Albert Yonathan Setyawan is not like other artists. He has a solo show called “Capturing Silence” at the Jogja National Museum (JNM) in Yogyakarta until November 5, 2023. He graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB).
A Look at the Exhibition “Capturing Silence”
“Capturing Silence” is a show of selected works by Albert Yonathan Setyawan. It was put together by the artist himself. Setyawan’s works from 2008 to the present are shown in this exhibition, which gives a full picture of his artistic development. After graduating from ITB in 2007, Setyawan began working as an artist in Bandung. In 2012, he moved to Japan to study modern ceramic practises and is now based in Tokyo. Even though he mostly works with pottery, he isn’t afraid to try out and include other types of art, like drawings, videos, and performance art.
Discovering Artistic Philosophy Again Through Phenomenology and Material Imagination
Setyawan wants to look at his work again and put it in a new context by using phenomenology and material fantasy. He says that he wants to learn more about the texture of clay because he thinks that this is important for understanding his art practise as a whole.
Philosophical Repetition and the Search for Silence
In a poetic way, Setyawan’s art always uses the same themes over and over again. It seems like he wants to “capture the silence” that other artists’ work lacks. By using the word “silence,” he means that all things have a way of drawing us into their inner lives.
How Albert Yonathan Setyawan Make Ceramic Art and What Inspires Him
Setyawan uses slip casting as his main way of production over and over again when he is making art. He stresses how important it is to involved in this process directly. It without any help from studio helpers, seeing it as a form of artistic work. Each of his clay works is made up of tiny ceramic pieces (no bigger than our hands) arranged in geometric shapes that make the viewer feel calm. Setyawan gets ideas from traditional jewels and signs used in different religions and cultures, putting them in new situations to give them holy meaning.
Highlights of the exhibition: Albert Yonathan Setyawan and His 15 Years of Exploration in the Arts
This one-person show shows Setyawan’s artistic journey over the past 15 years. The “Capturing Silence” show will be open until November 5, 2023, and art lovers can see this fascinating journey. The price of a ticket is Rp 50,000 per person from 6 PM to 9 PM (WIB).
Background in education and art
Setyawan continued his studies and research in modern ceramic art at Kyoto Seika University after moving to Kyoto, Japan. He earned his doctorate (Ph.D.) in 2020. The 55th Venice Biennale (2013), SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now at the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2017), and Contemporary Worlds: Indonesia at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia (2019) are just a few of the big shows he has been in.
Albert Yonathan Setyawan Residency
Setyawan has been an artist in residence at The Japan Foundation at Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Shiga, Japan (2009) and Strathnairn Arts Association in Canberra, Australia (2016).
