How long have you been working in the region and what excites you about being there?

I have been living in Jakarta for almost my entire life except for an accumulative decade of here and there during my childhood and higher education years. It’s definitely a love and hate relationship going on, but the city does give a great lesson in survival and the courage to seek/create opportunities.

 

Can you please describe where you work? What can you see out of your window?

Since the pandemic started, I have been living in an empty house that is for sale and belongs to my brother. This was initially meant as a two week post-travelling isolation stop, which has extended into a second year of semi-squatting! I am living in a minimalist-not-by-choice space that function both as home and studio with a terrace full of plants that provide me with pure pleasure.

Can you share with us something of the story behind one of the works on view at Castlemaine Art Museum?

Initially I avoided textile as medium to distance my fashion background from my current path as a visual artist. Through One is A Million I stepped away from this self-imposed boundary and have found new meanings and creativity in the medium. What seemed like a disadvantage before is now a part of my practice.

 

For instance, embroidery is emblematic of conventional beauty, the feminine touch and perfection. Through these pieces I use embroidery to communicate perseverance as opposed to perfection. I am pushing the boundaries of basic embroidery stitches such as running and satin stitch, through repetition and imperfection. I see these stitch lines as energy, an illustration of response and consequences, not as a flaw to be corrected in the eyes of conventional tailoring. I wanted to embrace the energy, the emotions, to let the medium act according to its nature, to celebrate it as wholesome: the effort, the pain, the mystery, the mistakes, the achievements, all as a complete story. In connecting back to textile making but using it to create a new language and meanings, I hope my work tells women’s stories in new ways.

Do you start with an idea or does your work develop more intuitively out of the process of working with materials or forms?

I will start with an idea that I will try to make come true and fail gloriously, which will lead me to a more profound idea that is better than anything I can think of. Once it is starting to’ speak’, I will try to make sense out of it and compose my thoughts into an understandable work.

What music or podcast are you listening to when you work?

Currently I am listening to a lot of music from African countries or putting in random keywords to find fresh playlists and discover new artists. When I’m in the mood for eavesdropping, I listen to podcasts about nutrition and health. I am interested in the issue of ageing and how it is addressed. I find it heart-breaking how the fashion industry has distorted ageing for us all. Listening to podcasts also informs my song writing.

 

Is your practice solitary or do you work with others?

I would say solitary but I really do hope I have more chance to work with others.

 

Can our readers view your work in any other way at the moment?

For now, I would say my Instagram account, @utayutay

June 2021