Element Art Space

I AM JUSTDOING AESTHETICS

Wisnu Auri

I AM JUSTDOING AESTHETICS

Wisnu Auri

17 September – 18 October 2015

Aniela RahardjaDirector of Element Art Space

I AM JUST DOING AESTHETICS

It is with great excitement that we share with you Wisnu Auri’s first solo exhibi-tion in Singapore.

Titled I am just Doing Aesthetics, this show explores the ‘power of disturbing taste,’ which seeks to define judgments about art and the beauty of nature. Moving away from his previous series which focused on found-objects, this emerging artist returns to paintings yet continues with his fascination of nostalgia and the present. The strug-gle between beautiful and ugly, present and past and the evolution of art styles. In this exhibition, he focuses on taste as an individual’s personal and cultural patterns of choice, and draws distinction between things such as styles, manners and works of art. Auri questions the viewer’s taste and their ability to judge what is beautiful, good and proper.

The concept of aesthetics has been the interest of philosophers such as Plato, David Hume and Immanuel Kant, who understood aesthetics as something pure and searched the essence of beau-ty. But it was not before the beginning of the cultural sociology of early 19th century that the question was problem-atised in its social context, which took the differences and changes in historical view as an important process of aesthet-ical thought. In his aesthetic philosophy, Kant denies any standard of good taste,

which would be the taste the majority or any social group. For Kant, beauty is not a property of any object, but an aesthetic judgment based on a subjec-tive feeling. He claims that a genuine good taste does exist, but it could be identified. Good taste cannot be found in any standards or generalisations, and the validity of a judgment is not the general view of taste or some specific social group. Taste is both personal and beyond reasoning, and therefore disput-ing over matters of taste never reaches universality.

Every judgment of taste, presumes the existence of a consensus of taste. A judgment does not take for granted that everyone agrees with it, but it proposes the community to share the experience. This is what Auri is trying to propose to the audience–create a discussion and offer a shared or non-shared feel-ing among other viewers. In “I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 8,” for example, he vandalises a baroque style portrait with splashes of street-art-like paint and challenges the viewers to judge whether something beautiful that has been visu-ally disturbed can still be aesthetically pleasing. The audience’s preferences, even on generally liked things, do not justify our judgments. With this in mind, we very much hope that Auri’s works will provide an inquisitive journey to all of you.

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Details: I am just doing Aesthetic No. 6 (2015)

I am just doing Aesthetic No. 6acrylic and charcoal on canvas

91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 7acrylic and charcoal on canvas

91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 8acrylic, charcoal and spray paint on canvas

91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 9acrylic, charcoal and spray paint on canvas

91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 10acrylic, charcoal and spray paint on canvas91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 11acrylic and spray paint on canvas

71.5 x 91 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 12acrylic and spray paint on canvas91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 13acrylic and spray paint on canvas

71.5 x 91 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 14acrylic and spray paint on canvas

71.5 x 91 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 15acrylic and spray paint on canvas91 x 71.5 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 16acrylic, marker and spray paint on canvas

91 x 131 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 17acrylic, marker and spray paint on canvas91 x 131 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 18acrylic, marker and spray paint on canvas

91 x 131 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 19acrylic, marker and spray paint on canvas

91 x 131 cm2015

I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 20acrylic, marker and spray paint on canvas

91 x 131 cm2015

WisnuAuri

Born 1981, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Education2001–2008 Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Department of Fine Art (Printmaking)

