Known for his whimsical knit and crocheted characters and his dazzling underwater landscapes, Mulyana presents Fragile Ecologies, an exhibition that features two life-size, hand-knit and crocheted costumes, several Mogus (monster) creatures, and a series of sumptuously knit coral islands.
Mulyana’s work directly engages the audience. His immersive installations captivate viewers of all ages both with their fantastical portrayal of oceanic life and the attention to detail in his creatures. The enveloping experience underscores the precarious nature of complex ecosystems in the sea and examines the peril that this sanctuary is in, as a result of global pollution levels and climate change. Because of his commitment to sustainability, Mulyana incorporates repurposed yarn and support materials in his process to minimize new industrial material production, as well as recycling parts of his installations into new projects.
On a macro level, Mulyana’s profound concern for the eroding environment and our collective lack of care for the natural world both parallel the importance of self-care on a micro level. His message encourages a holistic path to self-preservation amidst a chaotic and uncertain post-pandemic world. While Mulyana does not overtly reference gender and sexuality in his intricate installations, the diversity of his colorful environments and spectacular costumes allude to the fluidity of human identity. His commitment to promoting shared values emanates from his spiritual understanding of human dignity, an outlook that honors the totality of creation. By constructing elaborate, magical worlds, Mulyana hopes to ignite our collective imagination to cherish creation and reveal the beauty inside each of us. -John Silvis, curator
Mulyana (b.1984, Bandung, Indonesia) formed his alter-ego, the Mogus (monster) in 2008, which is an acronym that merges the Gurita animal (octopus) with Mulyana’s family name (Sigarantang). His colorful, knit installations are emblematic of the global social and environmental concerns we currently face and inspire a renewed responsibility for both nature and the respect of all persons. After completing his graduate degree in art education at the University Pendidikan Indonesia in Bandung in 2011, Mulyana moved to Yogyakarta in 2014 to investigate the possibility of community-based projects as an extension of his studio practice. One of the first groups of collaborators he encountered was a community of transgender women in Sorogenen village, which is well known in the Yogyakarta region. Mulyana’s signature medium of soft knit and crocheted sculptures was conceived through this partnership.
Special thanks to Nina Levent and Joelle Araujo at Sapar Contemporary Gallery + Incubator, New York, for the loan of the exhibition.
Cover image: Mulyana, Adikara, 2021, yarn, cable, wire.
