365 by Indra Leonardi: Celebrating Imperfection Through Photography
Renowned photographer Indra Leonardi presents his latest works in a solo exhibition titled 365 at the prestigious Spac8 gallery. Supported by Ashta as the main venue, the exhibition opened to the public on October 13, 2024, following an exclusive VIP reception on October 12, 2024, and will run until November 3, 2024. 365 is a year-long project, launched in celebration of Indra Leonardi’s 60th birthday, during which he took daily photographs starting in August 2023. Using traditional techniques and a manual Sony lens, Leonardi deliberately created blurred and abstract images that reflect his daily life and travels. This exhibition highlights the beauty of imperfection and artistic authenticity, aiming to foster cross-cultural understanding. In this series, the focus shifts from sharpness and clarity—qualities commonly associated with professional photography—towards embracing blurriness as a metaphor for memory and reflection.
In the press release, Enin Supriyanto, the writer for the exhibition, remarked that the series of photos seems to stem from a desire to reflect on life’s experiences and journeys, both as an individual and as a professional photographer. He observed that the exhibition also provides a free space for Indra Leonardi to work within the medium of photography. "He wanted to celebrate his relationship with the camera and photography as a whole, by both liberating himself and freeing the camera from the demands of sharpness and clarity," Enin said. Furthermore, Leonardi seeks to revive his intuitive and spontaneous nature—using his camera lens to capture his daily routine, but only as blurred images, traces of memories. For the writer, this is a departure from the habits surrounding Indra Leonardi’s practice as a professional photographer. Just like in poetry, a pause or caesura is a boundary that floats vaguely, blurred, temporarily creating a space for reflection, determining meaning, or marking signs for a new storyline.
The opening event for 365 was officiated by international fashion designer Didit Hediprasetyo and hosted by notable figures such as Roland Adam, Bianca A Lutfi, Angel Pieters, Lukman Sardi, Winda Malika Siregar, Arini Subianto, and Tom Tandio, who gathered to celebrate this milestone in Leonardi’s career. The project is backed by a distinguished team: Enin Supriyanto as the writer, Henricus Linggawidjaja from Artnivora as creative director, Gregorius Supie Yolodi and Maria Rosantina from Yolodi+Maria Architects, with special assistance from Esti Nurjadin from D Gallerie.
Indra Leonardi and his team are deeply grateful for the significant support from the exhibition's sponsors, including FILMA Cooking Oil and Margarine by Sinarmas Agribusiness and Food, JB Tower, Trinugraha Thohir Harmoni, Polytron, Caffino, Kopi Gadjah, FOX’s Candy, Milk Life, as well as building and construction sponsors who provided materials and paint, such as TACO, PT BMKK, Nippon Paint Indonesia, and merchandise support from One Fine Sky, Papermark, and Stanley. These pivotal contributions played an essential role in bringing the works of this exhibition to life. Leonardi and his team feel honored to collaborate with brands that embrace and enrich his vision of celebrating art and fostering creativity. This collaboration emphasizes the crucial role of community support in the flourishing of artistic endeavors.
