Publisher's Synopsis
Heri Dono (born 1960 in Jakarta) exhibits his paintings, sculptures and installations world-wide, providing a critical commentary on contemporary politics and social issues in Indonesia. He employs artistic forms and objects that are familiar to everyone in his country (such as wayang figures). Dono prefers not to distinguish between high art and low art. His work incorporates narrative elements from folk traditions and uses sound, light, shadow and movement. Besides Indonesian sources, Dono also draws inspiration from the work of various European artists and movements. He is a truly glocal artist: a genre in which local tradition meets globalisation. His art is essentially about the ever-changing structure of Indonesian society, which is intrinsically connected with developments in the rest of the world. Through his work, Heri Dono adopts the traditional role of the clown, who is able to level serious criticism using wit and irony.
