Artist in Residence #6
Adam de Boer is a Fulbright awardee who has conducted research in Indonesia, focusing on deepening his engagement with the region's indigenous crafts. In addition to his Fulbright fellowship, he has received grants from Arts for India, the Cultural Development Corporation, the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and the Santa Barbara Arts Fund. Central to de Boer’s practice is his focus on materials that have long been integral to Javanese craft and culture, such as batik, carved wood, and leatherwork. In his solo exhibition Jungle Flame, he explores the potential of blending seemingly contradictory elements to create a cohesive image. This synthesis results from de Boer’s careful layering of material, process, and conceptual themes.
His work invites viewers to engage deeply as they navigate through the series, which includes a mirrored image of a young Javanese Muslim woman, symbolizing the paradoxes of contemporary Indonesian society. Additionally, the series features depictions of Java’s landscape that echo the Mooi Indie or “Beautiful Indies” aesthetic. This aesthetic was initially rejected by Indonesian nationalists, marking the beginning of a distinctive Indonesian art history separate from Dutch colonial influence. In the context of Yogyakarta, now recognized for its position on the global map of contemporary art, de Boer’s work is especially valuable for its assertion that tradition—be it from the perspective of aesthetics or material—remains relevant to an understanding of positions related to the continued development of visual cultures, both for individuals and societies, be they homogenous or hybrids ever in flux.
Adam de Boer received his MFA from the Chelsea College of Art, London, and his BA in painting from the College of Creative Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Recent exhibitions include: Art Stage Jakarta, Jakarta – Indonesia (2017); Art|Jog|8, Yogyakarta (2015); Indonesian Contemporary Art Network, Yogyakarta (2014); Chelsea College of Art and Design, London (2014); University of California, Santa Barbara (2014); and also group exhibitions at Los Angeles, Bogotá, London, Washington DC and many more.
