About the artwork
Vic 23/8/18 - In Fighting, Adi Gunawan illustrates a powerful fighting scene between man and bull. In the similar style of his oeuvre, he explores the mystical relationship between man and animal. The tension visible in the strained movement of the bulbous sculptures demonstrates the complex power dynamic between man and animal. The downward motion of the bull suggests its reluctant compliancy towards mankind, and hints at animals’ ultimate subservience towards man.
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.