Among the “2000 Generation” of Indonesian contemporary artists, who came of age artistically in the tumultuous and creative period after the downfall of President Haji Muhammad Suharto, Eko Nugroho makes art for and of the people, based in the street and on his own experiences, and exploring the often absurd condition of being human. As he describes, political and social criticism is at the heart of his subtly subversive output: “In Indonesia the political situation is getting better, but there's still a lot of narrow-mindedness and social pressure, and that's exactly what I'm critical of in my work.” Nugroho’s early experience as a street artist is evidenced in the graphic punch of his public murals, paintings, drawings, installations, animation, and embroidery, populated by cartoonish figures with masked faces, who dissemble, posture, argue, and struggle—like the human beings they represent.
Among the “2000 Generation” of Indonesian contemporary artists, who came of age artistically in the tumultuous and creative period after the downfall of President Haji Muhammad Suharto, Eko Nugroho makes art for and of the people, based in the street and on his own experiences, and exploring the often absurd condition of being human. As he describes, political and social criticism is at the heart of his subtly subversive output: “In Indonesia the political situation is getting better, but there's still a lot of narrow-mindedness and social pressure, and that's exactly what I'm critical of in my work.” Nugroho’s early experience as a street artist is evidenced in the graphic punch of his public murals, paintings, drawings, installations, animation, and embroidery, populated by cartoonish figures with masked faces, who dissemble, posture, argue, and struggle—like the human beings they represent.
