Leonard Suryajaya

May 11, 2021
Tell us about your practice.
I make fantastical art using humble everyday objects and subjects.
​​In your Quarantine Blues series, you talk about “rendering a hopeful future without disregarding the mess of the present and past,” where have you been drawing hope from these days?
Myself. Life is hard but I only have power over myself, my actions, and my thoughts. I’m constantly learning to master myself. This gives me hope to carry on because, at the end of my life, I will be parting with this body and mind I occupy. Eventually,
I want to leave this vessel on good terms.
Your work conveys a strong sense of community – particularly with your family. What drew you to collaborating with them as part of your practice?
My work conveys my perspective of being alive in this timeline. It reflects my lived experiences and questions of being in the world. I enlist my family because I come from them. They are my origin.
What has been inspiring you lately?
Life. Life is challenging and I’m relying on myself to get through and understand it. I’m thankful for the ability to reflect and create something as a result of my experience and questioning in the world. I’m actively learning to live an efficient and simple life so that I can do complicated work.
What’s next for you?
More life. I’m thankful to be alive and I long to experience life outside of the confinement of quarantine.

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