Agus Suwage comes full circle in reflective new show in Kuala Lumpur
We witness it too in the changing seasons: spring's blossoms, summer's lushness, fall's fading, and winter's stillness, before it all begins again. Artists and poets have long drawn on this rhythm, reflecting the cycle of life and death in their work.
Agus Suwage, one of Indonesia's most acclaimed contemporary artists, is someone who takes a cyclical approach to his craft. As such, he revisits his earlier works like the ebb and flow of the seasons.
Mediums and moods
'I re-cycle myself,' said Agus in an interview about his latest solo exhibition, A, now showing at A+ Works of Art in Kuala Lumpur.
Marking his first major show in Kuala Lumpur in over two decades, the 66-year-old artist brings together a varied – and interesting – body of work that spans mediums and moods.
Agus' connection with A+ Works of Art dates back to its inaugural group show Kadang Kadang Dekat Dekat Akan Datang in 2017, where he presented his print series Pause/Replay.
For art lovers, Agus offers even more in this new Kuala Lumpur showcase, which runs through May 3.
Agus' painting titled 'Plesiran' (watercolor, acrylic on paper, 2025). Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
A, as a compact exhibition, unfolds through paintings, watercolour drawings, sculptures, found objects, and a sound installation – each piece reflecting an ever-evolving artistic voice that continuously questions, revisits, and reimagines.
'I re-use parts of old sculptures or installations and present them in new forms, while also revisiting earlier drawings and paintings,' said Agus, who is of mixed Chinese Javanese heritage.
With over 30 years as an artist, Agus has dedicated much of his work to exploring subjects that are deeply personal, none more so than himself – having spent a third of that time creating self-portraits.
It's not a pursuit of vanity; Agus' works look into the deeper aspects of life, exploring themes like death as an integral part of the cyclical nature of existence.In 2022, Jakarta's Macan Museum held The Theater Of Me, showcasing over 80 works spanning three decades of Agus' career. His satirical portraits trace a life shaped by Indonesia's political and societal transformations.
Let the music play
As the conversation continued at the KL gallery, Agus also mentioned that he is influenced by music, culture – both local and popular – religion, love, and loss. These fundamental experiences of everyday life are the very elements that shape his art.
'I spent over a 10-year period doing self-portraits then I moved on to drawing models, figure drawings, animals, skeletons because it is connected with life and death, and you can see all these elements here in this exhibition,' said Agus, who resides in Jogjakarta.
A gallery assistant takes a closer look at Agus' 'Eros Kai Thanatos / Vanitas' (graphite on resin, wood, oil on canvas board, candles,2024 - 2025). Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
This exhibition at A+ gallery was developed through a close collaboration between Agus and Indonesian curator Bob Edrien.
Bob, 36, who previously curated Malaysian artist Adam Phong's One Of Our Fossils exhibition at A+ last year, was honoured to bring his fellow countryman's show to Kuala Lumpur.
'The idea behind this exhibition started from the tension between life and death, love and death, it also talks about happiness and sadness, the things in between,' said Bob.
They even deliberated on the title of the exhibition – the letter "A" – and how it ties in with Agus' work and artistic identity.
"The first time we talked, we discussed a lot about music because there's a strong connection between Agus' works and music. The letter 'A' is also used in music as a key, and in Western music, it's tuned to 440hz. And, of course, 'A' is the first letter of Agus' name," said Bob.
"The letter 'A' also stands for appropriation. This was based on the idea of cycles. We can see that Agus uses appropriation of not just pop culture icons but also from his past works,' he added.
A bit of rock
At the exhibition, visitors can view Agus' portraits of iconic figures from politics, literature, art, music, and film, including Yasser Arafat, Mao Zedong, Kurt Cobain, and Bruce Lee, among others.
These portraits are featured in his installation Ars Longa, where a tree, adorned with paintings of these figures as its leaves, invites contemplation.
Marking his first major show in Kuala Lumpur in over two decades, Agus brings together a varied – and interesting – body of work that spans mediums and moods. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
'Previously, I did a series of these iconic figures but they were all smoking. Smoking is identified with death as it can lead to ill health but in the new drawings they are not smoking anymore because I have quit smoking,' said Agus, with a laugh.
The exhibition is also soundtracked by music composed by Agus, who plays both the guitar and flute.
A progressive rock fan, Agus began writing his own original music during the pandemic, though he has yet to record it.
"Playing music is just a hobby for me," he said, listing Yes, Rush, Gentle Giant, Jethro Tull, Genesis, and King Crimson among his favourite bands.
His latest installation, The Singer Not The Song, features an animal skull perched on a mic stand, gazing at a sheet of music. A cable runs from the skull to an audio player housed in a cardboard box, then winds its way up a tree branch, where a loudspeaker hangs, completing the eerie, poetic circuit.
The artist noted that the installation's title is taken from The Singer Not The Song, a mid-1960s tune by The Rolling Stones.
As a veteran artist, Agus has much to reflect on. While art remains central to his life and music a steady companion, he also spoke of a pivotal career shift – from working in graphic design to fully embracing the path of an artist – that ultimately set him on the course he's on today.
Interestingly, he studied graphic design at the Institute of Technology in Bandung in 1985 and briefly pursued a career in the field, working as a creative director at an agency.
But it didn't take long for him to realise that this path wasn't meant for him.
'I'm not sure myself why I picked graphic design. I've been interested in art since school, but maybe I chose the wrong course,' said Agus.
'I worked as a graphic designer and even became a creative director at an agency, but I got bored of it and decided to pursue pure art instead.'
Graphic design's loss turned out to be contemporary art's gain – and Agus has been on a roll ever since, with no signs of slowing down.
Agus Suwage's exhibition A is on view at A+ Works of Art in Kuala Lumpur until May 3. Visits are by appointment only. To book, contact 018-333 3399 or email info@aplusart.asia.
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