Agus Suwage is one of Indonesia’s leading artists whose practice emerged in the lead up to the tumultuous social and political changes in Indonesia in the mid-1990s. His work profoundly expresses the hopes and frustrations of a generation swept up in the fluid shifts of power and identity that were influenced by both national reform and globalization. Refracted through intimate and personal narratives, his work addresses sweeping cultural and political themes and helps us to make sense of the vectors of power and authority which influence how we live now.

Emerging from deep personal reflection, and incisive observation of society and politics, this exhibition explores the development of Agus Suwage’s work, looking at the relationship between an individual’s dreams and sense of responsibility and the role of the artist in facilitating social critique. 

For over 25 years Suwage has created self-portraits to interrogate his own subject position in relation to his immediate social context. The artist has stated that making a self-portrait is a means to undergo self-criticism and that one should always practice criticizing oneself before others. In this sense, Agus Suwage’s work gives vivid form to the intersection of national identity, politics, society, and an individual’s expression leading us into complex psychological spaces. 

Ideas such as memory, fear, alienation, dreams, human identity, and humor are intertwined with broad social commentary. Far from being simple analogies and observations of the changing world around him, the work of Agus Suwage is complicated by constant self-interrogation, probing the myths and symbols that frame the complexity of human relations and national political power, elaborating its brightest ideals and miserable corruptions. His work references both Indonesian and world art history, philosophy, music, and politics, identifying similar approaches and artistic and conceptual linkages to other artists, across time and space.

Warning: This is exhibition contains adult themes and violence, viewers discretion is advised.

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Bring the Common Ground's cup sleeve with 'Agus Suwage: The Theater of Me' illustration to Museum MACAN and redeem it for a special priced exhibition ticket. Valid only for on-site ticket bookings (at ticketing counter on level 2 Museum MACAN).

Terms and conditions:

• Valid only for on-site ticket bookings (at ticketing counter on level 2 Museum MACAN);
• The promotion is valid between 1 July to 15 October 2022;
• To redeem this offer, the physical cup sleeve must be presented;
• One (1) cup sleeve is valid for one (1) special priced museum ticket;
• This promotion cannot be combined with other promotion.