Kuala Lumpur: Nirmala Dutt

Nirmala Dutt, Great Leap Forward VI-Bakun, 1998, silkscreen and acrylic on canvas, 40 1/8 x 36 1/4“.

“Not only was Dutt an advocate for mothers and children, but she was equally vocal about progress-induced ecological havoc. Her painting series “Great Leap Forward,” 1998–99, bore testament to the vanity of modernization by constructing a domain from which loomed the gunungan—a distinguished triangle symbolizing the universe in traditional Indonesian wayang kulit performances. Nonetheless, Dutt suggests that the sanctity of this cosmic realm has been tainted by the infringing consequences of unchecked developmentalism.”

Artwork photo provided by ILHAM Gallery.

Read the full review at Artforum.

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