Arahmaiani Indonesian, b. 1961
Song of Rainbow in White ( Dyptich), 2019
Acrylic on canvas
139 x 119
"a vibrant abstract artwork that juxtaposes colorful forms against a stark white background. The piece features a series of interconnected shapes in bright hues of orange, green, blue, purple, and red. These shapes bear a resemblance to the flowing forms of Jawi script, a script used for writing several Southeast Asian languages, including Malay and Indonesian, in an Arabic script.
The composition creates a sense of rhythm and movement. The playfulness of tje colors and forms evokes the beauty of a rainbow, symbolizing diversity and unity. The white background serves to highlight the vividness of the colors, making each shape stand out while also contributing to a sense of balance and harmony within the artwork."
“Pegon Arabic or sometimes called Jawi (in the Malay region) are letters derived from Arabic writing (which came together with Islamic beliefs) which were then transformed and used for local languages. This needs to be understood because it shows the existence of creative, adaptive abilities and appreciation for cultural diversity.; which is basically a characteristic of culture in Java or the archipelago in general. This has inspired me to make works using Arab Pegon in visual works both in the form of paintings, installations and objects.”
