foto: Facebook/Todung Mulya Lubis; Liputan6.com/Dinny Mutiah
Brilio.net - Yos Suprapto's solo exhibition titled "Kebangkitan: Tanah untuk Kedaulatan Pangan" should have been an important event to showcase his work to the public. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed due to a disagreement with the exhibition's curator, Suwarno Wisetrotomo, which led to the event's cancellation. This conflict has become a highlight for the art community because it is considered to hinder the artist's freedom of expression.
Suwarno rejected five of Yos Suprapto's 30 works, which were deemed inappropriate to the theme of the exhibition. This rejection sparked tension until Suwarno finally stepped down from his role as curator. The decision caused the gallery to lock down on opening day, leaving many visitors in deep disappointment.
Yos, an artist from Yogyakarta known for his symbolic realism style, considers this rejection as a form of art suppression in the modern era. He regrets the situation that should have been resolved in a more open and respectful manner. Check out seven interesting facts about Yos Suprapto's dynamic career and life below.
Yos considers the rejection of his five paintings as an expression of excessive fear from the curator. For him, the works have critical value on social and political issues in Indonesia. He believes that art is a medium to talk about reality, not to be censored for subjective reasons.
Curious about the figure of painter Yos Suprapto? Check out his portraits from various sources on Saturday (12/21).
1. Yos Suprapto is known as an artist who consistently voices eco-social, political, and cultural issues through his works. With his distinctive symbolic realism style, he successfully combines visual aesthetics with profound messages that make the audience reflect.
photo: Facebook/Todung Mulya Lubis
2. His journey in the art world began in the 1970s. One of the early exhibitions that brought him to the national stage was "United with Nature" at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta, in 1994. Through his works, he invited the public to care more about the relationship between humans and the environment.
photo: Instagram/@sulthonycundoko
3. In 2001, Yos launched a solo exhibition titled "Barbarism: Journey of the Nation's Children" at the National Gallery of Indonesia. He criticized the culture of violence that was developing in society at that time. This exhibition received much praise as well as controversy.
photo: Facebook/Yos Suprapto
4. The exhibition themed "Republik Udang" in 2005 at Tembi Gallery, Yogyakarta, is another proof of his courage. In the exhibition, he sharply criticized the rampant corruption in the bureaucracy. Striking colors such as red and black dominate his works, depicting the intensity of the theme he carries.
photo: Instagram/@sulthonycundoko
5. Another major achievement was the "Arus Balik Cakrawala" exhibition in 2017. His works explore Indonesian maritime culture, evaluate the nation's historical journey, and provide an in-depth view of the identity of the Indonesian nation as an archipelagic country.
photo: Instagram/@yos_suprapto
6. The colors in Yos's works often carry a strong and bold energy. Black, red, green, and yellow are his favorite palettes for conveying messages. This color composition reflects the tension that he often raises in his themes.
photo: Instagram/@cherikh_quintus
7. In addition to being an artist, Yos Suprapto is also known as a social critic. He does not hesitate to voice his opinions on controversial issues in Indonesia through the medium of art, making him one of the influential artists in the world of Indonesian art.
photo: Liputan6.com/Dinny Mutiah
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