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Cepu-born painter wants to showcase Indonesian culture on the international stage
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Errin Gie's artworks have been displayed in many international galleries. (Errin Gie/File)
E
rrin Gie is a self-taught painter residing in Athens. Although she has been away from her home country for years, she has never forgotten her roots.
Born and brought up in Cepu, Central Java, Errin’s works always revolve around Indonesian culture. Last year, inspired by Indonesian villages, she showcased a collection of artworks that portrayed various objects, including a becak (pedicab), banana sellers and a well.
Her latest paintings have been inspired by the Spice Islands, which cover Halmahera, Ternate and Maluku.
"It was a souvenir from my trip to Jailolo and Bacan Island," she explained.
These Indonesian-themed paintings have been displayed in several galleries, including Melanithros Art Space in Athens, Metropolis Art & Line in Paris, Artis Table in Zwolle, Netherlands and The New York Art Connection in New York, in the United States.
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On March 19, she will be showcasing her painting collection themed “Indonesian Spice Islands#Heart of Moluccas” at the Politia Tennis Club in Athens. In the middle of this year, she will return to the US and showcase her artworks at the Indonesian Cultural Center (ICC) in Chicago.
She told The Jakarta Post via WhatsApp that she wanted to promote the archipelago through her artworks.
"People often mistake Indonesia for Thailand or the Philippines, thinking we come from the same cultures," said Errin.
Many see similarities between her artworks and French post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin's paintings, but Errin said her organic and colorful Indonesian style drew the differences.
Though she learned about light intensity and a painting's "soul" from Greek artists, she never wants to change her Indonesian style. "I want my paintings to remain colorful and bold, [although], it may be considered not as elegant as European artwork," she said. (asw)
