Contemporary abstract artist Dedy Sufriadi has a wide repertoire of work and styles, encompassing the use of many different elements and mediums. The many disparate visual styles that can be found across his vast body of work can be tied together by one common trait – his mastery of color and composition. Dedy is perhaps best known for his work related to text, an element of modern life that humans are subject to at virtually every waking moment, whether realized or not.

His participation in this year’s edition of Art Solo marks the artists return after his debut last year, and primarily features his recent text-related works within the artist’s Hypertext grouping of artworks. In these works, text becomes integral design elements (as with colours and lines), and the explicit meanings of text that is depicted no longer becomes of critical importance. In the Hypertext works, text within the compositions become catalysts for the viewer to develop their own ideas and interpretations, all based on their own circumstances and experiences.

Also included in the collection of works are Dedy’s more fun abstract portraitures, the artist’s own interpretation of beauty and character he finds in the many individuals he has encountered.

Visually articulating the dialectics of space, and delving into human psychological scarring and memories are among the ideas central to the body of work by Indonesian artist Taufik Ermas. He survived a near-death tragedy during the major 2006 Yogyakarta earthquake that caused his home to collapse, burying him alive for a short period of time before being rescued. This life-changing experience has become an important touchstone in his artistic career as he continues to deal with the trauma experienced more than a decade and a half ago.

Augmentation of canvas surfaces is a key feature in Taufik’s artworks, achieved either through his layer/contour technique, physical ridges (or its inverse, niches) created on the canvas surface without tearing through or cutting the canvas; or through physical canvas and frame modifications to create negative spaces within his visual narratives.

Through his paintings on these augmented surfaces, Taufik’s works articulate the many philosophical and psychological nuances of human life. His expressions are the result of the artist’s keen observations of life, both in his immediate community and surroundings (including his own experiences), or of global events and phenomena.