Fascinated by the performance during his shift as a volunteer for Papermoon Theatre, Wulang Sunu found his passion in the art of storytelling. His drawings are his messages, where bold strokes become the language, and the characters become the narrators.
- Can you tell us about your background?
I am originally from Yogyakarta, I studied Visual Communication Design at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) in Yogyakarta. I also joined a puppet theater group called Papermoon. There, I learned a lot and gained new experiences that shaped me into who I am today.
- What got Mas Wulang interested in the world of art??
When I was a kid, I liked reading comics, and every weekday morning I liked watching cartoons. Then when I got older, in high school, I discovered graphic novels. I was interested in storytelling but using pictures. That was the beginning of my interest in creating works of art, storytelling using pictures, and it made me want to explore the world of visual arts and illustration.
- What is the meaning and message conveyed through your work?
Every piece I create is actually based on storytelling. During my time at Papermoon, I discussed many historical issues. For example, I once created a piece about a mysterious shooting. From there, I traced the story behind it, until I discovered that there was a tiger statue near the grave. So we can learn from the bad things that happened in the past and make sure that what happened in the past does not happen again.
- How does your creative process work, from finding inspiration to realizing it?
I usually create based on an event. From that event, I look for journals or reading materials related to it as preparation when I create my work. Then after that, I start by sketching with a pencil and thinking about the composition, before moving on to the colors. I spend the most time on the colors. So, roughly speaking, my creative process starts with research, then exploring ideas, breaking down those ideas into a composition, and then drawing and adding a color. Finally, I move on to the production process.
- Are there any distinctive features in your work?
In terms of theme, I like things related to myths, history, and animals. I like animals, especially tigers. That’s why many of my works feature tigers. Another distinctive feature of my work is the lines. I started to be interested in visual art and illustration through graphic novels, which rely heavily on lines, so my work always has outlines with slightly messy brushstrokes.
- Can you tell us a little about Studio Batu?
Studio Batu in 2007, a group of high school friends came together who shared a love of art. However, each of them had a different discipline, including architecture, music, literature, and film. At that time, murals and graffiti on walls were all the rage. Being high school students, we had a lot of energy, so we channeled that energy into our artwork. After graduating, they went on to college in different fields, and it was then that we had the idea to create a collaborative work, which continues to this day.
- Are there any artists or works that influence your visual style?
Many. You could say I take ideas from many artists. It’s like cooking, where you mix spices and blend them together. So, from many artists, a visual style emerges. For example, I like Studio Ghibli, Shaun Tan, Marjane Satrapi, and Thomas Ott.
- Are there any projects or collaborations that will be undertaken?
Yes. It will probably be released in November. One of them is working on key visuals for the Jaff Film Festival. It’s a collaboration with Muklay. Then I’m also working on some illustrations in collaboration with Bandits of Batavia. I also intend to publish a book later.
Quotes: “Each of my works is born from a story, learning from the past so that the bad things of the past are not repeated.”
