Sunaryo

Born in Banyumas, Central Java, Indonesia in 1943, Sunaryo received his initial art study in sculpture at the ITB (Bandung Institute of Technology). He graduated in 1969. In 1975, he went to Carrara, Italy to study marble sculpting. An accomplished artist, Sunaryo is known for his monumental sculpture such as the Monumen Perjuangan Rakyat Jawa Barat (MONPERA), Bandung and the Jenderal Sudirman Statue, Jakarta, and the latest one being “Bilah Nusantara”, a cauldron for Asian Games 2018 which located in front of the main stadium of Gelora Bung Karno. Besides paintings, he is also known for his paintings, installations, and prints. Five of his print works were included in The Contemporary Prints of the World (1989) alongside internationally renowned artists like Joan Miro and Paul Klee.

Throughout his artistic career, Sunaryo received many prestigious awards in Indonesia and abroad, such as Honorable Mention in Philip Morris ASEAN Art Award (1995) and One of Five Best Paintings, Indonesian Art Award (1994). His participation in many major art exhibitions at home and overseas, and together with the numerous public commissions that he won, has secured his reputation as being one of Indonesia’s most eminent artists.

The multi-talented artist lives and works in Bandung, Indonesia, and is the founder of Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, a leading not-for-profit art organization in Bandung. In 2015, Sunaryo also founded Wot Batu, an installation work in a form of ±2000 m2 stone garden. Consisting of 135 +1 stones which are conceptually and harmoniously planted and laid out in it.

Sunaryo’s concerns in art and culture throughout his life granted him several awards such as the Akademi Jakarta Award, The Lifetime Achievement from Art Stage Jakarta and Jogja Biennale in 2017, and The Chevalier Dans L’ordre des Arts et Lettres from the French Cultural Ministry.