Fadjar Sidik
Indonesia
b.1930
Fadjar Sidik was born in Surabaya, East Java, in 1930 and studied at Gadjah Mada University and the Indonesian Academy of Fine Arts (ASRI), Yogyakarta. He began his career in social realism, depicting everyday life, and gradually developed an abstract language. Between 1957 and 1961, he lived in Bali, where his semi-abstract works evolved into fully abstract compositions.
Sidik’s art integrates traditional techniques, including batik, motifs reminiscent of woven mats, and Islamic calligraphy, establishing a dialogue between universal geometric forms and his Indonesian identity. In 1947, he joined the social realist group Sanggar Pelukis Rakyat, under the mentorship of Hendra Gunawan, whose philosophy of creating art for the people influenced his vision.
His work has been shown in major exhibitions, including Space Dynamics at the Asia Art Center, Taipei (2020), Foreigners Everywhere at the 60th Venice Biennale (2024), and Ruang: The Modernist Series #7 at Art:1 New Museum, Jakarta (2025). His works are held in the collections of the National Gallery Indonesia, National Gallery Singapore, Neka Art Museum, and OHD Museum. Sidik received the National Art Award from the Indonesian Government in 1971 and the Penghargaan Seni award from Yogyakarta in 1993.
