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Solo
exhibition ‘MURNI’ of Soeki Irodikromo
Starting from Thursday the 2nd of August,
Readytex Art Gallery once again welcomes the public into her space for a special
solo exhibition. Visual artist Soeki Irodikromo will then present his new
exhibition, titled ‘Murni’, to the public. ‘Murni’ means, among other things,
honest, genuine and original. A title very befitting of the artist as well as
his work. Because everything that Soeki portrays on canvas, or forms out of
clay, comes straight from his heart. His work is an honest representation of
his fascination with, and love for, the diversity in cultures present in his
country, Suriname.
Soeki Irodikromo is an experienced,
multi-disciplinary visual artist from Suriname who, during his long and
eventful career, has managed to build quite an impressive oeuvre. An oeuvre he
is still expanding. Soeki is well known, locally and abroad, for his works of
art in which he essentially pays tribute to that what he considers the strength
and the pride of Suriname: the cultural wealth with its traditions, the colors,
the beauty and the diversity in dance and traditional clothing. In his work, Soeki
portrays elements from his own Javanese heritage, but also elements from all
the other cultures, which he in fact also regards as his own. His work often
displays a combination, or rather a fusion of various cultures. Because that is
indeed what the artist is strongly committed to. A community of people who live
peacefully next to, and with each other. In harmony. He does not involve
himself with politics or anything negative, but is a true advocate for working
and striving towards wellbeing, from a positive perspective.
And in his studio at the back of his home, Soeki
has indeed been working hard on his new art collection. With the walls covered with
colorful paintings, the floors and work surfaces scattered with supplies, beautiful
ceramic sculptures, and several easels with works in progress, the artist gives
free reign to his creativity. And occasionally, a work that was ‘finished’, is
not finished after all, and is taken back down for the changes that the artist envisions.
It is a fascinating process. From the first thin layer of the background, to the
rough contours of the composition, the colors, the shapes, up until the final
details. With intuitive and confident touches, strokes and stripes, applied by
hand, brush or palette knife, on canvas or in clay, Soeki Irodikromo ultimately
tells fascinating stories about the multi-cultural beauty of his country. And
although he prefers a more abstract style, his imagery is lively and exuberant,
and his compositions are often filled with rhythm and movement. “Sometimes it’s
the movement that speaks, more than the color” says the artist. “The
inspiration is infinite. While I am busy, my work becomes increasingly
exuberant”. His enthusiasm is infectious, his love and his passion for the
diverse cultures of his country, genuine and admirable, and indeed: ‘Murni’.
Earlier this year Soeki travelled to
Indonesia with his children to introduce them to the country and the rich
culture of their ancestors. He went in search of family members and also
visited the art academy in Yogyakarta where he studied years ago, and gave
presentations about his country and his art career in Suriname. And he once
again took a great deal of inspiration from the surroundings and the historical
sites that he visited with his children. Several of the works in his new
collection were indeed created after this journey.
The solo exhibition ‘Murni’ of Soeki
Irodikromo is on display in Readytex Art Gallery from Thursday August the 2nd
thru Saturday August 11th, Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, and
on Saturdays from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm. Also open in the evening on Thursday the 2nd
and Friday the 3rd of August from 7 – 9 pm. On Thursday evening, the
2nd of August, at 7:30 pm, Soeki will give a presentation about this
nostalgic and inspirational journey through Indonesia.








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