Eko Nugroho, born in Indonesia, is a mixed media artist best known for reinterpreting traditional Indonesian techniques with his personal evocative aesthetic, mimicking comic books that examine the socio-political climate of his home country.
In 1997, Eko Nugroho enrolled in the Painting Department of the Indonesian Art Institute, Yogyakarta—a year before the authoritarian regime of Suharto came to an end. In the following years, known as the Reformasi era, Nugroho experienced first-hand the major waves of transformation across Indonesia, including greater freedom of expression and the import of Western comics and Pop art aesthetics that allowed for an explosion of experimentation in the arts. Influenced by his own experiences, Nugroho’s work is influenced from both Indonesian and Western cultures and often include motifs symbolizing a human being's duality as well as the process of concealment.
Solo exhibitions include Lost in Parody, Arario Gallery, Seoul, Korea (2020); Nowhere is My Destination, Artfront Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (2019); PLASTIC DEMOCRACY, Arndt Art Agency, Berlin (2018); Middle of Now | Here, The Honolulu Biennial Wayang Bocor Indonesia Performance, Asia Society, New York (2017); UH-OH UH-OH UH-OH (the world complaining), ARARIO GALLERY SHANGHAI,
China (2016); We Are What We Mask, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore (2013); We are Concern About Nothing, ARARIO GALLERY, Seoul cheongdam, Korea (2013); California Pacific Trienale, Orange County Museum of Art, California, USA (2012);Temoin Hybride, Musee d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France (2012);Threat as a Flavour, ARNDT, Berlin, Germany (2011); Lombard-Freid Projects, New York, USA (2 011);This Republic Need More Semeleh, Ark (2011); Galerie, Jakarta, Indonesia (2011);THE EKO CHAMBER, Art Gallery of South Australia, Australia (2009); Galerie Nouvelles Image, Den Haag, The Netherlands (2009);UNDER THE SHADOW, Pekin Fine Art, Beijing, China (2009);IN THE NAME OF PATING TLECEK, Nadi Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia. (2008); MULTICRISIS IS DELICIOUS, Semarang Gallery, Semarang, Indonesia (2008); IT’S ALL ABOUT COALITION, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore (2008);THE PLEASURES OF CHAOS, Ark gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2007); IN WONDERLAND, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2006); MERDEKA ATOE SMS, Toimoi, Jakarta, Indonesia (2005); SORRY I AM LATE TO CELEBRATE, Artnivora Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2004); JAUH DI MATA DEKAT DI HATI, workshop and exhibition, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan (2004); Drawing Illustration in the Daily Newspaper “In Out”, Kunstvlaai, Westerpark, Amsterdam (2004);WELCOME BACK MAYONAISE, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2004); FIGHT ME, Via-via café, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2004); BERCEROBONG (Like A chimney), Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2002); NDONESIA VS TELEVISI, Mural Exhibition for Public Space at Panembahan no 1 Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2001);HERK, Mural Exhibition at apotik Komik gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2000).
