Fast Food 1999

Nyoman Masriadi painted 'Fast Food', maybe with acrylic, I'm guessing because of the way the colours are laid down. There's something about the way the space is rendered, like a stage set, that makes me think of early modernist painters such as Léger. Imagine Masriadi thinking about the role of the artist: his chef is like a painter wielding a brush, or rather a meat cleaver, to prepare a feast for the eyes. The painting is bold, even garish, but it's got a really interesting sense of humour. I find myself wondering what it would be like to create art from a completely different cultural context? It's interesting to consider how painting is really just a process of conversations between artists. Masriadi, I feel, is aware of this lineage, and he's also contributing something entirely new. It's a process of building on the past while also forging one's own path.