The Monster Chapter I: Memory

J. Ariadhitya Pramuhendra has been interested in depicting religious themes, especially Christianity, for several years now. His first solo exhibition in 2008 clearly showed this interest through appropriative works that referred to the psychological complexity of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper (1495-1497). This exhibition marked the uniqueness of Pramuhendra's appropriative works with black and white realism technique using charcoal, which he still maintains to this day.

Although featuring similar religious painting subjects to his Last Supper series, he now pursues a different artistic strategy. Tracing images through the "monsters" of the virtual world is now Pramuhendra's chosen way to delay or even ignore his own religious intentions. Previously, the Last Supper series was a "contemplation of the theme", while the works in this exhibition were produced from random searches of "religious" images or signs on the internet. The former was about contemplating psychological identity, while the latter was more related to the denial or postponement of identity that was more semiotic in nature.

He has been familiar with religious images in the Christian tradition since childhood. In his Catholic family environment, he often saw his father redraw the famous Pieta statue on drawing paper at home. The image of Jesus' death on the lap of Mary apparently became one of his favorites. That is the "pangkon" scene according to Javanese people, the ability to endure grief by cradling the body of a deceased family member or close friend after bathing. The famous Pieta image thus became one of the most enduring images in his memory until now. This may also be the reason why appropriating the Pieta statue became one of the large two-dimensional paintings in this exhibition.

He indeed cites Javanese people's view of religion as an "ageman", which means clothing, something that radiates honor to the wearer. But "ageman" also has a deeper meaning, namely something that feels comfortable when worn by the wearer.

For Pramuhendra, one of the striking things about Christian symbols is their visual images. Of course, those visual narratives cannot be completely separated from the truths contained therein, as figures in history (the world), as symbols (divinity), which are ineffable (from belief), mysteries (faith or belief). But on the other hand, as image productions, those visual narratives can also be perceived as narratives of beauty like clothing. As artistic objects, clothing can be seen as something detached from the wearer. This is where Pramuhendra's intention to work on religious themes shifts. He seems to want to delay his own religious beliefs and celebrate the "forms" of the images he randomly downloads from the virtual world.

This exhibition features his latest works created since last year, using light-box mediums and charcoal images on canvas.