Group exhibitions include Uprising – Schloss Görne, Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2022); Nothing Lasts/ Nothing’s Finished Online View, Sullivan+Strumpf, Singapore and Sydney (2020); PLASTICOLOGY, The Goods Shed by Form, Perth, Australia (2020); MY NAME IS NOBODY online view, Arndt Art Agency and Artsy, Berlin, Germany (2020); VIOLENT ATTACHMENTS, Sullivan+Strumpf, Singapore (2020); TURNING THE AXIS OF THE WORLD, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore (2020); ARTJOG 2020: RESILIENCE, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2020); SETOUCHI TRIENALE, Ibuki Island, Japan (2019); ABAKADONE/CONTINOUS FIRE, National Gallery of Canada (2019);ART JAKARTA 2019, Jakarta Convention Centre, Arario Booth & Special Spot (2019);SHIFTING TIDES, ASEAN Gallery, The Asean Secretariat (2019);CHILDREN BIENNALE: EMBRACING WONDER, National Gallery Singapore (2019);FRACTURE/FICTION: SELECTIONS FROM THE ILHAM COLLECTION, Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2019); CONTEMPORARY WORLDS: INDONESIA, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia (2019); SOUTH EAST ASIA ARTIST, Sullivan + Strumpf, Sydney, Australia (2019); FORGOTTEN ENLIGHTENMENTS, Leipzig’s Cotton Spinning Mill, Leipzig, Germany (2019); OHD INFINITY: A WALK OF LIFE, OHD Museum, Magelang, Indonesia (2019); TAIPEI DANGDAI, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center-Roh Project Booth, Taipei, Taiwan (2019); ARTBALI: BEYOND THE MYTHS, Bali Collection Nusa Dua, Bali (2018); IN SEARCH OF SOUTHEAST ASIA THROUGH M+ COLLECTIONS, M+ Museum, Hongkong (2018); MY MONSTER: THE HUMAN-ANIMAL HYBRID, RMIT Gallery, Melbourne, Australia. (2018); VACANCY, A3 Singapore (2018); ARTJOG11: ENLIGHTENMENT, Jogja National Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2018); SPRING MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND WORLD (2018); BANK GROUP, World Bank Office, Washington, USA (2018); ART FROM THE STREET, Art Science Museum, Singapore (2018); Plastic Democracy, Arndt Art Agency (A3), Berlin, Germany (2018); GARDEN FULL OF BLOOMING DEMOCRACY, Mural Project in Art Science Museum, Singapore (2018); Art From The Streets, ArtScience Museum, Singapore (2017); Trienal Seni Patung #3 : SKALA, Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia (2017); Imaginarium : To The Ends of The Earth, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore (2017); MATERIAL CONNECTION, Jane Lombard Gallery, New York, USA (2017); ARNDT Fine Art, Singapore (2017); MIDDLE OF NOW HERE: Honolulu Bienale, Honolulu, Hawaii (2017); OKU-NOTO TRIENNALE, Suzu-shi, Ishikawa, Japan (2017); SEMELAH (GOD BLISS), mural project in lobby of Asia Society and Wayang Bocor performance in Asia Society, New York; Carolina Performing Art, North Carolina; Calart Theater, Los Angeles, USA (2017); ABOVE THE WALL UNDER THE RAINBOW, FREE AIR, mural project in Moon Garden and Moroccan Room, Shangrila: A Museum of Islamic Art, Culture and Design; Honolulu Biennale main site, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA. (2017); BOOKMARK BY DRIED FLOWER, video documentary preview in Okunoto Trienale, Japan (2017); BOUQUET OF LOVE, installation project made from 300kg garbage at Potato Head Beach Club, Bali, Indonesia (2017); SEMELAH (GOD BLISS), Asia Society, New York; Carolina Performing Art, North Carolina; Calart Theater, Los Angeles, Societet Militer-Jogjakarta, Idrus Tintin, Komplek Bandar Seni Raja Ali-Riau, At America & Taman Ismail Marzuki-Jakarta. (2017); SEMELAH (GOD BLISS), Institut Francais Indonesia / Lembaga Indonesia Perancis, Yogyakarta (2016); HIKAYAT AGAR-AGAR BERTANDUK, Potatohead, Bali, Indonesia (2016); CELEBRATED PHOBIA – a special commission exhibition to feature in film “Ada Apa Dengan Cinta #2” Miles Film (2016); SHARE THE LOVE, LOVE TO SHARE, mural project at Giok Hartono private museum, Jakarta, Indonesia (2016); TROPICAL BOUQUET, lanterns project at Pacific