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Tasiman

"I was born to a family of farmers in West Java in 1977. At that time, people there were not really aware of art and painting, not even realizing how important education is. In secondary school I started to like painting. I often duplicated paintings of senior painters for my own. Recognizing my talent, one of my teachers, Mr. Tohar Malik, suggested that my parents put me in a school of art (SMSR) in Yogyakarta. My parents were worried about the expense but, thanks to Mr. Tohar, my parents realized this was good for their son.

"Once I arrived at school, I experienced culture shock for some time. Little by little, I began to fit into the atmosphere of art, something I always dreamed of. In 1999, I continued my studies in the ISI (Indonesian Institute of Art).

"Painting is my life, at least that is the way I feel. It’s moving along with my senses. Sometimes I know exactly what I will paint, and other times I have no idea – it's as simple as not knowing my own future. Paintings turn out to be my journal. This is my art today and tomorrow. Through the process, I become another person with a different way of thinking.

"I received a prize for the best sketch from the Indonesian Institute of Art in Yogyakarta in 1999, and the best acrylic painting in 2001. I have also participated in exhibitions in museums and galleries throughout Java."