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This artist explores cultural diversity through illustrations
SBS Indonesian
10:12
A vibrant yellow kebaya stands out prominently on the walls of a Melbourne art gallery. This is the work of Adrianne Walujo in the "Women of the West" exhibition at Laneway Gallery, Laverton, last March.
"Why did I choose the kebaya? Because I feel Australians are very familiar with Bali. And as someone who grew up in Java, I wanted to show that there are other beautiful Indonesian cultures as well," Walujo explained in an interview with SBS Indonesian.
Walujo, 30, has been working as an illustrator and designer in Melbourne for eight years. In her works, she often bridges cultures through visual art.
Voices from Melbourne's West
The title "Women of the West" has a dual meaning. It refers to Western culture, as well as the women who live in Melbourne's western region, who come from various backgrounds.
"I wanted to showcase different cultures within Australian culture," Walujo said. "Amidst all this, there are so many beautiful cultures that can be learned."
Walujo also hopes that someday, if given another opportunity to work on a larger scale, she would like to introduce other Indonesian cultures through visual art or animation.
"So people can see how rich Indonesia truly is, especially Australia which is actually Indonesia's neighbor," Walujo said.
Visual Accents
Before the yellow kebaya, Walujo created "Accents Visualised", inspired by her own experience.
"In the past, whenever people asked about it, I would think about how my English should be so that people wouldn't ask such questions again," Walujo said. "However, I realized throughout my conversations with people here that everyone actually has an accent. And no accent is superior."
In her animation, Walujo shows people saying "hello" with different fonts. Her work received a warm welcome.
"Many people apparently felt the same way I did, and they said that through art, they could see their accents from a different perspective," Walujo said.
