Sweet in the Night
2023
100 x 75 cm
Acrylic and pen ink on canvas

Some cultures in the world have more notably intertwined relationships with the paranormal than others, and as part of Southeast Asia, Indonesia is no exception. Equipped with commonplace (alleged) sightings, mythos, legends and cautionary tales, it is difficult to grow up in the region without the beliefs or at the very least some respect and/or paranoia for it. Sweet in the Night illustrates that very paranoia in a take that the artist describes as "whimsical horror."

The foreground figure looks back on a full moon, completely desolate if not for what could be a "lady in white" on the other end. However, her face is covered by the bud of a tuberose (or sedap malam in Indonesian) detached from the scenario, a flower that emits a sweet smell at night. In Southeast Asia alike the scent of flowers -- jasmine in particular for the artist's home region -- coming seemingly out of nowhere is believed to indicate the presence of the supernatural. With that said, the mysterious scene is quite literally framed and adorned by these flowers, shaping the perception to both the viewers and the primary figure. Is the lady in white a supernatural phenomenon, or are we merely making assumptions based on what we have come to associate with certain senses culturally?

(Description may be subject to change.)