WEDHAR RIYADI
Born August 1980, he studied at Indonesian Art Institute Jogjakarta majoring in Arts and Designs. He got influenced by Horror and Science Fiction and usually binds those substantial elements together on his quintessential artworks. Wedhar has remarkable style that combines the dark side of comics, hellish imagery, monsters, and all those slimy ugly creatures. He deals with a lot of media from t-shirts, skate decks, stickers, 3D objects, mural, drawings, toys, etc. Besides working as a freelance illustrator that deals with posters, books, and clothing, he is busy with exhibitions overseas while jamming onto his band project. He also made an illustration exclusively for a high octane rock band called Seringai, after the vocalist, Arian13, contacted him personally and asked him to do the artwork design for their band t-shirt.
His works represent something dark and rather funny yet humorous on the other side, in a razor-sharp comic idiom style. Before he stuck onto his very own suitable style, he had experimented with numerous different styles including expressive style. And after long way of searching and trying, he began to experiment in dark comical style when he joined Apotik Komik – indie comic empire founded by Samuel Indratma – where he finally combined his big passion in comics with his good sense of art. His style was definitely well-shaped during his contemplation with Apotik Komik.
In May of this year, he had directed a video for “Airport Radio” for their single “Turun Dalam Rupa Cahaya”. He also became art director in that animated-like video and did all the material. He made such artistic embroideries characters which are really have connection toward the song. Now he’s on the preparation for his upcoming exhibition in Switzerland this year where he made up a few paintings on skate decks and canvas.
Exhibition Archive
• Sama-sama mural project, Apotik Komik, Yogyakarta
• Reply, Yogyakarta Art Festival XV, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta
• Age-hibition, Edwin Gallery, Jakarta
• Urban/Culture, CP Open Bienalle, with Daging Tumbuh Community, Jakarta
• Pre-Bali Bienalle 2005, V-art Gallery & Affandi Museum, Yogyakarta
• Re:Publik Art, Make Over Shoes Shop, Mataram Street, Yogyakarta
• Summit Event Bali Bienalle 2005-Space and Scape, Tonyraka Gallery, Bali
• Terror, Intersection for the art, San Fransisco
• Art For Jogja, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta
• Paper Soles, Via-via Kafe Yogyakarta
• Tributes, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta
• Young Arrow, Jogja Gallery, Yogyakarta
• Midnight Live Mural Project, Beringharjo Center, Yogyakarta
• Get It (w)all, Lembaga Indonesia Perancis, Yogyakarta
• T-shirt From March, Bentara Budaya Yogyakarta
• Black Urban Art, Surabaya, Jogja, Bandung, Jakarta
• Imagined Affandi, Gedung Arsip Nasional, Jakarta
• POPSCAPE: Everyday in Indonesia, CCP, Philipine
• Shout Out, Yogyakarta Art Festival XIX 2007, Taman Budaya Yogyakarta
• Bung Ayo Bung!, 100th Aniversary of Affandi, Affandi Museum, Yogyakarta
• Bocor # 2, Cemeti Art House, Yogyakarta
• Superb Ambition, Senayan Plaza, Jakarta
• Artvertising, Galeri Nasional, Jakarta