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A glimpse of Indonesian traditions

Artist Choirijatun Weber uses realistic art in her endeavour to express Indonesian identity; she is exhibiting her works at the Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation

ARTIST CHOIRIJATUN Weber’s recording of her ethos — in an idyllic and nostalgic manner — is the source of her realistic art.

“In my endeavour to express Indonesian identity, I try to imprint the vivid and resonant milieu I belong to,” says Choirijatun Weber to City Times ahead of her exhibition, which will run till December 13 at Abu Dhabi Cultural Foundation. “This style continues to be a strong force in all Indonesian art.”

Born in Surabaya, Choirijatun’s art has been influenced by the traditional arts of dance and music of her native country. She sensed her first clandestine encounter with aesthetic creations in her childhood which was given a final boost after presenting an exhibition in Germany. It was then she realised that her fantasies, hopes and dreams fit best in painting pictures.

The integration of modern cultural subjects and techniques she portrays in her work give a glimpse of Indonesia’s mixed traditions. The artistic effect of her ingenuity results in a wide range of colourful canvases that are figurative in style and abstract in ideas, feelings and behaviour.

Differentiation of abstract and realism, she says, is more than the figuration. “My interpretation of them is as different ways to cast feelings and inspirations. Both have their own quality, attraction; both can be highly appealing to their viewers,” says Choirijatun. “However in figurative art your feelings seem to be defined more profusely and abstract remains mysterious.”

How does she define the contemporary realism? “The modern realistic art is tough and straight,” she outlines. “However, a woman from Indonesia does not express herself in that way.”