Earlier this year, Paul Kasmin Gallery presented the first solo exhibition of Nyoman Masriadi in the United States. Still in his mid-30s, Masriadi has emerged as one of the best known Southeast Asia contemporary artists of his generation. Influenced by television, new media, and video game culture, Masriadi has broken the mold for Indonesian contemporary artists who too often produce works that fail to connect with a global audience.
After the exhibition, I had the opportunity to ask Masriadi about how he would define Southeast Asian contemporary art. Specifically, I wanted to know if he saw an ASEAN regional identity emerging independent of national and regional (ex. Asian) identities. According to Pak Masriadi, this is not the case: “I don't see much of a regional identity within the contemporary arts movement in Southeast Asia. Each artist is seeking to create his own language and his own work.”
After the exhibition, I had the opportunity to ask Masriadi about how he would define Southeast Asian contemporary art. Specifically, I wanted to know if he saw an ASEAN regional identity emerging independent of national and regional (ex. Asian) identities. According to Pak Masriadi, this is not the case: “I don't see much of a regional identity within the contemporary arts movement in Southeast Asia. Each artist is seeking to create his own language and his own work.”
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