Sang Mesin Fotokopi Alam | Jan 2011
FIMELA Magazine by Ratna Irina
The “Unusual” Art of Typography | Jan 2011
Cosmopolitan Magazine
From Sadness Comes Bright Sunny Art | Jan 2011
Jakarta Globe Newspaper
From Sadness Comes Bright, Sunny Art at Jakarta Exhibition
Lisa Siregar | December 16, 2010
Every artist has a muse that offers inspiration. For some it’s nature, for others it’s a bad breakup. For Melissa Sunjaya, it’s sadness. But her artwork is hardly dark and depressing. In fact, Melissa says that, in her sadness, she finds the inspiration to create strong, heroic characters.
For her first solo exhibition, currently taking place at Artsphere in Dharmawangsa Square, South Jakarta, Melissa poured her creativity into a series of 12 screen-printed illustrations titled “Ruba’iyat of Amma Supahilo.”
Melissa said the series of work was about life and the hero inside everybody that keeps them going.
The illustrations tell the story of Amma Supahilo, a free-spirited character created by Melissa to represent the invisible being inside herself that protects her and gives her strength. “[Amma] is like my alter ego,” she said. In the story, Amma has three pets to keep her company. These mystical animals — an elephant, a tortoise and a hummingbird — are also parts of Melissa’s imagination that provide her with strength and consolation. At those times when she felt sick, sad, angry or overwhelmed with her workload, Melissa said she would call upon these creatures from her imagination. “I would think that I have these invisible beings inside me, protecting me and that I’d be fine.”
Melissa created a ruba’iyat, a traditional four-line, rhyming poem, for each image in her exhibition. These lines are written in the Code of Amma, a font that Melissa created to represent her passion for typography and lettering. The Code of Amma was inspired by the Russian alphabet. She said that, like in Arabian verse, the poems are meant to be read from right to left.
Every image in the exhibition is produced using just two tones, though the illustrations feature surprisingly bright colors and are rich in detail. Her artwork is quirky and girly with a vintage aesthetic. At the exhibition, visitors can also see original sketches of Amma and her magical pets rendered in pointillism.
More than just a showcase of Melissa’s artwork, “Ruba’iyat of Amma Supahilo” is also a celebration of the one-year anniversary of Melissa’s boutique. Tulisan, founded in January 2010, specializes in outfits and handmade accessories featuring graphic prints. It also sells printed tunics, canvas bags, tea towels and stationery in varying themes and color palettes.
Busy with her former work as a brand strategist and art director, it took her 10 years to finally come up with Tulisan. She now collaborates with her mother to manage the brand.
Before and after Tulisan, Melissa, a mother of two, was also busy with Blue Lounge, a design studio that she set up with her husband, Dominic Symons, in 1999.
Melissa’s solo exhibition has been very successful so far and her illustrations are selling fast. After only two weeks, she had already sold eight out of the 12 pieces. In addition to the exhibition, Melissa also produced 18 limited-edition screen-printed canvas tote bags to go with the show’s theme. Every tote features a detailed reproduction of illustrations from the series. They are also available for purchase at Artsphere.
Born into an artistic family, art has always been a big part of Melissa’s life. Growing up in the 1970s, with no video games or modern playgrounds, Melissa spent her childhood watching her grandmother, a designer, making pillows and quilt covers. But her interest turned to typography and lettering, and that interest developed into a passion after her father taught her calligraphy. Melissa studied art and design at Trisakti University in Jakarta, the Art Center in Switzerland and the Art Center College of Design in California.
As an illustrator, Melissa doesn’t think she can do anything that is dark. Even when she is feeling down, she said she uses bright colors to channel her emotions. “I think I am a romantic,” she said. The result of her work is usually the opposite of her feelings. The sadder she is, the happier the image she creates.
For Melissa, sadness is a benefit in disguise. When she is blue, she said she often ended up sketching strong characters. “I think I want something to tell me it will be OK,” she said. “Because when I am that sad, I need to believe that I’m a superhero, a superhero that makes everything alright.”
‘Ruba’iyat of Amma Supahilo’
Until Dec. 27
Artsphere Gallery Dharmawangsa Square, City Walk, 2nd Floor
Jalan Darmawangsa VI & XI
South Jakarta
Tel: 021 7278 6661
Tulisan boutique
Jalan Tirtayasa IV No. 33
www.mytulisan.com