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A: Setyo, let’s talk about your solo exhibition at Adi’s Gallery: in one part you show a kind of a storyboard with 39 paintings, all in the same size, 50 to 50 centimeter. What is the story behind?



S: In these 39 paintings of mine, I want to describe my fantasy about the universe, my private life and some global issues.

A: All images happen to play in interior spaces; the architectural parts, the pieces of furniture and even the acting persons show constructive, technical, often sharp and dangerous edges and corners. Why?

S: The edges and corners which seem sharp and dangerous, are taken from the triangle form. For me the triangle is a symbolic form connects the human nature with the universe. To work out this basic idea and to create the adequate shape and atmosphere, I did constructions in a deforming way.



A: Some windows allow us to look outside of these closures. There we can see – often painted in almost impressionistic coloration and style – cozy landscapes and inviting pieces of unspoiled nature. Is this a contrast which expresses a certain meaning?

S: I want to persuade people to see that there is more beauty and space outside of a room. Inside of a room concepts and soul bondings are limited



A: Again: this series of 39 still astonishes and arouses me. That’s why I want to ask you again: why did you not set up the whole complex story as a comic book or a slide show? What was and is your artistic benefit, to do all this in oil on canvas?

S: I am not a comic. I am an artist. So I use the media oil on canvas, because I feel free to express all my ideas and imaginations by colors on canvas.

A: The second part of your exhibition “Inside Out” is as unique as the 39 canvases of your series are: you did create eight huge paintings – each in the size 150 to 200 centimeters – showing futuristic cities. As longer we look as more fascinating details we discover, strange architectural designs, confusing traffic systems, trade marks, et cetera. What is the concept behind these futuristic cities?



S: The concept of my city paintings is to describe - through my perspective - human’s life. I describe the buildings as people who have different conceptions and point of view. Traffic system do describe rules and norm’s which must be followed by the people.

A: Through out the history of art it happened from time to time, that painters created their versions of so called “Ideal Cities”. Did you have had knowledge of this when you started to work on your versions of an “Ideal Mega Polis”?

S: First, I was inspired in my childhood. I liked to play “miniature city”. While my painting developed and my spirituality was growing I now describe my cities as representations of human’s life and the details of it.

A: Something more personal: Setyo, you are four minutes older than your twin brother. And it’s not easy to keep you apart. And both of you became painters. What impact has this on your personal life and your life as an artist?



S: We’re supporting each other; we give us advices and also criticize each other sometimes. This pits more spirit into all my work.

A: After two semester studies at the academy in Surabaya you interrupted your education as an artist and started to work as a “made-to-order”-painter. Than you finished this “made-to-order”-business and went back to Surabaya and continued your education as a painter. Why?

S: It is something that I have to go through. Making “made-to-order-paintings” doesn’t interrupt my own art work at all; on the contrary, it gives me additional experiences and knowledge which I cannot get from the art school.



A: And the last one: If I could, I would be happy to fulfill you the three of your biggest wishes. Can you name them?

S: I want to become a person who is a benefit to others; I want to become a person who never gives up; I want to become a person who always looks for goodness and honesty.

Setyo Mulyo was born in March 6th, 1979, in Sidoarjo, East Java; he started to paint in 1998; now he is studying art at the ATKW in Surabaya, East Java; he lives in Bali and Java.