VLAB is pleased to present the duo exhibition "From Indonesia with colors” by Indonesian artists Fajar Amali and Oggzgoy. The exhibition features new works that have never been shown before. The presentation also marks the artists’ first show with the gallery in Madrid.

Fajar Amali was born in Surabaya in 1992, and currently lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. After dropping out from the Hassan II University in Casablanca (Morocco), he earned a degree from the Art Institute (Institut Seni Indonesia) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, quickly becoming an international artist that has showcased his works in prestigious galleries around the world. Amali principally works with painting and mixed media, and is influenced by the works of Marcel Duchamp, Robert Williams and Rembrandt.

Oggzgoy was born in Jombang, East Java in 1992. The artist graduated from the Fine Arts Department, Painting Study Program at the Indonesian Art Institute, Yogyakarta. In 2016, his practice started to focus on street art. As the artist states, “In art I am not afraid to create works until I can leave a legacy for the rest of my life. In 2016 I focused on traveling the streets and so far I am enjoying it".

Fajar Amali presents on this occasion the project "HABITAT AND PRIDE". In the artist's words “history is a reflection of reading the future. The past and the future, is a biased existence, like different realm or space. I never said I am in the present existence, because today we are a part of the past in the future. Two different conditions are brought together in one structure of imagination into a vision for the next generation. Then in the visuals of this work I give a door or gate in the middle as a link between the different time, realms and spaces”.

Fajar, in his works, skillfully elaborates symbolic spaces that give rise to both figures and landscapes, building an immersive and fantastic world. Drawing inspiration from the classics of European painting and incorporating pop-themed elements, he guides us into his particular symbolic realm. Employing a beautiful oil painting technique, Fajar seamlessly blends backgrounds where “the door in the building is a mysterious organ and as a link between different things such as atmosphere, shape, space, conditions and other elements”. All with robotic figures of an alternative dimension, showcasing a harmonious fusion of diverse artistic influences. "I can feel how portraiture work can reveal the condition of that moment," says the artist.

In this exhibition, Oggzgoy was interested in the testicles as a way of representing something "in a tight and unfree place". The artist initially started by paying homage to Kaws, but then switched to representing The Simpsons and also Kurf, and then changing it by removing half of the figure's body to emphasize this character of the testicles with the pants sagging, as if the testicles were free. "I then used the street art technique of "spray painting" to change the shape of the kaws painting from solid colors and lines to messy lines and colors," the artist states.

Oggzgoy, imbued with a vibrant street-inspired style, uses aerosols and a distinctive synthetic urban approach to weave a narrative that immerses us in the exuberance of his world.

The exhibition "From Indonesia with colors" will be on view at VLAB until April 6th, 2024.