Wisnu Sasongko

Wisnu Sasongko, born in 1975, began painting as an adolescent and then enrolled in the faculty of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts inYogyakarta, Indonesia, graduating in 2002. Unlike many Christian artists Sasongko does not depict traditional Christian iconography in the idioms or styles of his native country. His paintings and drawings are expressions of life as he experiences it and are often shaped by the religious conflicts taking place within Indonesia. His art functions within a framework of love and faith, but this does not prevent him from depicting harsh realities nor from offering cultural and political critique. His work has met with some opposition in his homeland and he freely admits that being a Christian and an artist in Indonesia is not easy. He also strives to express abstract theological concepts visually, as one can discern from the titles of his many works. Wisnu continues to be involved with the ACAA (Asian Christian Art Association) and to exhibit nationally and internationally. He was one of five artists chosen for the Summer of 2007 exhibition ‘The Christian Story: Five Asian Artists Today,’ held at the Museum of Biblical Art (MOBIA) in New York City.