30.04.26 — 20.05.26

ARTi Teddy

A group exhibition by Abdi Setiawan, Agung Kurniawan, Agus Suwage, Arahmaiani, Asmudjo Jono Irianto, Bob Sick Yudhita, Bunga Jeruk, Goenawan Mohamad, Handiwirman Saputra, Iwan Effendi, Jumaldi Alfi, Kokok Purwandhi Sancoko, M Irfan, Mella Jaarsma, Nindityo Adipurnomo, Pande Ketut Taman, Putu Sutawijaya, Sekar Jatiningrum, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, Tisna Sanjaya, Ugo Untoro, Uji 'Hahan' Handoko Eko Saputro, Wedhar Riyadi, Wimo Ambala Bayang, Yani Halim, Yuli Prayitno, Yunizar

ARTi Teddy

(…) The wisdom of ages, the lies and outrages concealed
Time it waits for no man
My future, it is revealed
Time it waits for no man
My fate is sealed
(…) Is death another birthday?
A way to kiss your dreams goodbye?
Do the undead live within us?
And look through our eyes?
(…) So, until the next time
Have a good sin
Only the good die young
All the evil seems to live forever
Only the good die young
—Iron Maiden, “Only the Good Die Young” (1988)

On Friday afternoon, May 27, 2016, in a ward at the Regional General Hospital of Semarang, Central Java, S. Teddy D. breathed his last. A malignant tumor that had resided in his body for approximately three years ultimately claimed the life of the artist, who was born in Padang, West Sumatra, on August 25, 1970.

“Sad! We’ve lost a superstar,” said Mella Jaarsma, who still keeps a bottle containing S. Teddy D.’s ashes in her home to this day.

“Of course, it’s a great loss,” expressed Asmudjo Jono Irianto. “Teddy was an important contemporary artist following the generation of Heri Dono, Nindityo Adipurnomo, Anusapati, and others. In my view, he was one of the most talented and powerful artists of his generation. His works carried an identity and character that hadn’t existed in the previous generation.”

So it must be said: during those 36 months, for S. Teddy D., life was not about delaying defeat before ultimately surrendering. He held off the malignant tumor through repeated treatments and surgeries—while continuing to create and exhibit his work. As we may recall, to mention just a few, he participated in the group exhibition Padi Menguningat Syang Art Space, Magelang (May 22nd – June 22nd, 2016), held the solo exhibition, :[karena perang] at Nadi Gallery, Jakarta (October 27–November 9, 2015), and the solo exhibition Jalan Gambar at Galeri Salihara, Jakarta (June 1–30, 2013).

But in the end, reality had its way the tumor prevailed, and S. Teddy D. returned to the earth, to be remembered in joy, sorrow, wounds, and all that he was.
“At the time, I wasn’t really surprised—it felt like it was only a matter of time,” said Wimo Ambala Bayang. “What was striking, though, was that it happened during the opening of ArtJog, when we were all there—fellow art practitioners and Teddy’s friends—so we could immediately offer our prayers and respects.”

For that reason, Wimo added, “loss is inevitable, because in the end, we will all be gone. He (Teddy) simply joins the line of names that live on in the history of Indonesian art—names that deserve to be remembered.”

Bob “Sick” Yudhita Agung felt more or less the same when he first heard of Teddy’s passing. “I wasn’t sad at all,” he said. “So that Teddy wouldn’t have to endure his suffering for too long, I felt that his death was simply his destiny.”

Unlike Bob and Wimo, Yuli Prayitno reacted quite differently. “I was angry!” he said. “I believe Teddy could still be alive today—his tumor had once been declared cured by doctors—if he hadn’t been so stubborn with his bad habits, especially alcohol, and his permissive attitude toward friends who liked to drink.”

“I couldn’t say anything when I heard the news,” said Handiwirman Saputra. “I knew he had recovered for a while, but then he fell ill again after returning to alcohol—here, in my studio. I truly lost a real artist friend, someone who saw, thought about, and lived art above everything else—everything was art.”

What more can be said.

***

Biantoro Santoso cannot recall exactly when he first met S. Teddy D. What he does remember is Teddy’s own admission that Biantoro was the first collector to ever purchase his painting. In fact, according to Teddy, the very first work he sold was bought by Biantoro Santoso.

