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Lot Essay
In Gede Mahendra Yasa's latest installment from his award-winning Miniature series, the artist further explores the foundation of his series: narration. At its essence, be it in the West, or its dichotomy of the East, a central function of painting is to narrate and to describe.
Derived from the artist interest on the idea of human ability to communicate, Mahendra Yasa created another universe in his canvas to vividly capture his narrative on narration that mimick the practice of ekphrasis. On Language (Lot 150) is yet another monumental work that takes us to explore the chronicle of linguistic evolution. Mahendra Yasa anchored his composition with the depiction of the Tower of Babel at the top part of the canvas. Well-known for a myth that elaborates the origin of languages, in the story of Tower of Babel it was told that at the start of civilisation people of the world were speaking one language and determined to built a tower high enough to reach Heaven. Knowing this plan, God confounded their speech so that they can no longer converse and understand each other, and put them at different parts of the world.
In the expansion to the grandiosity of his storytelling, Mahendra Yasa built his composition around the Tower of Babel, using diverse iconic references relating to linguistic development as the context expands. With this work, popular culture and social symbols are amalgamated as they find their existence in the pictorial space of the work. The canvas becomes a rhetorical medium for Mahendra Yasa to define the essence of his message. Preserving the influence of his Balinese aesthetic in Batuan style painting, Mahendra Yasa weaves his composition harmoniously to create this impressive work. On Language elevates the significant role that language has taken part in both art and historical context of the world throughout the time.
Ever since his works caught the attention of the Indonesian and Asian contemporary artworld in the mid-2000s, Mahendra Yasa has maintained a steadfast interest in examining and calling to attention issues, questions and discourse about painting. He stands out from other Indonesian artists in this regard, maintaining a conceptual bent to his art-making.
Derived from the artist interest on the idea of human ability to communicate, Mahendra Yasa created another universe in his canvas to vividly capture his narrative on narration that mimick the practice of ekphrasis. On Language (Lot 150) is yet another monumental work that takes us to explore the chronicle of linguistic evolution. Mahendra Yasa anchored his composition with the depiction of the Tower of Babel at the top part of the canvas. Well-known for a myth that elaborates the origin of languages, in the story of Tower of Babel it was told that at the start of civilisation people of the world were speaking one language and determined to built a tower high enough to reach Heaven. Knowing this plan, God confounded their speech so that they can no longer converse and understand each other, and put them at different parts of the world.
In the expansion to the grandiosity of his storytelling, Mahendra Yasa built his composition around the Tower of Babel, using diverse iconic references relating to linguistic development as the context expands. With this work, popular culture and social symbols are amalgamated as they find their existence in the pictorial space of the work. The canvas becomes a rhetorical medium for Mahendra Yasa to define the essence of his message. Preserving the influence of his Balinese aesthetic in Batuan style painting, Mahendra Yasa weaves his composition harmoniously to create this impressive work. On Language elevates the significant role that language has taken part in both art and historical context of the world throughout the time.
Ever since his works caught the attention of the Indonesian and Asian contemporary artworld in the mid-2000s, Mahendra Yasa has maintained a steadfast interest in examining and calling to attention issues, questions and discourse about painting. He stands out from other Indonesian artists in this regard, maintaining a conceptual bent to his art-making.