Place Mall, Jakarta, Indonesia (2016); RAINBOW LANDSCAPE #1 & #2, installation project in Baggage Claim Area Terminal 3 Ultimate International & Domestic, Soekarno Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, Indonesia (2016); Love Me In My Batik: Modern Batik Art From Malaysia and Beyond, Ilham Gallery, Kaula Lumpur, Malaysia (2016); Belum Ada Judul, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2016); OZ Asia Festival, Art Gallery of South Asia, Adelaide, Australia (2015); Bitter Sweet, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2015); BOOT: Indonesian Contemporary Art, Frankfurter Kuntstverein, Kunst Museum, Frankfurt, Germany (2015); IKEA Art Event 2015 – Street Art (2015); Public Street Art Festival in Perth, Australia (2015); Oz Asia Festival, Art Gallery of South Australia (2015); DIMISCALL LELUHUR, Bantul, Kulonprogo, Sleman, Gunung Kidul, Galeri Indonesia Kaya, Jakarta (2015); HIKAYAT AGAR-AGAR BERTANDUK, Pesta Boneka #4, Yogyakarta (2014); HIKAYAT AGAR-AGAR BERTANDUK, Wayang Bocor performance at Bazaar Art Jakarta (2014); Burning Down The House, Gwangju Biennale Foundation, Gwangju, Korea (2014); Hikayat Agar-Agar Bertanduk, Ballroom The Ritz-Carlton Pacific Place, Jakarta, Indonesia (2014); Art For Cancer, Museum Seni Rupa Dan Keramilk JI. Pos Kota No.2 Jakarta Barat, Indonesia (2013); Writings Without Borders, Lehmann Maupin Gallery, Hong Kong (2013); Sip! Indonesian Art Today: The Past Three Generations of Indonesian (2013); Contemporary Art, ARNDT Gallery, Berlin, Germany (2013);Jogja Bienale 2013, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2013); Indonesia Pavilion for Venice Bienale, Venice, Italy (2013); LOUIS VUITTON X EKO NUGROHO – a special commission to design a scarf for Louis Vuitton’s Foulards D’Artistes Autumn Winter 2013 collection (2013); LIFE IS A TRICK AND TRICKY IS COOL, Mural at Leroy Merlin, Ia rue vry, Paris, France (2012); LE MUR, Mural Project in Paris, France (2012); GENERASI BERAT SEBELAH, Kersan Art Studio, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2012); Dilema Generasi Sawi, Ark Galerie, Jakarta, Indonesia (2011); Perseteruan Getah Bening, Bandung Wayang Festival 2011, Bandung, Indonesia(2011); Asia: Looking East, ARNDT Berlin, Berlin, Germany (2011); The Global Contemporary Art Worlds after 1989, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany (2011); Transfiguration & Contemporary Mythologies, Espace Culturel Louis Vuitton, Paris, France (2010); Beacons of Archipelago-Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia, Arario Gallery, Cheonan / Seoul, Korea (2010); Ni 50 Jar, part 1, Galerie Nouvelles Image, Den Haag, Netherlands (2010); CONTEMPORANEITY, MOCA Shanghai, China. Curated by Jim Supangkat & Biljana Ciric (2010); INDONESIAN ART NOW: THE STRATEGIES OF BEING, Art Jogja 2010, Taman (2010); Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2010); PAMERAN ILUSTRASI CERPEN KOMPAS 2009, Travelling Exhibition: Bentara (2010); Budaya Jakarta, Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta, Balai (2010); Soedjatmoko-Solo, Bentara Budaya Bali, Indonesia (2010); HEAT WAVE, Lombard Freid Projects, New York, USA. Curated by Lea Freid (2010); SPACE AND IMAGE, Ciputra World Marketing Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2010); LONARTE 10 FESTIVAL, alongside the beach in Calheta, Madeira Island, Portugal (2010); THE 2010 NEXT WAVE FESTIVAL: THE ULTIMATE TIME LAPSE MEGAMIX, Melbourne, Australia (2010); PARALINEAR, Pekin Fine Arts, Beijing, China. Curated by Aric Chen (2010); THE COMICAL BROTHERS, National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2010); LIHAT! VIDEO ART FROM INDONESIA, Galería Jesús Gallardo, Leon, Mexico (2010); THE STRATEGIES OF YA AMPUNN!, Mural to cover the façade of Taman Budaya Yogyakarta for Indonesian Art (2010); Now: The Strategies of Being, Art Jogja (2010); Perseteruan Getah Bening, Lembaga Indonesia