Roby Dwi Antono is set to unveil new surrealist portraits as part of an upcoming solo exhibition with Thinkspace Gallery. Epos follows his print collaboration with Moosey Art and features oil on canvas works portraying Antono’s recognizable cast of characters such as innocent-looking children with magnetic eyes in various scenarios and compositions.

The name of the exhibition was gleaned from an extensive Bahasa narrative poem which explores “a time beyond living memory in which occurred the extraordinary doings of the extraordinary men and women who, in dealings with the gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants, the poet and his audience, to understand themselves as a people or nation,” expressed the gallery in a statement.

Antono’s aim with the exhibition is to further explore the connections between classical renaissance paintings, futurism, and fantasy while culling inspiration from science fiction and natural history.

“I would often say that my works contain a set of idioms which have very personal meanings to me. I leave some visual cues in my works which act as a melancholic conundrum, for my audiences to set their eyes and mind upon,” said the artist. “I love it when people try to guess the message behind my works and in the end each person will have their own interpretation, which is good because it opens the way for another enriching dialogue between us. The human experience affects both the idea and visual aspect of my works.”

View select works below and visit Thinkspace’s website to learn more. The exhibition will run from February 6 until February 27, 2021.