Vibrant Strokes and Social Stories of Isrol
Come into the world of Brebes-based artist Isrol Triono, whose lively drawings of children are on display at the 28th Handicraft Exhibition at Grobak Art Kos I Hysteria, which can be found at Stonen Street, Bendan Ngisor, Gajahmungkur District, Semarang City, Central Java. The show is called “Stories from Kei,” and it will be open until November 15, 2023.
That’s how Isrol, who is also known as Isrol Medialegal, felt about social events. As an artist and a social person, the week-long display of his works from 2017 to 2023 gives him ideas. The works are shown to art lovers in and around Semarang.
“Because I’m a member of society.” It makes you think about how much awareness and sensitivity you have. What you see and how you feel. As Isrol told Solopos.com in a chat on Thursday, September 11, 2023, “that [social sensitivity] turns into visual language.”
Using Kei to tell stories
The show “Stories from Kei” does a great job of capturing this idea. In most of his writings, Isrol looks at social problems through the eyes of children. “Stories from Kei” also goes into detail about what Isrol did while he was in Kei, Maluku.
Isrol’s ability to capture complicated social events is skillfully shown in the unique elements that are often found in his street art. One example is the 2020 piece he wrote called “Media Legal.”
The picture shows a man and a woman holding paintbrushes and hugging each other. The words “JALAN TERUS” (Keep Going) are written on the brushes. Isrol sees this as the bold way that kids keep going even when things look bad, painting their dreams over and over again until they get the colors they want.
“The child holding the world also tells a story about how they are all connected.” “This child has spirit, desire, hope, and something to say about the future and how the world they live in is changing,” he says. Since 2000, the artist has been using art as a way to express himself and work for social change.
An Interested Observer
Maknun, one of the visitors, is amazed as he looks at a painting of a kid sitting on the side of the road that is on a sign that says “Do Not Park.”
When asked about the picture, the 25-year-old woman says she thinks it shows that the artist wants the child to learn and make their future better, even though they live on the streets.
“That’s great. Small street singer is sitting with a “do not park” sign in the background. But the look on their face is happy. And look, he has a book and writing tools with him. Maknun says, “It’s like seeing a child who won’t give up and keeps learning even though they live on the streets.”
The Message of Hope
The General Manager of Hysteria Collective, Kesit Agung Wijanarko, says that the 28th Handicraft Exhibition is one of the important events put on by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology (Kemendikbudristek).
And then, by working with Isrol Medialegal, they want to give other artists ideas. “Cultural interaction is crucial for artists”. Kesit says, stressing how important it is for artists to share their culture and get ideas from other cultures.
