Eko Nugroho

Eko Nugroho is one of the most famous artists from Southeast Asia who creates lively and playful pieces that incorporate influences from Javanese culture and daily life. He often combines traditional crafts, like batik and embroidery, with lively imagery and colours found in street art. After graduating from the Art Institute in Yogyakarta, his background in street art and community-based artwork became the core of his elaborate art works. From paintings, drawings, and embroidery, to murals, statues, or videos – all his works are anchored in local tradition as well as the urban setting. Eko’s lanterns will be displayed during the Children’s Biennale. These lanterns are inspired by damar kurung, Eastern Javanese lanterns that were made during traditional holidays like Ramadan. On his lanterns, Eko has painted images from various patterns, colours, and characters. He invites you to imagine a world in which everybody is loving and nurturing, and in which the plurality of life – like social background, race, gender, religion, and politics – is embraced and celebrated. The largest lantern – Kenagang Kunang-kunang (Memories of fireflies) – is a place for people to meet, and carries a design symbolising collaborations, care, equality, peace, and love. Visitors can lie down, crawl, and roll to discover the bottom of the lanterns. You can also marvel at Eko’s landscape from up high: during the Children’s Biennale, the walking bridge will be opened, allowing visitors to experience the space in an entirely new way. The large lantern with the steering wheel rotates automatically.