We turn to the skies every day. A short glimpse tells us the time of day, the moods of the weather. A prolonged gaze encourages a mixture of emotions from the mundane to the sublime as we connect our thoughts to the vastness of Nature. These visuals have the power to evoke the profound and spiritual aspects of life. For centuries artists have responded to the colors of night and day as well as the sensory qualities of the stars, moon, clouds, winds and rains. Over time, whether as subject or backdrop to human existence, the sky in art, has thus become a recognizable metaphor for poetic emotion. Agus ‘Baqul’ Purnomo has, for many years, observed and commented upon the Natural world around him. Working with Arabic calligraphy, the Roman alphabet or numbers he creates frenetic paintings that hint at the essence of life. Currently, he has turned his aesthetic curiosities, to the skies for inspiration. Numbers in the Sky by Jogja Contemporary at Sangkring Art Space presents his most recent body of work: random numeric sequencings that collide with colour and brushstroke to create a rich and dynamic tapestry of various skies throughout the day. However, his is not a mimetic reproduction, but rather an expressive harnessing of color and mark making through Abstract Expressionist gestures. Often described as a vortex, what results is a vibrating spectrum of colors and forms driven by various visual energies. Temporarily departing from his more structured and meditative layering of Qur’an-ic verses, this latest series also sees a slight shift in process, encouraging an evolved form of expressiveness and experimentation.
Artist Biography
Indonesian artist Agus ‘Baqul’ Purnomo is well known for his contemporary exploration of Islamic calligraphy that fuses Abstract Expressionist aesthetics with Muslim spirituality. Highly poetic and emotional he uses repetition, texture and color to expand on the tradition of calligraphy in both formal and linguistic ways that reflects upon art and spirituality in Indonesia.
Agus Baqul Purnomo (b. 1975, Indonesia) is a graduate of the Indonesian Institute of Art, Yogyakarta has had several solo shows to date including UniVerse(s), Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur offsite at The Annexe Gallery, Malaysia, 2011; Secret Garden, Vivi Yip Art Room, Jakarta Indonesia, 2010; Recite!/Iqra!, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2009; Vortex 8, Tembi Contemporary, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 2008; Final Work, Indonesian Institute of Art, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 2005 and Ruang Tanpa Ruang, Gelaran Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Korea, Japan, China and Dubai.
