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Lot Essay
Indonesian artist Arin Dwihartanto Sunaryo's resin paintings are liminal spaces: the ultra flat quality of the seamless glossy surfaces are entry points into the mysteriously dimensional quality of the work, while the endlessly gathering and dispersing planes are held in a constant state of stasis.
The origins of Sunaryo's enigmatic abstract works can be traced back to his experiments with oil on canvas during his time at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, directly pouring the paint on to the canvas and using the natural force of gravity to manipulate and shift the liquids. A later encounter with resin would lead him to experiment with new and innovative painting techniques that challenge the vocabulary of the medium by integrating resin with pigment, and other organic materials such as flecks of elemental metals and even volcanic ash, and fossilising them between indexical splashes, splatters and drips of his action painting.
Sloe (Lot 157) is part of Sunaryo's Volcanic Ash series inspired by the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi; the artist incorporates volcanic ash – a material undoubtedly familiar to him, as he grew up in Bandung, which lies on a river basin surrounded by volcanic mountains - in his work. For the artist, the focus of the series is not to reflect on the tragedy of the moment, but rather, to encapsulate the moment and trap it within layers of monochromatic resin. The dynamism and flow of his works exudes an energy filled with vigour and vivacity – a reminder that with destruction, comes new life. Often, the land around volcanos are made of andisols, soil from volcanic ash rich in minerals that are beneficial to plants due to their high concentration of minerals.
For Sunaryo, his chosen material is a door to endless possibilities, and accidents for him are an opportunity to expand the potential of his works, and despite his lack of engagement with overt political overtures in his work, Sunaryo's paintings in their own way capture his personal relationship with his homeland. 80
The origins of Sunaryo's enigmatic abstract works can be traced back to his experiments with oil on canvas during his time at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, directly pouring the paint on to the canvas and using the natural force of gravity to manipulate and shift the liquids. A later encounter with resin would lead him to experiment with new and innovative painting techniques that challenge the vocabulary of the medium by integrating resin with pigment, and other organic materials such as flecks of elemental metals and even volcanic ash, and fossilising them between indexical splashes, splatters and drips of his action painting.
Sloe (Lot 157) is part of Sunaryo's Volcanic Ash series inspired by the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi; the artist incorporates volcanic ash – a material undoubtedly familiar to him, as he grew up in Bandung, which lies on a river basin surrounded by volcanic mountains - in his work. For the artist, the focus of the series is not to reflect on the tragedy of the moment, but rather, to encapsulate the moment and trap it within layers of monochromatic resin. The dynamism and flow of his works exudes an energy filled with vigour and vivacity – a reminder that with destruction, comes new life. Often, the land around volcanos are made of andisols, soil from volcanic ash rich in minerals that are beneficial to plants due to their high concentration of minerals.
For Sunaryo, his chosen material is a door to endless possibilities, and accidents for him are an opportunity to expand the potential of his works, and despite his lack of engagement with overt political overtures in his work, Sunaryo's paintings in their own way capture his personal relationship with his homeland. 80