Two Southeast Asian Galleries at West Bund Art & Design 2018

ROH Projects and Silverlens return with solo presentations by I Nyoman Masriadi and Patricia Perez Eustaquio
By Ian Tee

I Nyoman Masriadi, 'The Winner', 1999, acrylic on canvas, 140 x 200 x 10cm. Image courtesy of Deddy Kusuma.

The fifth edition of West Bund Art & Design will take place from 8 to 11 November 2018, which coincides with the opening of the 12th Shanghai Biennale. The fair aims to present the highest calibre of contemporary art, with a strong selection of 110 leading international galleries from 43 cities. Among these, only two galleries from Southeast Asia will be taking part in the fair’s ‘Galleries’ section: Jarkata-based ROH Projects and Silverlens from Manila. They are returning with solo presentations by I Nyoman Masriadi and Patricia Perez Eustaquio respectively.

Participating for the third time, ROH Projects is adopting a museum-style presentation which looks at Masriadi's works from the late 1980s up to his most recent body of work. "We believe that the quality of the fair is consistent and strong and would like to continue our commitment to showing at the fair," says director Jun Tirtadji. Entitled 'Tender', this presentation focuses on the complex ways women have been portrayed in Masriadi's extensive practice. It includes pieces borrowed from several supporters of the artist, as well as three new paintings.

I Nyoman Masriadi, 'Saudaraku Sudah Besar', 2010, acrylic on canvas, 150 x 200cm. Image courtesy of Deddy Kusuma.

One of the most celebrated painters in Indonesian contemporary art, Masriadi is known for paintings depicting superhuman figures in scenes laden with social satire. He is also no stranger to the Chinese market, with an auction record of USD836,550 achieved at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2008 for his triptych 'The Man from Bantul (The Final Round)'. This presentation in West Bund follows a recent solo exhibition in New York with Paul Kasmin Gallery which closed in June 2018.

Patricia Perez Eustaquio, 'Flowers for X, II', 2016, oil on canvas, 152.5cm (diameter). Image courtesy of Silverlens.

In line with the goal to place its artists within the broader framework of contemporary art dialogue, Silverlens features a solo booth with leading Southeast Asian artist Patricia Perez Eustaquio. It surveys the acts of translation that emerge in her use of various material forms, ranging from glass, fabric, metal and resin. Gallery Director Isa Lorenzo says they hope to introduce Eustaquio “who is very well known our region, to a new audience." The artist was part of the 2016 Singapore Biennale and has exhibited at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris.

Patricia Perez Eustaquio, 'Untitled (The Hunters)', 2016, plastic plants, house paint, PVC, epoxy, gold aluminium wire, dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Silverlens.

Commenting on their participation, Lorenzo adds, "We return to West Bund as it is a melting pot of East and West, many people come to the fair to make connections, and hopefully, acquisitions. We bring something very unique to the fair, so we are very excited to share this work with the audiences."