Nue Prastowo Solo Show 2023: Love is Love
Love is Love
Nue beckons us to a realm of warm and delightful nostalgia, accompanied by the adventurous Whale, his artistic emblem. This time, he unveils not just the yearning for childhood but also captures the splendour of love and affection. Within this singular exhibition, Nue portrays the essence of pure love. In this modern age, love is often cloaked in enigma, elusive and entangled with problematic connotations, utilized as political or selfish propaganda. However, Nue endeavours to transcend these tendencies, mobilizing the meaning of love and affection to a realm untethered. Hence, the title of his solo exhibit stands tall as "Love is Love," for love is love in its very essence. Love and affection, the vital components to enhance the lives of humankind and our world, such is the painterly pursuit of Nue Prastowo in this solo exhibition.
"Love is Love" draws its inspiration from Nue's contemplation of simplicity, the benevolence of love and affection. Here, Nue pours forth his vision through his masterpieces, In “The Navity,” Nue paints the miracle born from God’s love for humanity. “The Nativity” is also a companionate love, one that engulfs those profoundly intertwined in our lives, a love yearned for, an ardour to be cherished and to cherish, an art of loving one another.
Sometimes, within the embrace of love and affection, we face separations. Nue endeavours to portray his perspective on the meaning of farewells through "The Ascension Day." For Nue, "The Ascension Day" embodies an asymmetrical love found in God's love for humanity, even a parent's love for their child.
"Love is Love" also embodies the form of a father's love for his child. In "Until You Can," we witness two whale figures painted on a black canvas, hinting at the form of a father's love for his child. A father who relentlessly supports until the very end, supporting their child in unseen ways. A father's thoughts are devoted to their children day and night, in every droplet of sweat, every crease of their palm, and every thread of hope for their children's dreams. Though fathers often play a more understated role compared to mothers, a father's love for their child is everlasting, a love that can never be fully understood. "Love is Love" becomes a fragment of Nue's perception of love and affection. The bliss of love and affection is not merely about joy and sweetness; it encompasses pain, chaos, and suffering. When we embrace it all, we find peace in love and affection.