Silverlens, Richard Koh Fine Art, Art Agenda, S.E.A. etc.
By Andari Suherlan and Vivyan Yeo

Presented in two parts, A&M’s July round-up features 10 new exhibitions following the gradual easing of restrictions across Southeast Asia. Even as galleries are harnessing the power of connecting with audiences through online initiatives, there is a yearning to return to physical spaces to experience art in person. Here is Part 1 of our round-up, in which we feature gallery re-openings and physical shows. Look out for Part 2 of our round-up tomorrow, where we have picked out online offerings that allow us to continue appreciating art in the comfort of our own homes.

Nashar, ‘Nyanyian Malam’ (Night Song), 1977, oil on canvas, 88 x 127 cm. Image courtesy of Art Agenda, S.E.A..

Nashar: Aku, Alam, Jiwa (I, Nature, Soul)

Available online and at Art Agenda, J.K.T.'s newly opened space in Jakarta, this tribute to modern Indonesian artist Nashar draws its title from three key terms that Nashar used to analyse his work: ‘I’, ‘Nature’ and ‘Soul’. With his use of playful forms and unnatural colours, the artist resisted working within the confines of academic and political thought. Instead, he aligned himself to the sphere of instinct and deeply contemplated the complexities of human consciousness. Drawing from the Minangkabau maxim ‘nature is our teacher’, Nashar’s work can be understood as a visual representation of man’s connection to the natural world.

Art Agenda, S.E.A. 1 July to 9 August 2020

Pow Martinez, ‘the soloist’, 2020, acrylic on canvas, 152.4 x 152.4 cm. Photo courtesy of Silverlens.

Sustainable Anxiety & Little Blue Window

After three months of lockdown, Silverlens is reopening their gallery with two solo exhibitions. ‘Sustainable Anxiety’ features eight new paintings by Pow Martinez, who evokes the eccentricity and banality of everyday life. Through his distorted figures and pop culture references, he explores the apprehension of living in the information age. Exhibiting concurrently is Corrine de San Jose’s ‘Little Blue Window’, which presents cyanotype prints created in the low-light environment of the artist’s residence. These experimental prints reflect the struggle of finding peace within a lifestyle fundamentally changed by the pandemic. Both physical exhibitions can be viewed by appointment only and will also be accessible via online catalogues.

Silverlens 25 June to 24 July 2020

Nge Lay, ‘Endless Story Jogja 8’, 2019, Colour print on archival matt paper, 92 x 137 cm. Image courtesy of Richard Koh Fine Art.

Essentialist Images

Curated by Louis Ho, Richard Koh Fine Art presents a group exhibition featuring Burmese artists Aye Ko, Aung Ko, Htein Lin, Richie Htet, Maung Day, Nge Lay, Soe Yu Nwe, Tun Win Aung and Wah Nu. Problematising stereotypical depictions of Myanmar in art, the works on display are devoid of popular Burmese icons such as monks and landscapes. Instead, with mediums ranging from photography, mixed media painting and video, ‘Essentialist Images’ highlights relevant themes such as colonisation and authoritarianism. With this curation, the exhibition reconsiders the identity of Burmese art in the twentieth century and beyond.

Richard Koh Fine Art 17 July to 8 August 2020

Agus Suwage, ‘Droplets - After Delacroix’, 2020, mixed media on paper, 78 x 107 cm. Image courtesy of A+ Works of Art.

Back to Art

At the conclusion of Malaysia’s Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO), A+ Works of Art presents ‘Back to Art’ in hopes of revitalising the country’s art community. Featuring works by 18 Southeast Asian artists including Agus Suwage, Phuan Thai Meng, Chong Kim Chiew, Do Thanh Lang and Tawatchai Puntusawasdi, the physical exhibition gives value to the creative output of artists who experienced challenges during isolation. Rather than a fixed display, ‘Back to Art’ is presented as a process; artworks will continuously be added to the gallery space as they are completed by the artists.

A+ Work of Art 11 June to 1 August 2020

Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan, ‘Pillars: Project Another Country’, 2020, Installation view. Image courtesy of the artists and Auckland Art Gallery.

Arrivals and Departures

In their first commercial exhibition in Australia in over a decade, husband and wife duo Isabel and Alfred Aquilizan showcase their seminal works in ‘Arrivals and Departures’ at Yavuz Gallery in Sydney. The presentation features a reworking of their extensive collaborative project presented at Auckland Art Gallery from 2018 to 2019, which features large, detailed installations and sculptures. Made from everyday objects that act as metaphors of human life, these highly personal works initiate conversations around ideas of identity, migration, journey and displacement.

Yavuz Gallery 19 June to 11 July 2020

Click here to read Part 2 of our July Round-up, which features online exhibitions taking place throughout Southeast Asia.