at Selasar Sunaryo Art Space in Bandung, Indonesia.

What’s the first thing that caught your attention when you stepped into the Philippines?

When I arrived in Manila, I wanted to feel the atmosphere of the city, seeing random activities as they walked along the streets, sounds, food, transportation, buildings, places, history and people who absorbed reflections from the environment and nature in daily activities. And the city here, in my opinion, is the same as in Jakarta.

What do you think of the art scene in the Philippines as compared to that of Indonesia’s?

The art scene in the Philippines when compared to Indonesia, in my opinion, is different. From the theme of the work, or the work made, the visual pattern, even though the media created are varied: photography, installation, painting, video art, sculpture, performance art, sound art and also conceptual works.  The works that are made are quite interesting and the new to me as the art scene that I know of is in Manila and the Makati area, with events like Art Fair Philippines, Xavier Art Fest, and so on.

As you know, I first came to Manila for my residency at Mono8 Gallery in collaboration with 1335 Mabini Gallery.  This project was created by Roy Voragen, a curator based in Manila, with the help of Carlo Reyes of Mono8 Gallery. The work that I made there are parts that I was inspired in Manila and its surroundings, environment, food, people, etc.

In Indonesia the art scene is based in several places: Yogyakarta, Bandung, Bali, Jakarta — each city has a different way of practicing and doing art. Yogyakarta is one of the centers of art in Indonesia; there are several large active communities such as the Sakato Art Community from Padang (East Sumatra), the Sanggar Dewata Bali, the Javanese community in Yogyakarta, and there is also a small community from Palembang (South Sumatra). In Yogyakarta there are many alternative spaces for exhibitions and art spaces built by senior artists. Every week there most probably will be an exhibition opening; also, the location of the gallery or exhibition hall is easy to access. In Bandung there is also the Bandung Art Month, and in Jakarta, there is an Art Moment fair in April and Art Jakarta in late August.  (There are) many diverse works and community found in Indonesia.

Who are your biggest influences?

I know other abstract artists from friends and also from art books, starting from CY Twombly, Antoni Tapiez, Jean Dubuffet, Joan Miro, Robert Rauschenberg, Josef Beuys, etc. I see it as self-motivation to continue to develop, learn to feel and how to see good works and artistic techniques, I look more at the visuals and ask myself why the lines are good. I develop my visuals and techniques gradually each year.

What are your future projects we can look forward to?

After my Manila residency, I will have a solo exhibition at the Hatch Art Project in Singapore on October, and an exhibition of 10 artists from Palembang in November at Jogja Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Catch Piko’s exhibition Catharsis open to the public until October 8 at Mono8 Gallery.

Photographs by Mohd Sarajan