Solo Exhibitions2015 I am just Doing Aesthetics, Element Art Space, Singapore 2014 Precious Daily, Artotel, Surabaya, Indonesia The Other Side of Daily Notes, Artotel, Jakarta, Indonesia2013 Suka Simpan Suka Pinjam, Ark Galerie, Jakarta, Indonesia2011 Living Harmony & Interior Study, Galerie Canna, Jakarta, Indonesia2010 The Other Side of Beauty, Galeri Canna, Jakarta, Indonesia2008 SKETSA-SKETSA KALA INSOMNIA, Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2007 Drawing Exhibition--My Midnight Glory via-via, Café Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Group Exhibitions2015 Medium of Living, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia Writing an Image, Space Cottonseed, Singapore Southeast Asia Platform. Art Stage Singapore, Singapore2014 Aksara/Rupa, Koesmadi Hardjosomantri UGM, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Art for Everyone, Artotel, Jakarta, Indonesia Bazaar Art Jakarta, Galeri Canna, Jakarta, Indonesia2013 Lost and Found, Space K, Seoul, South Korea Market Forces The friction of Opposites / Fetishism of Discourse, Osage Art Foundation, Hong Kong Ark Galerie, G-Seoul Artfair, Seoul, South Korea IVAA Archive Aid, ArtJog 13, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Print Parade, Grafis Minggiran, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2012 Jogja Agro Pop, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta (Museum), Yogyakarta, Indonesia Unforgettable, Jakarta Art District, Jakarta, Indonesia Art Dubai 2012, Canna Galeri, Dubai, UAE Together in Harmony, Jakarta Art District, Jakarta, Indonesia2011 New Pop New World, Element Art Space, Singapore Crop Cycle, Canna Galeri, Jakarta, Indonesia ArtJog 11, Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Speak Of, Jogja National Museum, Indonesia Bazaar Art Fair: Young Collectors Booth, Artoholic Anonymous, Jakarta, Indonesia 2010 Bazaar Art Jakarta, Galeri Canna, Jakarta, Indonesia Muka (an uninterrupted countenance), Artesan Gallery, Singapore2009 Biennale Jogja X, Pisang Seger, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Exposigns, Jogja Expo Centre, Yogyakarta, Indonesia A Tribute to Mooi Indie, CGartspace, Jakarta, Indonesia Ark Galerie, Jakarta, Indonesia Jogja Art Fair #2, Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Bohemian Carnival, Galeri Nasional Jakarta, Indonesia Indienesia, Art & Youth Festival, Mulya Karya,Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2008 Jogja Deathmatch, Mulya Karya & Pisang Seger, Roommate, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Boom Seni Grafis 2008, Galeri Biasa, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Hello Print, Edwin’s Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia Rumors of Tatang S, IVAA, Yogyakarta, Indonesia “Aha...!”, V-Art Gallery Café, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Jogja Art Fair, Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2007 Artmosphere Academic, Jogja Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Young Error, the gate café, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2006 Membuka Tali Sepatu, via-via café, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2005 CP Biennale Urban Culture, Pisang Seger, Exsjavache Bank, Jakarta, Indonesia2004 AIDS, Benteng Vredeburg, Yogyakarta, Indonesia The Herpess Exhibition, café kecil, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Daging Tumbuh Awards, kedai kebun, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2003 Hipnotice, Nescafé komplek candi Prambana, Yogyakarta, Indonesia gelar ekspresi seni dan budaya “Hujan-hujanan”, UAJY, Indonesia2002 Sepiring Indonesia, Gelaran Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Pisang Seger #1, kompilasi printmaking Unjuk Gusi, Printmaking Exhibition, sanggar suwung, Yogyakarta, Indonesia Ada Apa Degan ISI, gallery ISI, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Workshops2007 Jogja Printmaking, Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia2005 Printmaking Cetak Tinggi with Pisang Seger, Open Circuit Commmunity, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Published Comics2004 Penholder #1 “I’m talking too much”2007 Penholder #2 “Hello Honey” Penholder #3 “Untitled” Penholder #4 “Minum kopi sambil melobi”

Details: I am just Doing Aesthetic No. 19 (2015)

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Published by Element Art Space Pte Ltd © 2015

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Dimension of works are given in centimeters, height x length

ArtistWisnu Auri

DirectorAniela Rahardja

Sales Representative Natasya Mahidi

Gallery AdministratorStephanie Seet Ying

Graphic DesignerStephanie Seet Ying

WISNU AURI I AM JUST DOING AESTHETICS