Agus Djaya

Defying laws of academic painting, Agus Djaya (1913-1994) produced a new expression by flattening the space and juxtaposing bold colours. Born in Banten, Indonesia, Agus was born into a noble family and received art training in painting from the Academy of Fine Art in Amsterdam, Netherlands. To learn and observe, Agus visited multiple countries including France, Italy, Germany and other European nations.

Depicting indigenous themes, an atmosphere of consolation develops in Agus’s portrayals. A theme of dancing figures is common while the feeling of a ritual escapes the canvas with a sense of closeness to culture and nature. Agus was a modernist, who illustrated pictorials of folklore and stories through celebrating activities like dance, music and daily chores. A sense of humour flashes through his palette, with hues that capture the funny bits of daily life.

Figures of people dancing, nude women holding vases,  portraits of beautiful women, among other sets of images, Agus always managed to unravel the primitiveness in his works. At the same time, these figures gradually demonstrate Javanese mythology, constructing an account of known and unknown folktales.

Agus also painted portraits of national ideals and was instrumental in establishing a new identity of Indonesian modern art. Most importantly, he was the chairman of the Indonesian Artists Association, in a time when the Dutch colonized Indonesia. 

Agus had exhibited throughout the world art venues. In addition to Indonesia, his work was exhibited in the Netherlands and Brazil. He was also the recipient of the Art Prize of the Government of Indonesia. Agus Djaya lived and worked in Bali where he had his own studio, till his demise in Jakarta.