Kekuatan alam I (The power of nature I)

Rudi Mantofani is very selective of the media he uses. His versatility in working with three-dimensional and two-dimensional media gives him many options to choose from. The uniqueness in feel and look of the chosen media and the manner of interaction between the media are consequential to him. He is by nature very meticulous and spends time conceptualising his works before starting on it. In Kekuatan alam I (The power of nature I), the work is composed of monotonous white paint and the rusting nails, creating quite a stark and minimalist appearance. He implements rough, weather-beaten industrial nails, dotting the canvas in an orderly score of lines. The rusting nails are a direct representation of the title Kekuatan alam I translated to be The power of nature I, a testament to the involvement of time and the natural elements in the interaction between the work on canvas and its surroundings, much like how a three-dimensional work would interact with its given space. These nails are pushed through the canvas surface, making numerous points emerge from beneath the canvas and interestingly creating a series of shadows under light on the flat plane, extending a visually fascinating contrast between the three-dimensional physicality of the metal against the two-dimensional plane of the canvas fabric, this arrangement introducing a fresh perspective into a painting.