Atreyu Moniaga

Jakarta-based illustrator Atreyu Moniaga has made a name for himself through his fantastical, whimsically-grotesque drawings.

Dynamic and filled with intertwining lines and characters that shape and build around-and-on-top of each other, Atreyu’s art does not have to be your particular cup of tea to be transfixing to look at.

His latest project finds him curating fellow, mostly newer, artists through Mixed Feelings — an “after-school” project he started as an art lecturer at Bunda Mulia University.

The project provides an outlet for students who want to dive in even deeper into the art world and learn real-world survival skills.

Though art and the creative world has grown to be seen as a tangible career step — especially for the millennial generation — it still requires plenty of networking and creative knowledge that can’t be learned in class.

Atreyu started Mixed Feelings alongside fellow artists and brothers Hardi and Hadi Salim.

Throughout his career, the Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) alumni has collaborated with a variety of other creative minds, including fashion photographer Jeremy Bobrow, Montreal fashion stylist Mark Fatal, Solvakian photographer Michael Hustaty as well as Karljapz from the Phillipines.

He’s also managed to garner awards from ESMOD, NYLON Indonesia and Kreavi. Suffice to say, it arms him with a welcome level of knowledge that his students can pick from.

Formed three years ago, Mixed Feelings began its step with an exhibition titled “St/art”, which involved many of Atreyu’s students.

The exhibition’s name signaled a beginning for the project, while “Mixed Feelings” itself referred to how filled with variety the project was going to have by showcasing a good number of different disciplines.

The exhibition also bred a coffee-table book featuring some of the best works from the event. According to Atreyu, many of those 2013 students have gone on to good creative careers.

“Our goal was simple, we wanted these newer artists to have a representative portfolio. One that was nice to look at, and packed in a serious manner. So that when people, perhaps prospective clients, look at them, the quality of the work will be obvious — as is the students’ level of commitment and discipline in their careers,” explained Atreyu.

Since Mixed Feelings features a different set of memberships every time a class graduates, it has grown to be something of a short course, he says.

“So throughout the year, we do a lot of workshops; we invite senior artists to share things. There are a lot of drawing and public speaking exercises, and learning how to look for sponsors, media partners and how to hold exhibitions. This will always culminate in a publication of a collection book. After that all ends, then comes the next batch of students.”

What’s “adorable”, says Atreyu says, is how students who have graduated still have a sense of belonging when it comes to Mixed Feelings. Many of them actively assist him in his teaching and lecturing, helping their younger counterparts with tasks.

“Through Mixed Feelings, I learned that drawing can be something that is done in a serious way, not just an extracurricular activity,” says Rovliene Kalusinge, one of the class’ first batch of students who says that she discovered a lot about herself through the program.

The sentiment is echoed by Novan Anggono, a second batch alumni, who says that he “became and found himself – a version of himself that he didn’t know before” through the course.

For Atreyu, the whole process and results are worth all the hard work he and his friends put into it.

“I completely let the kids do whatever they want to creatively. To let their creativity flow without limits.”

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