Indonesia +
my Predominantly White Community
“Why have I not been properly represented in the world of entertainment?”. This question is often asked in the American Indonesian community, and it is my intention to bring representation to the world or art, specifically animation. I have created art that reflects my upbringing of being an Indonesian in a predominantly white community and often being the only Indonesian in my community. It also reflects “not being Indonesian enough” and being an outcast in the Indonesian community as well. I chose to focus on representation in the world of entertainment because representation truly matters. I have always adored Disney movies but seldom saw myself on the movie screen which was heartbreaking as a child. By diving deeper into the culture of being raised between different countries, I’m hoping that I will be able to learn more and therefore tell the stories of many as they deserve to be told.
(Gouache, cold press watercolor board)
This piece represents my Indonesian childhood. This is the street that my grandparents lived on and I have very vivid memories of walking down this street in the early morning with my whole family.
Left: (Gouache, colored cardboard/cardstock)
This piece is of my favorite Indonesian drink Teh-Botol. Not only does this image show my love for my Indonesian culture but it also represents my younger cousin and I indulging in our home culture before I became more and more assimilated into American culture.
Middle: (Digital - ProCreate)
This is a digital piece done on procreate of an Indonesian street with a small street vendor. This is yet again another snapshot of my childhood in Indonesia and something that I hold close to my heart.
Right: (Linocut on a magazine page)
This is a Balinese dancer printed on an image of a balinese village. The layers of this piece represent the layers of my life and having this image of Indonesian heritage behind me my entire life.
Left: (Watercolor, fine tip black ink pen, watercolor paper)
I created this piece with the image of my little sister growing up in my mind. The piece is named cantik which means pretty in Indonesian and my mother would call my little sister and I cantik whenever we she was proud of us, or when we were feeling down as a way to inspire hope into our hearts. So I wanted to portray that feeling of hope in this piece through the pose of the subject and materials used.
Right: (Gouache, acrylic paint, oil pastel)
I have always felt pressures to have certain accomplishments and have certain values as an Indonesian American which is portrayed in this piece. The Indonesian batik pattern encroaching on the subject represents the pressures brought upon me due to the tension between my two cultures. The subject is wearing a qipao which is a traditional chinese dress which shows how I have yet another culture mixed into my life and how I feel that this mix of cultures creates a blurring of each cultural boundary.
(Gouache, paint chips, playing cards)
This is my collection of artist trading cards of all my favorite Indonesian foods inspired by the Indonesian color palette. The Indonesian color palette consists of warm oranges, warm yellows, bright reds, mellow browns, vivid greens and light pinks. Together they create an atmosphere of contrast and harmony.
Left: (Oil pastel, chalk pastel, colored pencil, pastel paper)
This piece is of a Balinese dancer looking into the distance which represents this feeling of longing to be with her own culture.
Right: (Gouache, watercolor paper)
This piece is of a Balinese temple. These temples are common in Bali and I have had the image of these temples engrained into my brain every time I visited Bali with my family from Indonesia.
(Acrylic paint, canvas)
This piece holds a special place in my heart. I created this piece in honor of my grandfather who passed away 2 years ago. He was a very important connection to my Indonesian culture because he was the only fluent English speaker of all my grandparents and taught me values of our culture that only his generation truly understood.
(Photography, to be made into pastel piece)
My beloved extended family lives in Indonesia while the majority of my life is based in America which has caused my connection to my Indonesian culture to diminish year by year. This piece represents the tensions between a picture perfect balance between my two cultures and the reality of guilt and resentment due to my assimilation into American life.
