The King Who Sells the Country (2007), acrylic on canvas: JP/Carla Bianpoen

If Heri Dono's sculpture installation Licking the Money (2007) at the Asian International Art exhibition in Bandung in November of last year suggested he had entered a new phase in his artistic career, his solo exhibition at Nadi Gallery here testifies to the contrary.

The launch on Jan. 28 coincided with the death of Indonesia's former president Soeharto, whom many denounce as a ruthless dictator.

Applying his usual bizarre wayang monsters blended with eerie-looking primeval creatures and rendered with cartoonish fervor, Heri Dono (b. 1960), the country's leading artist and one of the most prominent Southeast Asian contemporary artists, once more speaks in metaphors to reveal his sharp critique of Indonesia's former strongman and the country's social and political situation.

Grotesque, bizarre and resembling figures from Javanese myths and legends, his images are suggestive of tales of the animal world -- albeit fear-inspiring -- that anyone could associate with the faint memory of childhood stories.

Nevertheless, anyone familiar with Indonesia's social and political past would be able to identify the association made by the artist.

The King Who Sells the Country (2007), for instance, shows a muscled creature with a crown to indicate his stature, bulging eyes and a set of canine teeth rendering the appearance of a wild animal, with a red tongue poking out as if in wild expectation of prey.

The Troyan Horse (2006), measuring 154cm x 204cm, details a huge prehistoric animal modeled as a toy on wheels and includes the installation of small-scale dinosaurs (titled Donosaurus [2008], a twist on his own name) with eerie devices on their chests, while Don Quichote (2008) bears a resemblance to an odd animal from ancient times. All recount situations fraught with deception and make believe.

Such too is revealed in the painting Komedi Putar Bahagia Indonesia (2006), which suggests a happy family riding a merry-go-round watched from afar by loose heads in an upside down position, symbolizing victims of the regime.

Taking inspiration from a painting by the first indigenous fine art painter Raden Saleh, who painted Penangkapan Diponegoro (the Capture of Diponegoro, 1857) in an act of protest against a painting on the same theme by a Dutch painter, Heri Dono brings to canvas the imaginary capture of Soeharto made by a police officer in uniform. It is titled Salah Tangkap Pangeran Diponegoro (Wrongful Arrest of Prince Diponegoro, 2007).

Heri Dono is of the opinion that an artist should inform people of things often unseen or hidden behind the masks of the time.

He draws from prophecies rendered in old poems by, for instance, Ronggowarsito (b. 1802), Java's own Nostradamus, who prophesied tanda tanda zaman (the signs of the time), which some view as predictions of certain situations centuries after they were written.

Heri's painting titled A New Holy Book (2007) shows an open book; the pages of which are filled with little paintings suggesting the signs of the time, though in a different perspective.

Heri Dono also draws his inspiration from Chinese calligraphy, which he says became the Chinese alphabet.

Other paintings refer to environmental disasters, such as The Yellow Submarine from Mount Merapi (2006), or to constrained peace efforts in The Peace Vehicle that is Intimidated (2007), which shows weapons pointed at a woman riding a vehicle with oversized wheels.

While works in the exhibition adopt his signature style, they also take an almost morbid tone. With less of his usual canny humor, Heri Dono continues to observe the obnoxious feats of human beings; his paintings representing his own tanda tanda zaman (signs of the time).

This is the 30th solo exhibition by Heri Dono, a participant in more than 20 international biennials and numerous art events around the world, and a recipient of many prestigious honors and awards.

The Dying King and I

A solo exhibition by Heri Dono

Until Feb. 11, 2008

Nadi Gallery, Jl. Kembang Indah III blok G3- no.4-5, Puri Indah,

Jakarta 11610

Tel. 62 (21) 5818129

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