5 Famous Indonesian Artists Whose Works Have Been Worldwide

Indonesia has produced several great artists whose brilliance of their works is domestic. Still, the results of Indonesian artists have become legendary and have been recognized by the world. Some of the paintings are even displayed in art museums overseas.

Of course, this is a matter of pride for the Indonesian people who can still see and appreciate his work. Here are five famous Indonesian artists whose works have become legends.

1. Affandi

Affandi Koesoema, commonly known as Affandi, is Indonesia’s legendary painter. Its popularity is limited to within the country and has also been known to foreign countries.

Some even call Affandi the most famous Indonesian painter in the world. Affandi has a distinctive character in the abstract or expressionism genre.

During his life, Affandi was very productive in producing works. He has created more or less 2000 paintings. Some of his works are exhibited all over the world. Although he has brilliant achievements and is recognized by the world, Affandi does not necessarily become arrogant.

The man who was born in 1907 is known to be humble. Affandi did not even hesitate to call himself a “buffalo paint. This was done because he felt that he was a stupid painter and still had a lot to learn.

2. Raden Syarif

Raden Saleh Sharif Boestaman, more commonly known as Raden Syarif or Raden Saleh, is a famous painter from Indonesia. His paintings are widely known internationally. Raden Syarif has a vast network of friends because he is flexible and friendly in socializing.

This made him have many acquaintances, especially in European countries, Russia, the Netherlands, England, and Austria. Even the name Raden Syarif is respected and appreciated by the nobles and the British royal family.

Raden Syarif’s original paintings were used to design illustrations of several valuable state objects, such as the Raden Saleh stamp series. There is a picture made by Raden Saleh on the stamps in the form of a photograph of two wild animals fighting.

Raden Saleh also made Indonesia proud because he was the only Indonesian artist exhibited in major museums, such as in Amsterdam, Holland (Rijksmuseum), and Pari,s France (Louvre).

Raden Saleh was born in 1807 and died in 1880. Raden Saleh came from a noble family and had Javanese-Arabic ancestry. His interest and talent in painting began to appear when he attended the People’s School.

Raden Saleh became one of the painters who became the pioneers of modern art in Indonesia, still called the Dutch East Indies. The paintings that he created were full of Javanese culture, which was his background, combined with touches of romanticism, which at that time, especially on the European continent.

3. Bayu Santoso

Bayu Santoso is one of the names that are pretty proud of the name of Indonesia. The man who was born on September 16, 1994, has successfully won an album cover design competition for the famous band from the United States, Maroon 5.

In the competition, Bayu beat many artists from various worlds, some of whom even had a pretty good reputation. Whereas previously, Bayu Santoso did not have a background as an artist. Bayu is just an ordinary student.

His interest in participating in the competition was more because he liked the band and experience. So no wonder Bayu was very surprised when he was announced as the winner. What’s more, the design he made was made in a tight time. Bayu’s plan is indeed unique. Perhaps it can also be said to be brave.

The man born in Yogyakarta majored in Visual Communication Design at the Indonesian Art Institute, Yogyakarta. Since studying there, Bayu’s ability to make designs has become increasingly felt. Bayu is also increasingly participating in design competitions.

Bayu continues to pursue the field of design and continues to work. For him, this is his talent and interest. Although designers have not yet fully received the appreciation they deserve, especially in Indonesia, Bayu remains optimistic that over time this will change.

4. I Nyoman Nuarta

I Nyoman Nuarta is a sculptor from Bali whose works have received worldwide appreciation. His name is one of the most popular when it comes to sculpture in Indonesia.

Throughout his career, I Nyoman has been very productive in producing works. It is recorded that he has made hundreds of statues giant statues. One of his widely known creations is the Garuda Wisnu Kencana statue in Bali. This giant statue has a beautiful shape and carving, so it becomes the main attraction for tourists visiting Bali.

His name is well known internationally because he is pretty diligent in participating in various art exhibitions in foreign countries. I Nyoman Nuarta’s love for art was partly due to the influence of his uncle, namely Ketut Dharma Susila. His uncle, an art teacher, educates and teaches I Nyoman Nuarta to master various skills in the arts. After graduating from high school, I Nyoman Nuarta chose to major in fine arts at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). This he did so that his talent in the arts could be further honed.

I Nyoman Nuarta has built a sculpture park called NuArt Sculpture Park. Nuarta built the park in the city of Bandung, where he now lives. There are various types and shapes of statues of different sizes in the park. A three-hectare park area is where people can enjoy and appreciate his sculptures.

5. Darbotz

Darbotz is one of the young Indonesian artists whose work is quite global. Darbotz itself is not a real name but just a nickname or nickname. Darbotz is known as a mural maker with a distinctive character.

Mural art is still considered bad art because it pollutes the city. However, with a Darbotz-style touch, his mural art has its own quality to appreciate many people. He has also shown his expertise by making murals in various countries, including Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, and Hong Kong. His moral works are also exhibited in European countries.

Interested in his work, a well-known shoe company from the United States invited him to collaborate. The collaboration was a huge success. The shoe collection by Darbotz was quite popular in the market, especially in Brazil and Japan.

Mural art cannot be separated from the identity of the city. Paintings on the walls of houses, offices, or hotels are decorations of the town and an expression of the people’s lives.

For the mural maker, the painting he made is a way to express himself and at the same time share his feelings about the city. Some even use murals to social criticize both the public and the government. This includes Darbotz. Darbotz’s mural is interesting to look at and has an implied meaning in it.

We can find Darbotz’s works in various corners of Jakarta. Darbotz’s results are also quite often entered into art galleries, even because of its uniqueness. His works are also spread to many countries. Some of them are in the collection of one of the well-known galleries in Singapore, namely Mizuma Gallery.

Those are some artists who are worldwide and make them proud. Which one is your favorite? Do you have any of their works? Or do you have a favorite artist that hasn’t been listed here? Share your answer in the comments column, yes!