Published - FX Harsono's rebellious voice

A new show at the Singapore Art Museum has opened my eyes to the great conceptual work of FX Harsono, who is still relatively little known at auction (but that should change). For the past four decades, the Indonesian artist has provided a critical voice against political and social oppression in Indonesia, creating powerful installations with clear social commentaries. Some of his seminal works are now on show at the SAM as part of ‘‘FX Harsono: Testimony,’’ which runs until May 9. I just wrote about it in the IHT.


What I especially like about his work is that although it is conceptual in nature it is very accessible and pleasing to the eye. You don't have to read a page-long artist's statement to understand the meaning...

In recent years, the artist has moved away from head-on criticism of the government to focus more on the issue of identity and his Chinese roots. He uses butterflies and needles as a metaphor for the fragility of people in the face of big power. In ‘‘Bon Appetit,’’ (photo above) butterflies skewered on needles set on plates and in glasses at an elegant dinning table are ready to be eaten.