Beyond that, Biantoro acknowledges that Teddy was an important artist—also a friend full of surprises—who contributed greatly to Nadi Gallery since its formative years.
From Nadi Gallery’s exhibition records over the past 25 years, I found that S. Teddy D. held two solo exhibitions (2007 and 2015) at the gallery and participated in seventeen group exhibitions, either at Nadi Gallery or in other spaces organized by the gallery. The details are mentioned below:

(1) Membaca Frida Kahlo, group exhibition of 23 artists, curated by Hendro Wiyanto, 17 - 29 April 2001.
(2) Pink Project, group exhibition of 22 artists, curated by Hendro Wiyanto, 15 - 25 September 2001.
(3) Boat, group exhibition with Ugo Untoro dan Yani Halim, curated by Hendro Wiyanto, 7 - 25 November 2001.
(4) Eye, group exhibition of 15 artists, curated by Hendro Wiyanto, 23 Agustus - 3 September 2002.
(5) All You Need is Love, group exhibition of 16 artists, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 21 Maret - 3 April 2003.
(6) Kado, group exhibition of 18 artists, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 15 September - 3 Oktober 2003.
(7) Object(ify), group exhibition of 14 artists, curated by Rizky A. Zaelani, 16 - 28 Maret 2004.
(8) Olympics, group exhibition of 28 artists, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 20 Agustus - 2 September 2004.
(9) Eksodus Barang, group exhibition of 15 perupa, curated by Hendro Wiyanto, 15 - 28 Februari 2005.
(10) AKU, Chairil, Aku, group exhibition of 25 artists, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 28 April - 9 Mei 2005.
(11) Indonesian Contemporary Art Now, group exhibition of 28 artists, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 11 - 23 Januari 2007.
(12) Pictura, solo exhibition, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 14 - 26 Maret 2007.
(13) Expose #1: A Presentation of Indonesian Contemporary Art by Deutsche Bank and Nadi Gallery, group exhibition of 13 artists, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 5 - 6 Juni 2008.
(14) Bentuk-Bentuk: Contemporary Indonesian Art in 3D, group exhibition of 7 artists in Melbourne Art Fair 2008, organized by Valentine Willie Fine Art and Nadi Gallery, curated by Adeline Ooi, 30 Juli - 3 Agustus 2008.
(15) Kado #2, group exhibition of 58 perupa, curated by Enin Supriyanto, 28 Oktober - 10 November 2009.
(16) The Show Must Go On, group exhibition of 29 artists, 18 - 28 November 2010.
(17) :[karena perang], solo exhibition, written by Afnan Malay, 27 Oktober - 9 November 2015.
(18) Art Stage Singapore 2016, group exhibition of 6 artists, 20 - 24 Januari 2016.
(19) The Show Must Go On, group exhibition of 10 artists, 6 - 19 Agustus 2016.
Through this, I would like to emphasize that S. Teddy D. and Nadi Gallery—rather than merely Biantoro Santoso—have long supported each other’s artistic vision and mission in a relationship built not only on economic interests, but also on mutual respect.

***

On Monday, March 30, at 9:55 AM, Biantoro Santoso and I met at BKdP—Handiwirman Saputra’s studio—just a stone’s throw from Sarang Building, the studio and art space of Jumaldi Alfi in Kalipakis, Bantul, Yogyakarta.

We were conducting a “studio visit,” viewing works by Handiwirman and Alfi for the ARTi Teddy exhibition. While waiting for them to arrive, we rode an electric bike to Sangkring Art Space—Putu Sutawijaya’s studio in Nitiprayan. Instead of Putu, we met Jenny, his wife, who kindly invited us to view his painting for the exhibition.

She explained that the painting, titled I+ (tapakdara), refers to a symbol in Balinese belief—often marked with a plus sign drawn by hand on gates, walls, and other surfaces, using white liquid chalk to ward off negative energy.

According to Jenny, the work was created to honor Teddy’s appreciation for the symbolic and spiritual aspects of Balinese belief systems.

After about half an hour, we returned to BKdP. Handiwirman had arrived, though his work had not yet. The same was true for Jumaldi Alfi. After exchanging stories about Teddy’s life and work, we had lunch at a nearby Padang eatery, where we met the artist Butet Kartaredjasa.

From there—after visiting Abdi Setiawan’s studio in Kersan to see his sculpture, a wood-cutting machine given to him by Teddy—we continued to Wedhar Riyadi’s studio in Sewon. At the time, Wedhar was close to finishing a painting inspired by Teddy’s installation Cultural Studies.

(A week later—when visiting his studio—we (me, Dhira and Dian) would also encounter a painting by Kokok P. Sancoko based on the same installation.)

Before evening fell, we headed to Studio Biru, Agus Suwage’s studio in Mantrijeron. That afternoon, Agus seemed busy preparing works for the Venice Biennale 2026. For ARTi Teddy, we decided to select an earlier drawing whose theme resonated with Teddy’s creative vision—womanhood, or motherhood.

(This theme—approached through different artistic perspectives—also appears in works by Sekar Jatiningrum, Bunga Jeruk, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, and Arahmaiani.)

The following day, around 1:30 PM, after meeting Theresia Agustina Sitompul and Blora Frida Margareta—Teddy’s only daughter—we visited Iwan Effendi’s studio near Alun-Alun Selatan. He showed us a painting inspired by Teddy’s installation Viva La Muerte, which had left a lasting impression on him since he first saw it more than twenty years ago.

