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Between Intelligence And Intuition
Foreword I still remember walking into Dedy Sufriadi’s studio and being stunned by the raw power of the images that surrounded it. The unbridled truth, the evocative emotion and the thirst for idealism in his creations made me stop and wonder how my quiet, mild mannered friend could be capable of such forceful expression. But that is the beauty of Dedy’s art; beyond the intelligence of execution and creativity, lays the intuition and instinct that drives an artist and fills his work with emotion. Exploring and questioning both concepts, Dedy has put together a series that not only takes the viewer into the fruition of creative process but the process itself. The result is inexorably organic. Dedy Sufriadi is an artist who lives his art. Ode to Art is proud to present to you Dedy Sufriadi, and his newest body of work titled ‘Between Intelligence and Intuition’. Born in Indonesia in 1976, Dedy began his artistic journey in Jogjakarta in 1995 and began to exhibit his work at the tender age of twenty. The recognition was inevitable as his radical and forceful works gained immediate interest, eventually earning him many awards and critical acclaim for his unique expressive style and abstract execution. Dedy’s works are a dazzling blend of emotion and technique His constant exploration of society’s definitions of aesthetics, skills and intelligence is seen in many of his works and the viewer almost always sees him return to the world of instinct and intuition that encompasses his work. Using defiant strokes, meaningful text, colors and numbers, he skillfully puts forth the inner workings of his mind and the in-born drive that makes his expressive artworks. However, the works are inherent with symbolism, meaning, and disguised skill, making the viewer question how much of the art piece was intellectually designed and how much of it was free flowing thought. Thus the works lie between both Intelligence and intuition and, as the aptly named exhibition will go to show, give the viewer much to admire visually, and much to ponder mentally. The variety of his subject matter is a testament to Dedy’s growth as an artist. Constantly inspired by the events around him and his personal journeys, his works continue to be diverse and versatile. Having just become a father a year ago, we can see Dedy’s inspiration in his ‘Childlike Series’ works where he depicts life through a child’s eyes and in doing so, creates many commentaries and angles for thought. His personal insight can be seen in many of his works, adding depth and sincerity to their abstract complexity. Having witnessed Dedy work on this series for over 9 months, Ode to Art is delighted to hold this exhibition and display his works. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dedy for his representation and friendship over the years. I hope that the honesty and power of his works capture your senses as much as they did mine, and take you on an aesthetic journey through the grey areas between intelligence and intuition.
Jazz Chong Director, Ode to Art