Sunaryo Soetono

Sunaryo Soetono, born in 1943 in Banyumas, is a prominent Indonesian artist known for his diverse body of work spanning multiple media, including painting, sculpture, printmaking, installation, urban monuments, and public murals.

Sunaryo Soetono's Art Style

Sunaryo Sutono studied at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and later in Italy. Although he specialized in sculpture and went on to teach it at ITB, he has never confined himself to a single artistic discipline, working across a range of media. Whether abstract or figurative, his work is recognized for its formal strength and inventiveness, while consistently engaging with social, environmental, and spiritual themes and objectives.

In the 1980s, Sunaryo gained recognition for his lyrical paintings depicting Indonesian themes, such as Balinese dancers and barongs (masked figures symbolizing the "spirit king"), often incorporating traditional art forms and motifs. However, in the past decade, his work has evolved to become increasingly politically conscious.

While his later large-scale multimedia installations are more explicitly political, even his earlier, visually appealing works like the dancer series subtly conveyed his social and environmental concerns. These pieces often addressed themes such as "the tension between tradition and modernity" and political issues through symbolic use of color and imagery.

Sunaryo's work is characterized by a continuous exploration of balance and harmony, concepts that are integral to both his artistic practice and personal life. His drive to seek equilibrium has positioned him as one of Indonesia's most eminent contemporary artists.

During a six-week residency at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI), Sunaryo further developed his artistic practice, blending his diverse skills to create new and innovative works.