Farid Stevy Asta's current solo exhibition is called “Bahagia Itu Sederhana” (Being Happy is Simple). Difficult, stressful situations sometimes give birth to simple, but liberating conclusions. At least that was what Farid Stevy Asta had in mind before his hashtag #bahagiaitusederhana (being happy is simple) appeared on social media. When Farid tweeted this hashtag on twitter after going through a peak moment in his social interactions, he found a mantra that could give him freedom: “being happy is simple”. A mantra, brought to life through modern communications technology, which moved fast and could transcend all sorts of gaps, social strata and life problems, and at the same time, give birth to all kinds of creative work.

This creative young man of 30 launched his artistic career in Yogyakarta, amidst the dynamic stir of the creative life of youth in that city. Among the lively activities of Yogyakarta's young people are music and fine arts, which often activate other cultural developments. Farid is at the center of the activism. He's a member of the band FSTVLST (and also, a former member of the band Jenny) as well as a producer of texts, both for songs and for his visual artworks. He also takes an active part in the art world, presenting works in galleries, art fairs and other contemporary art events.

In his earlier period, Farid’s works developed around his attempt to tell stories that eliminated figures and characters, or personalities. In this exhibition, Farid has created art works by incorporating creative patterns he's worked on in music—in composing songs for his band. As a writer of lyrics, Farid makes light observations of the realities he's experienced in small scattered notes. Then he arranges those raw notes in the bodies of the melodies he works up together with other members of the band. A true adherent of "post-modernism” (as acknowledged in the song lyrics from the album Manifesto by Jenny, 2009), Farid makes visual concoctions that draw on a variety of influences to serve as a body for his ideas commenting on reality. His artworks are sites where the diverse influences meet, ranging from measured paintings like those of Piet Modrian, to the painted ”outpourings” of Jean-Michel Basquiat, street art, rock ‘n roll, the twists and turns of Yogyakartan youth, and so on. Farid is a collector of extraordinary creative talent and competence, which uniquely make his works into works that stand on their own, apart from those influences, without having to claim they are new discoveries.

Image: © Farid Stevy Asta, Kendra Gallery of Contemporary Art