Art 1 analysis

Cyndi A // Karina A // Nabila A

ART:1 GALLERY - THE TRANQUIL WORLD OF CHRIS SUHARSO

OVERVIEW ART:1 formerly known as Mon Decor Gallery (est. 1983) is the pioneer in art gallery business in Jakarta. During its 30 years in art business, Mon Decor Gallery had expanded into several gallery branches all over Jakarta. Many of Mon Décor Gallery reputable collections include Indonesian Old Masters, Indo Euro, Modern masters, and Indonesian contemporary collections.

Over the years, Mon Décor Gallery collected over 2,500 pcs of artworks in. Mon Decor Gallery acting as executive member of Association of Galleries together with 17 art galleries assisted in the conception of Jakarta Art District in Grand Indonesia and recognized as The Best Gallery Of The Year Award 2010.

In 2011 Mon Decor Gallery reinvented its initial fine art gallery concept and expanded into private museum, art space and art institute to support art infrastructure in Indonesia and to showcase Mon Décor Gallery’s thirty years long collections. This shift was accompanied with a relocation into a bigger, more equipped exhibition space in Kemayoran called Art:1. The spacious 4,000sqm building offers products and services dedicated to art, art developments and activities for Indonesian art students, art audience and art market.

Art:1 New Museum validates and showcases collections of original artworks by Indonesian old masters, modern masters and contemporary artist under the guides of ITB Institute program and offers services to art restoration, conservation and appraisal. Art Space:1 arranges art exhibitions by emerging contemporary artists whose works are highly commendable in the market and ideal for collection. Art:1 Institute is committed to holding semi-formal educational programs which include art seminars, discussion, workshop and art appreciation. Today, Mon Décor Gallery presents exclusive merchandise to the public, custom framing and art consulting.

THE TRANQUIL WORLD OF CHRIS SUHARSO “The Tranquil World of Chris Suharso” is an exhibition which showcases the development and the artistic journey of Chris Suharso.

The title “The Tranquil World” was chosen to represent the characteristics of Chris’ works with its romantic impression of the serenity of life

Although Chris Suharso was known for his skill of using watercolor paint, through the showcase of 68 we can also see his works from oil paint, pastel, poster, charcoal, and pencil.

Chris’ style was largely defined as something between impressionist and realist syle, intensively exploring the lights and translate it through appropriate handling of medium

Around 1960s, his works showed mostly soft strokes with equally soft colours

In the 1970s his oil-painting style transformed into more powerful, rough, and overlapping strokes, which assembled more like expressionist style. Meanwhile his watercolor paint strokes became even softer.

In the 1980s Chris experimented further with a more abstract paint strokes and then in 1990s his works showed an even more soft and delicate but intensive strokes, similar to those from impressionist of realist painters.

His themes mainly consisted of life in Bali and usually depicted many things like animals, plants, landscape, still life, and even epos.

Chis Suharso has a significant contribution in the development of Indonesian modern art.

He was one of the figure who represented the growing interest in Impressionism and Realism in Indonesia which could be seen by his involvement in many exhibition and publication.

He is also recognized as an expert in watercolor paintings from his many contribution to exhibition based on that medium

EXHIBITION ELEMENTS

This is how the exhibitor arrange the visitors’ circulation based on the media or aspects he liked to draw

First Floor entrance receptionist cafe

On the first floor the exhibitor wants to explain about Chris Sunarso generally, what objects he liked to draw and with what media Oil on canvas Pencil / Charcoal Watercolor Pastel Narrative Mainly using water color and oil on canvas

First Floor

Examples of circulation possibilities

New museum

Second Floor Detailing from the first floor, this floor try to show us what a great artist by showing all of his works segmented by various aspects he liked to draw.

Aspects : • Figure • Animals • Flowers • Landscape • Religion (3rd floor) Mainly using water color and oil on canvas

Oil on canvas Pencil / Charcoal

Watercolor Pastel Narrative

Narratives for each group of subject

Second Floor

Examples of circulation possibilities

Detail

A

B

A

B

C

Third Floor Continuing from the 2nd floor, the 3rd floor tells about the religion aspect of Bali that influences most of his works Oil on canvas

Pencil / Charcoal Watercolor Pastel Narrative Mainly using water color and oil on canvas

The paintings is arranged in array and have same treatment of lighting to each works.

Each work stands right besides another without any emphasized among his works Each line leads and groupped by the narrative which helped visitors to understand the story of Chris The furniture on the 2nd floor not emphasizing any of his works. This furniture pointing circular-outside to every directions.

Third Floor

Examples of circulation possibilities

THE EFFECT OF THE CIRCULATION (1st - 3rd floor) In this exhibition, the circulation of visitors are not defined by any definitive means but a rather non-linear order of movement. In the end each visitor will have a different experience and perspective in the way of understanding the narratives of the exhibition.

The narrative which the visitors interpret will be different based on their previous personal experiences

So, how can the visitors understand Chris’ background & story through his works?

In this exhibition the narratives are largely being told by the works itself through the curator’s voice.

The curator tried to reinterpret the story of the artist by grouping the works into two main categories: medium and subject. Therefore the narrative of the exhibition is not purely the story from the artist himself but rather the interpretation of the curator.

Other than the curator, the content and subject of the works itself also told a narrative through their visual elements. The way that these paintings were being painted already portray something about the artist. Whether it is through the color scheme, the paint strokes, or the texture of the paintings. This also helps the visitors catch and interpret which aspect was emphasized or accentuated in the works of Chris Suharso.

However, these various interpretations can also be the result of the visitors’ own personal or cultural background. Personal experience can also influence the meaning of the artworks for the visitors . For example, an opinion and interpretation of someone who grew up in Bali may differ from someone who never went to Bali or experience the daily activities of balinese people. Those who were from Bali maybe considered Chris’ works as something common or normal, while the foreigner may see them as something unique and can even become a learning experience in which they try to imagine

Conclusion Curator of this exhibition is taking a stance in which the person tried to minimalize intervention in terms of design elements in order to emphasize and put the focus into the works of itself to convey the story and message from the artists.

In conclusion, the arrangement of paintings, exhibition layout, lighting, and circulation was made to be as neutral and freeing as possible to let the visitors create their own interpretation of the works of Chris Suharso.

Cyndi A // Karina A // Nabila A

Exhibition Design Interior Architecture 2011 Universitas Indonesia