Adi Gunawan

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About the artwork

Indonesian Artist Adi Gunawan is known for his symbolic sculptures, which often explore the significance of animals, due to his cultural background of growing up in an Agrarian society. In this whimsical sculpture, Gunawan reverses conventional roles, as he depicts his signature bulbous figure carrying an elephant. While the elephant has traditionally been seen as a symbol of strength and steadfastness, in this sculpture the power dynamic between man and animal is humorously inverted, as the figure is now seemingly stronger than the animal, and the elephant appears to be thoroughly enjoying its rest on his back.

About the artist

Born in Yogyakarta in 1974, Adi Gunawan received his education at the Institut Seni Indonesia. He is a prominent Indonesian sculptor known for his distinctive and often playful and satirical bronze sculptures. In his symbolic sculptures, Adi invokes exploration of themes related to human behavior, social issues, and cultural traditions. He uses his cultural positioning as a tool to visualize motions, gestures, characters and expressions of various subjects that he sculpts. He often incorporates elements of Indonesian folklore and everyday life, giving his pieces a rich cultural context. Growing up in an Agrarian society, he depicts a lot of animals in his work. The symbiotic and mystical relationship between animals and humans is well expressed in his artworks.