Arwin Hidayat

Arwin Hidayat combines primitive and contemporary motifs for his works on paper and in his paintings, but also by folk art inspired refined unique batik pieces. Although many of his works are inspired by his personal experiences and thoughts, his works of art can be seen as a subtle manner to pose questions about socio-economic and moral situation in Indonesia.

Arwin Hidayat loves the medium batik. It is traditionally a method to decorate cloth with motifs, pattern or designs using colour dyes and wax. It requires quite an elaborate manner of painting (writing) by hand, unlike the modern printed textile production for the mass. Although the method can be found in many places in (South-East) Asia, in Java especially this method of cloth decorating has found its high refinement, where every motive has its own meanings, and whom are allowed to use depending on the gender and even ranks of social and heritage.

His works have been selected several times for ArtJog, the prestigious contemporary art exhibition in Yogyakarta.