VLAB VLAB is pleased to present the group exhibition entitled “Monsters, doughnuts and tape” featuring new works by Javi Gonzalez Burgos, Jonathan Hadipranata & Kai depicting playful characters with strong symbolic meanings. 

Javi González Burgos (b. Argentina, 1974) currently lives and works in Málaga, Spain. He is a graphic designer and visual artist whose works have been featured in many exhibitions all around the world. As the artist states “My work has a dreamy quality to it, it's a bit bittersweet. It has a childish side, but it's not totally funny. It has a little bit of happiness and a little bit of sadness". In this exhibition, the artist depicts his inspiration in the punk rock band Sex Pistols, emphasizing the surreal concept of performing for the conservative and traditional South rather than the Northeast and West Coast. This twist adds a unique layer to his portrayal of American pop culture. His obsession with the fast food aesthetic is evident, capturing the perspective of the workers and their stories. In addition, he expresses his concern for the destruction of the environment, highlighting the dire consequences of mass extinction, with numerous species disappearing forever. 

Jonathan Hadipranata (b. Indonesia, 1995) is a visual artist whose works are inspired by anime cartoons from his childhood. However, his work has a rather weighty concept behind it, and his child-like characters are portrayed with their mouths taped against dark and light backgrounds. These paintings are driven by his emotions and love for storytelling, symbolizing his experience and view of society in which we are often unable to speak up or be our true selves.

The concept of his painting arises from his view of society, in which we are often unable to say what we want or express our true individuality, be it for the worse or better. He believes each of us had the experience of sacrificing a part of our individuality to fit in society. Symbolized through taped mounts, he captured the irony of those moments, he captured the irony of those moments. The painting “Mother and Child” is based on an old photograph of a childhood friend. It captures a poignant moment when parents must make a significant life decision for their loved ones. The artist portrays their hidden fears—the anxiety about their new home, the uncertainty of succeeding there, and the trepidation they conceal from their children.

Kai is a self-taught artist who started creating art in October 2021. He paints monsters in a monochrome world. His monsters, however, have friendly and playful features painted in black and white. Kai aims for the number of expressive and unique monsters to proliferate.  He purposefully hides their personal profile in the public realm so that they are known solely for their identity as an artist. As such, their viewers will not be distracted by any associated text or premise when they approach their works. They refuse to have their works hijacked by over-interpretation or over-flooding texts. It asks the viewer questions about existence or non-existence. KAI sees this as a performance. Who in the world is creating that "world". Or perhaps there is no such thing as a world.

The group exhibition “Monsters, doughnuts and tape” will be on view at VLAB Madrid from July 4th to July 19th, 2024.