“The configuration of this painting is almost exactly what I saw back then—Teddy riding Viva La Muerte,” Iwan said.

(It turns out that Viva La Muerte also inspired Asmudjo Jono Irianto. “Of course it’s Teddy’s Viva La Muerte,” he said. “I’m a curatorially disciplined artist—since the exhibition is about Teddy, my work has to begin from Teddy’s work.”)

After Asr, we continued to Yuli Prayitno’s studio to see two sculptures inspired by Teddy's Cultural Studies and Casualties of War. “These works revolve around imagination and ideology behind weaponry,” Yuli explained.

From there, we visited M. Irfan’s studio, where we saw a series of new paintings—similar yet distinct—featuring fields of primary colors layered with gray shadows. “They are a sublimation of today’s socio-political reality,” he said. “Like Teddy, I just want to be honest in my painting.”

After Maghrib, we continued to Agung Kurniawan’s studio, where we discussed dozens of his drawings for ARTi Teddy over a simple dinner.

“All these drawings carry the distilled spirit of Teddy’s gambar sari,” Agung said.

(The same spirit is also reflected in the works of Mella Jaarsma and Goenawan Mohamad in the ARTi Teddy exhibition. “Teddy’s drawings are truly striking,” said Goenawan Mohamad when we spoke at his studio in Bangunjiwo, Bantul, on the morning of Friday, April 10.)

A week later, over the course of three days, Dhira and Dian took over from Biantoro Santoso to continue the studio visits, meeting Mella Jaarsma, Nindityo Adipurnomo, Bunga Jeruk, Sekar Jatiningrum, Ugo Untoro, Abdi Setiawan, Kokok P. Sancoko, Jumaldi Alfi, M. Irfan, Uji Hahan Handoko, and Handiwirman Saputra.

From Ugo Untoro, we heard—echoed in his painting—the story of S. Teddy D. as a deeply devoted learner of art. “He is a true excavator of art,” Ugo Untoro remarked.

From Sekar Jatiningrum, we heard about Teddy as a friend with a gentle and “sweet” nature. From Abdi Setiawan, we learned of Teddy as a generous and helpful friend. From Nindityo Adipurnomo, we came to see Teddy as a provocative artist through his works. From Bunga Jeruk, we heard of Teddy as a “family man” and a dog lover. From Kokok P. Sancoko, we encountered the image of Teddy as a “dangerous” artist, whose works ignite anger and resentment. From Uji Hahan Handoko, we heard of Teddy as a “dignified” artist—sincere and self-aware. And from Jumaldi Alfi, we heard of Teddy as a free and honest artist, whose works are rich with meaning.

(Meanwhile, although we were unable to visit their studios, we received paintings from Yunizar, Yani Halim, and Pande Ketut Taman, reflecting their personal views and experiences of S. Teddy D. as a “pure soul,” like “the light of a full moon’s love.”)

At the end of one of our studio visits at BKdP, Handiwirman surprised us with an object-installation work derived from Show Me the Way to the Next Bridge, a piece he had once worked on in the early 2000s.

“I hope Teddy would have liked it,” said Handiwirman.

***

At this point, I am reminded of something someone once said: “In remembering, there is always forgetting; within it lies a process of selection.” As time passes, Teddy’s existence moves between memory and historical selection—whether he will be positioned as an important figure in Indonesian art.

With that in mind, allow me to present a memorable reflection from Jumaldi Alfi:
“I, as one of his close friends, have always been in awe of Teddy’s fluidity in making art. In his practice, Teddy always appeared so free, honest, and unburdened—yet his works were consistently rich in meaning. Strong in message, compelling in presence. Simple, yet elegant. I was often captivated by his ideas and absorbed so much from his artistic way of being. Unfortunately, our friendship did not last long. Teddy left too soon. Like the Iron Maiden song ‘Only the Good Die Young’—that was Teddy. A good man who died young.”

Equally compelling is this recollection from Tisna Sanjaya:

“My memory with the late S. Teddy D. goes back to when we were invited to a residency in Aachen and Berlin, from August 10, 2021, to January 22, 2022. We were deeply engaged, intensely focused on responding to Indonesia’s socio-political condition in the post-New Order Reform era. Our encounter in Aachen, of course, reflected our different directions, forms, formats, and methods. Yet it carried strong meaning and values—we shared knowledge, and reflected on art as part of everyday life, as a form of cultural politics that is free to be expressed with sincerity.”

Whatever the future may hold, one thing is certain: S. Teddy D. has left Indonesian art practitioners with a unique creative vision—Jalan Gambar—with the premise that “a painting is a drawing that is either simplified or made more complex.”

Through this vision, we are given a bridge—a way to appreciate Teddy’s creative force in the past, present, and future.

And so, what we encounter in this exhibition is something meaningful, important, and deeply cherished—works that honor S. Teddy D. not only as an artist, but as a fellow companion in the world of art.

Jakarta, April 30th, 2026

WAHYUDIN