Ayu Arista Murti (b. Surabaya, Indonesia, 1979) 

 

 

Ayu is a young woman who continues making her mark in Indonesia's contemporary art world. She started young, holding her first exhibition in Jakarta in 1994, just after her graduation from ISI. Ayu has exhibited her works in Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, as well as in Thailand, China and recently in a solo show in Kuala Lumpur. She was selected as the Top 5 in the Philip Morris Indonesian Art Awards in 2003.

There is an uplifting fantasy quality to Ayu's pieces. Her works take you through a child's imaginarium and you at once feel the optimism and the curiosity characteristic of a child. The undulating organic figures in her paintings are usually in earthy colors, blending seamlessly with dreamlike landscapes in the background. Through these simple yet fascinating images, Ayu tries to convince her viewer that human beings can live harmoniously with nature.