The first thing that doesn't strike you as you enter the "Primero" exhibition is the age of the artist. It comes as a big surprise to then find out that he is only 18 years old, has less than three years experience and is still in high school.

There are three main genre of works in the exhibition. The first falls into the style of photograph that one could see in a wedding studio anywhere in Jakarta. While technically competent, the works in this category don't fit in well with the rest of the exhibition, and tend to confuse the overall theme.

The second genre is glamour shots -- shots in which the subject is posed in an almost fantasy-like setting. This is a difficult style to shoot without having the result look like a fashion shoot from a glossy magazine.

Styling is an issue, with the subject's stocking line visible in some shots, a large black watch on the hand of another; physical blemishes still visible, and so on. One of the principles behind glamour photograph is the degree of post production the photograph undergoes to get a final "perfect" result.

The excessive use of makeup on many (male and female) subjects also often distracted from the final result. One photograph of Ruth Sanahaya, Sylph, Spirit of Wind, is a lovely composition. There is a lot of movement, but when one looks closely, the thick makeup detracts from the overall aesthetic.

There is one notable exception to this. The photograph, Lady Rocker, also (by chance) of Ruth Sanahaya, is fabulous, full of action, movement and emotion.

Before moving on to the final genre of photograph, it is worth looking at the effect of photographing such a wide-range of such very well-known subjects.

If the exhibition was about a single famous subject, then it would be possible to explore the unknown side of that subject in different ways, uncovering little-known aspects of their character.

However, in an exhibition like this, with so many big names in Indonesia, it is more difficult to maintain a central theme. In the photographs where the subject is connected to the work that the public knows them for, the result is much stronger.

Discussion with the artist reveals that the works exhibited come from a number of different series, hence the lack of continuity.

It is in the third genre, portraiture, that hints of an eventual Eric Chang style finally start to appear.

In Hide and Seek, the subject, Butet Kartaredjasa, is blurred out, hiding behind a sharply in-focus stone wall. Unlike many of the glamour shots, it really feels that the artist was directing this photograph, taking active decisions about composition and layout.

Also worth a particular mention is the photograph of Iwan Tirta, Batik Maestro. Iwan sits, surrounded by examples of his creative output. But, in a lovely deliberate twist, he himself is wearing brand-name, shop-bought clothing. It is a good example of an attempt by the photographer to force the viewer to think.

The photographs of the designer Sebastian Gunawan, Mannequin Me and F-Process both demonstrate a strong relationship with the subject's public life, and have a pleasant uncluttered feel.

In nearly all of his portrait works, Eric consistently displays the same qualities: there are simple uncluttered lines, good lighting and a strong relationship between the subject and their public life.

Eric's portraits show a nice appreciation for his subjects' characters, and, in some cases, inject a quirky sense of humor into them -- a sort of `in-joke' for the Indonesian public.

Eric will go to the U.S. later this to study photography. He has a lot of raw talent to work with, and in the years to come, Eric will be an important part of Indonesia's artistic scene. Keep your eye on him.

"Primero"

Eric Chang

Mid Plaza II

Jl. Sudirman

Until Sunday March 2

http://ericchang.carbonmade.com/

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