“My artworks illustrate my personal convictions and aver to have a social function that challenges our understanding of the world and how we operate in it”
Kukuh is an established neo-expressionism artist from Indonesia. His works are wordless social commentaries that seek to illustrate isolation of man caused by modern societal structures, elevated decadence in our society, insensitivity to nature, corruption in politics etc.
Neo-Expressionism is a form of contemporary artrooted in early 20th century German Expressionism. Staying true to the style, Kukuh’s paintings are marked by deep colors and contrasts, rapid and violent brushwork, distorted subject matters and a generally spontaneous articulation, often incorporating 'found' objects.
Kukuh inherited his painting skills from his father and Idol, O.H.Supono, arenowned Indonesian artist. Kukuh also draws inspiration from greats like Picasso. In 2017, Kukuh’s painting was recognized as ‘The Painting of the Year’ at the UOB competition in Jakarta. His paintingtitled “Darkness”– a visualization of reformation movement in Indonesia, is recognized as visually and conceptually unique, raising difficult questions and providing insight on the complex subject.
Fun Fact:
Besides painting, Kukuh is a wood sculptor and has modelled various installations.