Luqman Reza Mulyono (Jongkie)

Eclipse, 2017, Lugman Reza Mulyono

I've made an effort to cover at least one artist from every country on earth, but it would seem one I've slighted has been Indonesia. Previously, I have written about only one Indonesian portrait and wildlife artist, Basuki Abdullah but inasmuch as he lived and died in the 20th-Century, I thought it time to highlight a contemporary artist who, in some ways, was very much like Abdullah, while in style, for instance, couldn't be more different. His name is Lugman Reza Mulyono but he goes by the name "Jongkie" (no explanation as to why). Jongkie is young (born in 1990) and paints solely in watercolor. Those two facts alone make for tremendous differences in his art and that of his countryman, Basuki Abdallah. Quite apart from his style and medium, even his professional "nickname," Jongkie, very much underlines his place as a 21st-Century artist.

 

As if portraits weren't struggle enough to master,
painting them in watercolor adds a whole new level
of difficulties for the artist.

Jongkie is an artist and illustrator from Kota Wisata Batu, located on the eastern end of the island of Java. He has gained recognition and appreciation on social media sites for his unique style of expressive illustration. Using the good old techniques of water on paper, Jongkie creates stunningly expressive images. His most recurring themes are animals and their emotional character, all portrayed with a very personal vision and sensitivity for the nature of each creature. Yet the artist is equally adept at painting portraits, as well as working human figures into his animal compositions.

 

Whether painting people, or animals, or people with animals,
Jongkie exhibit a mastery of his medium that belies his youthful chronology.

Jongkie's unique style is exemplified as a result of his not only replicating the reference image he is using, but adding his own imaginative style where he employs his creativity into his so-called "magic effect." Jongkie describes his work as a "fantasy world," which is evident in the concept of interpreting messaging and employing his distinctive style in every part of the work it produces. His watercolor paintings are recognized worldwide for the mystical qualities of his wildlife images.

 

Funeral, Luqman Reza Mulyono.
This one I found especially touching.

Jongkie never imagined that he would be able to turn his hobby and passion into a successful business. However, his dream came true when more and more people began to recognize his work. He currently works in a multinational company which allows him exposure to the many different art markets and private collectors around the world. Jongkie explains his approach: “What I do is understanding the character of the watercolor, the paper, and the water itself. Watercolor has a wet, expressive, and unpredictable character.” The same words could be applied to his understanding of the character of the "fantasy" wildlife he creates.

 

There's No Way to Go Back, Luqman Reza Mulyono

I should also add that Luqman Mulyono has a Bachelor degree in architecture from University of Brawijaya, Indonesia, which might go a long way in explaining his interest in painting some of the outstanding Buddhist temples on Southeast Asia. As with many, perhaps even most artists, Jongkie loves to travel. He hopes one day to visit major cultural heritage sites not just in his own little corner of the world (can worlds have corners?) but to follow in the footstep of other artists from other countries and other centuries, rendering on paper what he sees and feels.

 

I admire artists brave enough to compare their work to their original sources.

 

 

Click below to get a feel for how it's done--