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 Volta Basel 2023 marks the artist’s debut at this fair and primarily features his recent pure abstract works within the artist’s Tabula Rasa series. In these works, Dedy allows his intuition to roam free, approaching the blank canvas without any prior plan, using only the materials he has at his disposal within his immediate surroundings. 

As an avid reader and one who spent close to a decade studying existentialist philosophy, Dedy’s Tabula Rasa process is one that has been distilled from the artist’s reading of many classical and modern philosophers who have expressed the “blank slate” idea, among them John Locke, often attributed for popularizing a more modern view of the theory. Without the benefit of pre-planning, the immediate state of mind and senses of the artist become the wellspring for the creative energy expressed onto the canvas, his two-decade-long experience as a visual artist providing experiential boundaries to inform him when “enough” is enough.

A more complete repertoire of Dedy’s works may be viewed on his artist profile page, including his text-related Hypertext series, one that he is perhaps best known for. 

His use of the ordinary ballpoint pen has made self-taught Malaysian artist Syahbandi Samat one of the more unique Malaysian artists currently practicing, and whose works are almost always instantly recognizable.

Syahbandi’s works delve deep into his own psyche, projecting his inner thoughts, experiences, and aspirations. Successfully breaking away from the need to “please” with his artistic creations, Syahbandi addresses issues that are important to him, such as corruption, the environment, and of course, introspective works dealing with his own life experiences. His use of visual metaphors and unique symbolism provides his artworks with an aura of intrigue, engaging the viewer to contemplate beyond what is obvious to the eye, imagery that is often construed as dark and macabre.

Artemis Art’s inclusion of Syahbandi’s works marks the artist’s Volta Basel debut, allowing his unique art greater exposure to a new European audience.

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 that create negative spaces within his visual narratives, better known as his Cut-Out series of works. The selection of Taufik’s works for our participation this year puts greater emphasis on the Cut-Out series.

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, both in his immediate community and surroundings (including his own experiences), or of global events and phenomena.