Solo exhibition by Agus Suwage
Curated by Tan Siuli
4 August – 17 September 2023
Vernissage: Friday, 4 August 2023, 5pm – 7pm
Mizuma Gallery is pleased to announce Scenic World, a solo exhibition by Agus Suwage, curated by Tan Siuli.
Scenic World is Agus Suwage’s first solo presentation in Singapore since his 2009 exhibition at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute. A nod to Suwage’s love for music and jamming sessions in his studio, the exhibition takes its title from a song by indie band Beirut, which Suwage has also covered together with friends from the art world.
Scenic World presents a sweeping survey of history and humanity. The tragi-comedy of human life unfolds over a triptych of cinematic grandeur, but equally present are smaller moments of everyday life and minor episodes composed from archival materials, showcasing Suwage’s deft draughtsmanship. No exhibition of Suwage’s oeuvre would be complete without his self-portraits, which the artist has consistently utilized as a medium for self- reflexivity, and a vehicle for socio-political commentary. Scenic World, like its musical counterpart, is by turns mellow, melancholy, and ironic, but also tinged with moments of beauty and longing – the vast panorama of human existence.
Scenic World will run from 4 August to 17 September 2023 at Mizuma Gallery, 22 Lock Road #01-34 Gillman Barracks, Singapore 108939. The gallery will open from 11am-7pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays, and 11am-6pm on Sundays. The gallery will be closed on Mondays and Public Holidays. In conjunction with the launch of the exhibition, a vernissage in the presence of the artist and the curator will be held on Friday, 4 August 2023, from 5pm to 7pm. A digital publication with images of the artworks and a text by Tan Siuli will be available.
About the Artist
Agus Suwage (b. 1959 in Purworejo, Central Java, Indonesia) studied Graphic Design at Bandung Institute of Technology, Faculty of Fine Art and Design, Bandung, Indonesia (1979 – 1986). Since then, he has been actively engaged with the local and international art scene, gaining attention with his practice that incorporates various mediums and techniques: drawings, paintings, sculptures, and multimedia installations. Suwage’s recent works have been his own projection, offering the artist’s self-portraits in different poses and settings that often convey critical messages concerning socio-political issues around him. Agus Suwage lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
About the Curator
Tan Siuli is an independent curator with over a decade of experience encompassing the research, presentation and commissioning of contemporary art from Southeast Asia. Formerly Head of Collections and Senior Curator at the Singapore Art Museum, Tan has undertaken a spectrum of exhibition projects including two editions of the Singapore Biennale (2013 and 2016), inter-institutional traveling exhibitions, as well as mentoring and commissioning platforms such as the President’s Young Talents exhibition series. She has also presented on contemporary art from Southeast Asia at platforms such as Frieze Academy London and Bloomberg’s Brilliant Ideas series. Tan is currently Art Lead and Curator at multidisciplinary space Appetite, as well as Contributing Editor for ART SG.
