The ablum of Speaking in Tongues by Albert Yonathan Setyawan records 11 pieces from the exhibition. Speaking in Tongues is the artist’s latest collection of artworks, on which he had been working for the last 2 years.
The ephemerality and strength of clay and the infinite realms derived from the repeated kneading of the material are what compel Albert Yonathan Setyawan to devote himself to his art. Born in 1983 in Bandung, Indonesia, Albert Yonathan Setyawan graduated from the Bandung Institute of Technology in 2012 with a Master of Fine Arts. He subsequently moved to Japan and enrolled in the doctoral studies of ceramics at the Kyoto Seika University. In 2013, Setyawan was one of five Indonesian artists who represented their country in the 55th Venice Biennale. At the event, he presented “Cosmic Labyrinth: the Silent Path”, a floor installation that consisted of 1200 ceramics stupas. Setyawan often experimented with large-scale arrangements of ceramic sculptures, the making of which requires the artist to repeatedly shape and fire ceramics. It is during such laborious process that he steadily observed the gradual transformation and hardening of clay, which mirrors humans’ own constant transformation. By displaying large, expansive arrangements of ceramic sculptures, Setyawan leads our thoughts into a spiritual realm beyond the physical space, where we can reflect on and explore the depth and significance of life.
Despite the title’s biblical origin, the artist does not intend to add any religious connotation to his project. Setyawan’s artistic practices involve ceramics making, drawing and performance, which come to fruition in the forms of icons, symbols, images, myths, legends, truths and half-truths. He once said, “I could explain the origin of the symbols I used in each work, or specify a certain form I adopted and point to the origin of my inspiration, however words always fail to convey the entirety of my thoughts and sensation of the work. For me the experiential aspect of making the work, the monotonous act of making, moulding and firing do not just complete the meaning of the work but forms an integral part of the core of the art.”
