Agus Suwage

Agus Suwage is a contemporary Indonesian artist renowned for his self-representation across painting, sculpture, and installation. Through his self-portraiture, he explores critical and often humorous questions about society, culture, religion, and the human relationship with animals.

Biography of Agus Suwage

Agus Suwage was born in Purworejo, Central Java, Indonesia, in 1959. He studied at the Bandung Institute of Technology, where he majored in graphic design. After completing his studies in the 1980s, he chose to pursue a career as a fine artist. 

Throughout his career, Suwage, like many Indonesian artists, has been engaged in a constant battle for freedom of artistic expression. This struggle became particularly pronounced following the socio-political reforms in Indonesia during the late 1990s.

By the mid-1990s, he had gained recognition both in Indonesia and internationally for his provocative drawings, installations, paintings, and assemblages. His work incorporates elements of popular culture and religious imagery, while also examining the relationship between humans and animals.

Suwage's notable works include an installation "Pink Swing Park" (2005). This work drew significant media attention and controversy for its depiction of a nearly nude male and female model in a fantastical Garden of Eden setting. The installation, which featured a pink swing at its center, was perceived by some as sacrilegious and was violently protested by the Front Pembela Islam (Front of the Defenders of Islam). Suwage faced a potential five-year prison sentence for producing what was deemed "pornography." This controversy highlighted the ongoing challenges faced by Indonesian artists in expressing their creativity freely.

His works from his residency at STPI offer an ironic commentary on the anti-pornography law enacted in Indonesia in October 2008. Focusing on the same female model featured in the "Pink Swing Park" installation, Suwage employs a distinct visual language for each piece. His work interweaves three elements: handwritten text from chapters of the anti-pornography bill, circular motifs, and the female figure. Each element is either raised, embedded, or cut out, creating visually striking images that are harmoniously balanced with the vibrant colors used in the prints.