Perancis, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2010); Skandal Jeruk Purut, Private performance for American Arts Presenters at Yayasan Bagong Kussudiardjo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2010); Perseteruan Tubuh, Anatomy Puppet Project for Biennale Anak Jogja, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta (2010); BMW Indonesia (2010); CREAM, International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama, Japan (2009); Biennale Jogja X: Jogja Jamming, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta,Indonesia (2009); Exposigns, Jogja Expo Center, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2009); CREAM, International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama,Yokohama, Japan (2009); Lyon Biennale X: The Spectacle of The Everyday, Lyon, France. Curated by Hou Hanru, Thierry Raspail (2009); BEYOND THE DUTCH, Centraal Museum, Utrecht, Netherlands (2009); 4TH INTERNATIONAL ARCHITECTURE BIENNALE ROTTERDAM, Rotterdam, Netherlands (2009); TALES FROM WOUNDED-LAND, Tyler Rollins Fine Art, New York, USA (2009); DORODORO, DORON!, Hiroshima Contemporary Art Museum, Hiroshima, Japan (2009); FLUID ZONES, Jakarta Biennale 2009, Grand Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia (2009); DESIGNING PEACE: A SHOW OF IMAGINATION, Museum of Contemporary Art and Design at the School of Design and Art, College of St. Benilde, Manila, Philippines (2009); CONTEMPORARY PUPPET PERFORMANCE, Grand Indonesia Shopping Center. (2009); L'ARC EN CIEL SOUS LA PIERRE (Rainbow Beneath A Stone), the Open Air Theatre, Vaulx-en-Velin, Lyon, France (2009); BUNGKUSAN HATI DI DALAM KULKAS/A Wrapped Heart Inside the Refrigerator, Teater Salihara, Jakarta, Indonesia (2008); MASK/GEMASKERD, Heden, Den Haag, Netherlands (2008); EXPENDITURE, Busan Biennale 2008, Busan, South Korea (2008); National Museum of Singapore, Singapore (2008); DARI PENJARA KE PIGURA, Salihara Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2008); MANIFESTO, National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2008); EXPOSE #1 – A Presentation of Indonesian Contemporary Art by Deutsche Bank & Nadi Gallery, Four Season Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia (2008); SOMETHING FROM NOTHING, Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans, New Orleans, USA (2008); CIGE, China International Gallery Exposition, Beijing, China (2008); GEOPOLITICAL OF ANIMATION, The Andalusian Centre of Contemporary Art, Sevilla, Spain (2007); SCOPE, Basel, Switzerland (2007); ANTI AGING, Gaya Fusion Art, Ubud Bali, Indonesia (2007); China International Gallery Exposition, China World Trade Centre Beijing, Beijing, China (2007); MILITIA, OK Video, National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2007); FETISH, Biasa Art Space, Bali, Indonesia (2007); 100 Tahun Affandi, Gedung Arsip Nasional Jakarta, Indonesia (2007); THE PAST THE FORGOTEN TIMES: Six Indonesian Artist Interpret Indonesian (2007); History, Traveling Exhibition: Artoteek ,The Hague, Netherlands; Cemeti Art (2007); House, Yogyakarta, Indonesia / Erasmus Huis, Jakarta, Indonesia / Yaitu Gallery, (2007); Semarang, Indonesia / Bliz Art, Shanghai- Fringe Festival, Singapore (2007); WIND FROM THE EAST, KIASMA Museum of Contemporary, Helsinski, Finland (2007); ASIA PASIFIC TRIENNALE 5, Queensland Art Gallery,Queensland, Australia (2006); DIRTY YOGA, Taipei Biennale, Taipei Fine Art museum, Taiwan (2006); Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia (2006); GOING DIGITAL, The Kirk Theater, Utrecht, Netherlands (2005); SUB / VERSION, OK Video, National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia (2005); SHADOW AND SPACES, HKW, Berlin, Germany (2005); THREE YOUNG CONTEMPORARY, Valentine Willie Gallery, Malaysia (2005); BALI BIENNALE, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia (2005); COMMISION PROJECT (2004); Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan (2004).