Gallerie Taksu Presents Pool Party! by Dodit Artawan

By Kate Ng  •  in News
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Think this is a photograph? That’s exactly what we thought too when we first laid eyes on it, but we couldn’t be more wrong. This, dear friends, is a painting. Yeah, you got that right: it’s a PAINTING. Using the hyper-realistic painting technique, Dodit Artawan’s work is meant to stun you and make you question your eyesight first, and then ponder the meaning behind it. The Balinese artist graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Art from the Indonesian Art Institute Denpasar Bali back in 1997 and started his career as part of the TAXU Art Clinic, an artist collective that made waves in the Balinese art scene. Since then, Dodit has presented 3 solo exhibitions and has been a part of countless group exhibitions in various art galleries in Indonesia, Singapore and even Italy.

In this series, Dodit explores the influence America has on his traditional Balinese culture, especially towards the younger generation. He questions culture, liberalism and the pursuit of pleasure through his paintings, and it’s obvious that he is eager to bring these issues into the light. Through his hyper-realistic painting technique, he challenges the notions of image and perceptions, and toes the line between reality and illusion. In the same context, Dodit presents an Indoneisan homegrown version of Sales Promotion Girls (SPGs). Like Barbie, the employment of pretty young things to promote and sell products embodies the age-old adage that sex sells.

Gallerie Taksu will be presenting Dodit Artawan’s Pool Party! on February 16 and the exhibition will be held until March 15. More info on the event here.