In the work of Entang Wiharso the artist’s personal experiences are combined with a deep analysis of the socio-political conditions of his country. The creation is away of understanding the human condition, to strengthen our ability to perceive, feel and understand human problems such as love, hatred, fanaticism, religion and ideology.
The complex artistic language used is composed of symbols and characters that evoke the history and the mythology of his country and in particular the island of Java.

“My works speak about the condition of human beings who are often divided by politics, ethnics, racial and religion: they still coexist even if their communication is limited and indirect.

I deliberately use my own personal narratives as a point of departure to go much further back along the timeline, linking events and small actions to an historical and geological history that we feel we no longer remember.
I attempt to trace personal and collective experiences leading to specific occurrences, exploring how the history of ideas, land, migration, and ecology are contained within our actions today.

As I explored the reasons behind feelings and motivations, other stories emerged to reveal another reality, one that reflects immigration, social justice, survival strategies, geography and political
systems. These kinds of stories, anecdotes that link to the larger geo-political narrative, are at the core of my current work. I want to put these ideas forward in many contexts to test our perceptions which often are formed by incomplete information, propaganda, generalizations or prejudice”.
(Etang Wiharso)