I am inspired by the Gen Z carefree nightlife, where everyone is somewhat hedonistic and sometimes anarchic yet everyone is able to accept each other. This feeling of acceptance and belonging is what inspired me to create my work and led to me to the question of how I can use painting as a medium to create identity and evoke feelings of belonging.
When it comes to identity, I have always been curious with the way people present themselves to others in society, and how this can differ when they meet with different people. In the Gen-Z nightlife lifestyle, the main question that arises is the main character syndrome, such as who constructs and controls the spectacle. Although there are many different figures presented in my complex compositions, if one analyses deep into my work, there is always that one 'main character' presented in each painting.
As an Indonesian raised in the United Arab Emirates and now living in The Netherlands, I come from different cultures, and I tend to question my own sense of belonging. While my work is autobiographical, they also represent a community and a feeling of togetherness. I create belonging in my work by choosing a more realistic approach when it comes to creating my figurative paintings. I depict paintings where the figures seem alive, so that everyone, the viewer included, can feel a connection and sense of belonging with the paintings, to be a part of the party depicted in the works. In my ideal world, I want to create a world of inclusivity, where everyone can find their own place in the world and no one is left behind.