Bandung-based artist Monika Ary Kartika is in the mood to celebrate. After one false start, her new exhibition “Con Festivita” has opened at the Vivi Yip Art Room 2 in South Jakarta, showcasing a collection of her exuberant, festival-themed paintings.
The exhibition almost didn’t happened at all. It took a lot of dancing around the subject — quite literally — before Monika arrived at just the right inspiration for her new exhibition.
Working primarily from her studio in Bandung, Monika was initially inspired to do a series of paintings based on her love of salsa dancing. She regularly attends Latin dance clubs across the country and has been looking for a way to bring salsa’s celebratory spirit into her art.
After starting on several salsa-themed paintings based on photographs she found through hours of online research, Monika felt her work didn’t really achieve the effect she wanted.
“She browsed the Internet looking for pictures and information about international Latin dance competitions all over the world and then digitally processed the pictures before transferring them on to her canvases,” said Jim Supangkat, the exhibition’s curator.
“The paintings she created turned out to be lonely with empty backgrounds. They didn’t capture the proud and festive atmosphere she wanted,” Jim said. “The colors were dark and gloomy.”
Not satisfied, Monika went back to the drawing board and was surprised to discover new inspiration close to home in the Jember, East Java.
It was there that she chanced upon the annual Jember Fashion Carnival. She was immediately inspired by the colorful, extravagant, over-the-top costumes worn by the participants and the exuberant, festive vibe of the event.
The festival was started nine years ago by Jember’s thriving community of fashion designers and has been held annually ever since. It usually takes place the month before Ramadan.
Monika found herself especially intrigued by the organic nature of the carnival, specifically the participant’s do-it-yourself attitude. All designers fund their own creations, some working on them all year long.
“Some designers even go so far as selling their motorbikes to have the money needed to make a costume and take part in the carnival,” Monika said.
She immediately started transferring the pictures she took at the carnival onto her canvases.
She did additional research into similar festivals, like Brazil’s Carnival, to expand her visual knowledge of such events.
The result are paintings that explode with the vivid colors of the carnival experience as well as the joyful expressions of bystanders at the event.
Monika captures the celebratory swirl of the festival by freezing it on her canvases. One painting titled “Balloon” shows a woman with a wide, eye-twinkling grin, covered in colorful balloons, while “Green Carnival” depicts another woman in a futuristic, neon-green costume that transforms her into a preening peacock.
For those who want to inject a little celebration into their lives, Monika’s exhibition will be on display at the Vivi Yip Art Room 2 through Dec. 20.
Vivi Yip Art Room 2
Annexe Ciputra
Jl. Prof. Satrio Kav. 11, Casablanca, South Jakarta
Tel. 021 52905706
viviyipartroom.com/exhibitions/con-festivita
Marcel Thee | November 26, 2010
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