Don’t hold on to your bones
A photography show by Leonard Suryajaya
Friday March 11, 2016
Chicago Artists Coalition
217 N. Carpenter Street, Chicago, IL
Chicago artists coalition, one of the many galleries dotted throughout the west loop is currently hosting a solo show for artist Leonard Suryajaya which will run until March 24th. The show entitled Don’t hold onto your bones is multifaceted, primarily containing photography while also displaying video pieces and having a strong element of installation.
The room is small and unassuming squeezed into the back of a larger gallery space however it is bursting with content and energy, Suryajaya favoring a maximalist aesthetic. The white walls and floor of the space have been covered in a colorful printed pattern creating a frantic and chaotic environment that is not typical in an art viewing context. This pattern causes the images to blend seamlessly into the wall because they are equally dense, filled with human figures and fabric.
They seem like some sort of re staging of an ancient Greek sculptural frieze. This treatment of space and composition ties in beautifully with what the show is dealing with conceptually.
Suryajaya is interested in notions of self and identity, topics he has struggled with personally throughout his life due largely to feeling like an outsider in the culture he was raised in. His photographs and videos do that struggle justice being highly personal but also filed with tension.
Since Chicago artists coalition is very concerned with providing artist with experience in selling their work all photographs are available for sale with prices ranging from $1,800.00 to $5,200.00. For anyone who is interested in emerging Chicago artists, photography or less traditional art shows this is a must see.
Highly Recommended.
Ciar O’Mahony
e-mail: [email protected]
Date Reviewed: March 11, 2016