Of Sumatran descent, Anwar, is the son of the late Nashar, the renowned Indonesian artist. Initially, Anwar had been active in the world of theatre both as an actor and art director. Subsequently, Anwar moved to Bali in 1998 in search of creativity for his artistic expression. Ever since, he has participated in group and solo art exhibitions both in Indonesia and internationally. Anwar’s art is a reflection of his life journey with an artistic sense and vision without restrictive guidelines expressing his art through his profound intuition. The colors that he pours on the canvas depict images of his languished life and all things around him.
Anwar admits that Nashar has had a strong and profound influence on his development as a contemporary artist. Stylistic or thematic, Anwar’s paintings reminds one of Nashar’s, especially in their sources of subjects, colors, and rhythmic lines. Although influenced heavily by his father, Anwar has created a distinctively individual stroke and art form to slowly be able to infuse and instill his own unique style. Anwar puts great faith in the power of intuition and spontaneity of expression.
For Anwar painting is a way of an existential expression in a complex interaction of dramatic lines, shapes and colors. Anwar’s paintings are best felt rather than “understood”. In every line and color Anwar stirs turbulent passions, hopes, dreams, joy and sorrows. Anwar’s paintings portray the mysteries of life, the secret of time, and the charm and the curse of change. Anwar does not only paint based on what is seen by his eyes, but on what is captured by a restless spirit, continued to wander in the halls of experience, perception, emotion, thought, intention, memory, dreams and imagination.
Each painting is a challenge of mystery rich with symbols and philosophy. The colors in Anwar’s paintings are harmonized with a distinct collaboration between colors and line scratches that create a concord of expression, beauty and melancholy. Entrenched in his bohemian existence and philosophy Anwar uses deep colors especially reds to accentuate and focus on his anxiety and surroundings but combines them with oranges, greens and yellows in the form of curvy lines to echo and portray a free spirited melancholic existence yet still vibrant and much alive as portrayed and reflected in a Balinese legong dancer.
Solo Exhibitions:
2010 Joyjakarta
2010 Balada Jiwa, Hanna Artspace, Ubud, bali
2008/2009 Gallery Surabaya, Surabaya
2008 Abstract Art Exhibition, Centre Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta
2006/2007 Taman Impian Art Center, Ancol, Jakarta
2005 Gallery Salim, Seminyak, Bali
Group Exhibitions:
2012 Olla & Anwar, Cornerstone Arts Gallery, Limassol
2009 Visual Art Exhibition – Pulih Pilu, Galeri Surabaya
2008 Kamadalu Resort, Ubud, Bali
2008 Gallery Brata, Ubud, Bali
2003 Studio Gajah, Seminyak, Bali
2000 Bunga Bunga, Bali
1998 Studio 2125, Sanggingan Ubud, Bali