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About the artwork
In Palawan Kesiangan (Early Hero), Adi Gunawan presents a caped figure, riding on the back of a turtle. Both are rendered in Gunawan’s characteristic bulbous style, with the human figure’s eyes closed in a state of relaxed bliss. The common association of turtles with creation myths explores the multi-faceted nature of the ‘early hero’ and the relationship between humans and animals.
About the artist
Adi was born in Yogyakarta in 1974, Indonesia and received his education at Institut Seni Indonesia, Yogyakarta. In his symbolic sculptures, Adi invokes euphoria and the significance of animals in his work due to his cultural background of growing up in an agrarian society. He uses his cultural positioning as a tool to visualize motions, gestures, characters and expressions of various subjects that he sculpts. He then conveys constructed meaning which, in and through his forms, figures and compositions, puts forth the issue of a mystical relationship between animals and humans. Adi’s highest accolade thus far was representing Indonesia at the Beijing Olympics 2008 Fine Arts Exhibition, where he was bestowed the further honor of an Olympic Torch Award. His sculpture toured Hong Kong, the United States, the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland and many other countries.