Born in 1972 in Lintau, West Sumatra, Jumaldi Alfi is one of the most influential artists in the Indonesian contemporary art scene. A practicing painter and sculptor, Alfi burst upon the art scene of Yogyakarta with artworks that quickly developed into a complex and highly diverse style; marked by innovation, sophistication, skill, and a stirring emotional depth.
Jumaldi Alfi, (left) ‘Duka Mu abadi #01’ and ‘Duka Mu abadi #02’, (right) ‘Journey #01’ and ‘Journey #02’, 2012
The artist moves from the medium of painting to printmaking at the Creative Workshop while bringing his distinct visual iconographies with him, such as the cactus and the myth of Sisyphus. This act of consolidation and re-presentation of his past visual themes can be seen as a process in itself, where Alfi is “in the midst of the tension between trying to remember and trying to forget… [and] between emotional reflections and the jolt of rational awareness” (Supriyanto, 2011).
Jumaldi Alfi, ‘Duka Mu abadi #02’ (detail), 2012
The emotive attributes of his work thus provoke a raw acquaintance with it, which ultimately directs us towards a more affective aspect of the human condition.
Visit our Artsy Viewing Room to learn more, and to view all available artworks here.
Enin Supriyanto, 2011. ‘Alfi: In layers and in prints’, in Jumaldi Alfi: Melting Memories (exh. cat.). Singapore: Singapore Tyler Print Institute.
Exhibitions at STPI
Jumaldi Alfi: Melting Memories (2011)
Publication and Prints
The catalogue ‘Jumaldi Alfi: Melting Memories was published on the occasion of her solo exhibition with STPI. It contains an essay by Enin Supriyanto.
View this, as well as the artist’s prints, at STPI’s The Corner Shop here.
