Albert Yonathan Setyawan

Concerned with repetitions—how we form patterns in daily life—and the materiality and genealogy of clay in a cultural context, Setyawan has built an artistic practice in contemporary ceramic art while also translating his conceptual ideas into various mediums such as drawing, multi-media installation, performance, and video documentation. In his ceramic works, the objects that are used to form one specific pattern may look similar and identical to one another. However, on closer inspection, some slight variations and differences can be seen in each one as a result of cleaning and carving each of the individual objects by hand after casting. Yonathan looks into the ‘meditative’ quality that can be achieved through the repetition of form or action.

Setyawan represented Indonesia at the 55th Venice Biennale in 2013. He has also participated in major group exhibitions such as SUNSHOWER: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now at Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2017); and Contemporary Worlds: Indonesia at the National Gallery of Australia, ACT Canberra, Australia (2019). Recent solo exhibitions include Transitory Nature of Earthly Joy, Tumurun Museum, Solo, Indonesia (2024); Capturing Silence, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2024); and Speaking in Tongues, Mind Set Art Center, Taipei, Taiwan (2022). His works are in the collection of the National Gallery of Australia; Mori Art Museum, Japan; Museum of Modern Ceramic Art, Japan; OHD Museum, Indonesia; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; Tumurun Museum, Indonesia, amongst other notable institutions.