Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) Singapore is proud to present Indonesian artist, Badruzzaman aka ‘Dru’ (b. 1981), first overseas exhibition. MY GIRLS 2 is a highly anticipated follow-up to his recent solo exhibition at Vivi Yip Art Room, Jakarta early this year. MY GIRLS 2 will be on at our gallery from 16 Sep – 1 Oct 2011.
In this time of Marvel superheroes and graphic novels, viewers might assume Dru was predisposed towards American comic books but his influences are from the street art found rampant on the streets of Yogyakarta. Dru’s works are mainly executed on large canvases, as the artist did not find the point of creating works on small canvases. He felt the message would be lost in the insignificance of a small canvas. This perspective was also cultivated by the overwhelming, in-your-face street art he experienced.
Dru paints to document personal experiences like a diary serves as a daily log. Life’s daily fluctuations, minor joys, tediums, aches and interactions all play a part in Dru’s pieces. Dru’s recurring protagonist is a female, whose visage he based on young women. According to the artist, females have always been unfairly seen as the weaker sex and this perception is stronger in several Asian cultures. Dru relates to this unfair notion as he himself experienced problems, which made him feel weak and as a soft-spoken and emotional sensitive man, only amplified the discomfort.
Dru’s paintings use muted colors and dark melting strokes, with curious cacophony of critters peeking out from around the protagonist. At times, overwhelming the protagonist into submission. Dru has no name for the creatures, simply calling it a symbol of egoism. The creatures are deformed, symbolizing the ugly nature of egotistical humans. In a few pieces, including ‘Plan the Future’, which is a personal favorite of the artist, the protagonist is not surrounded by the deformed creatures but a natural animal (bird & cat) which symbolizes hope for the protagonist.
The artist has simple ambitions – to introduce his art to the public as he utilizes the canvas to release his past experiences and emotions.
