Once Was

ara contemporary is delighted to present Once Was, a solo exhibition by Indonesian artist Iwan Effendi. Once Was continues Effendi's artistic practice, which draws on his background as a puppeteer, incorporating both the core principles and emotional resonance of puppetry. The exhibition explores the contrast between stillness and movement, featuring moving images, paintings, and drawings on paper.

Effendi focuses on the memory of presence: the works on paper trace the existence and movements of his moving image, which are repeatedly erased and redrawn. This exhibition marks a shift in Effendi's focus—from the puppet itself to the significance of the puppeteer's invisibility, when a puppet comes to life only when the puppeteer disappears from view.

At its core, Once Was speaks the language of memory. It suggests something that once existed but has since transformed, emphasizing the puppeteer's unseen process and the act of being invisible.