The Chaotic World in Dwiky KA's Illustrations
Terrifying creatures amidst a chaotic world captured in Dwiky KA's illustrations have managed to steal the attention of many. It's no wonder his works are now often found on music event posters, band merchandise, and collaborations with renowned brands. Dwiky KA's creations focus on illustration, graphics for fashion products, and installations, exploring the relationship between life and technology, perspectives of science fiction, and comic aesthetics. In this era, Dwiky KA stands as one of Indonesia's visual artists and illustrators with a distinctive visual identity.
Dwiky has been aware of his fondness for the world of art and design since his childhood. Besides enjoying drawing, he also had a close affinity with comics, which eventually led him to start creating original comic works. Even now, comics continue to influence Dwiky KA's works. "At the age of six, I made my first comic book," reminisced Dwiky. He continued this comic-making activity by observing various comic works to gain references and study visual practices. Over time, Dwiky discovered that comics were a suitable visual language for him. "Through comics, I can tell many things, create my own atmosphere just by exploring lines," expressed Dwiky. For him, comics became the gateway to the visual identity he now possesses. "The peak of it was when I started collecting classic Indonesian science fiction comics and my interest in cutting-edge technology," he added.
Comics indeed influenced Dwiky KA's visual identity and artistic direction, but there are other aspects of Dwiky's artistic journey that shaped his character as a visual artist. For Dwiky, the visual identity he has found is an accumulation of many things and will continue to evolve over time. Specific life experiences and situations, as well as involvement in various communities, have significantly influenced his rather brutal illustrations. The terrifying characters and the chaotic dimensions of life in Dwiky KA's work reflect the reality we face daily. In his creative process, Dwiky aims to be open to what he sees in the world. "I want to be very honest in judging what happens in the reality of life," emphasized Dwiky. According to him, "chaos" and "irony" are two words that come to mind when witnessing how the world works today. He then translates this reality into images of strange creatures and irrational phenomena. "If those creatures are considered strange, well, actually, that's all of us," says Dwiky.
The forms of creatures in Dwiky KA's artistic universe are not entirely human. There are hybrid characters—half human, half animal—with scattered organs, and characters with absurd shapes that defy logical definition. Dwiky also often combines human body shapes with futuristic artificial objects. This artistic decision is not merely for aesthetic purposes but carries messages that Dwiky wants to convey. As an artist, Dwiky aims to break the system rooted in the belief that humans are in the highest position and control. He believes that all entities in the universe influence each other and relate rather than being trapped in a hierarchical system. "For me, equality is something ideal," he asserts.
Every narrative that Dwiky translates through his illustrations has gone through a lengthy creative process. When sharing about this process, Dwiky states that he always begins with observation. "This activity can come from anything. It could be observing something directly, reading, discussing with someone, or anything," he says. The findings from these observations are then translated into a unique idea design, as Dwiky puts it: "Distorting it into something extreme but enjoyable." Once a broad concept is established, simple sketches are drawn to determine suitable objects and mediums. Dedication to this lengthy creative process is certainly one of the reasons why Dwiky KA has become a productive and progressive local visual artist.
Throughout his career, Dwiky has collaborated with various other artists as well as international brands and publications such as Vans, Google, Marvel, Hysteric Glamour, Atmos, Dropdead, Warren Lotas, and Rolling Stone Magazine. Dwiky has also showcased his works in various galleries and participated in numerous local and international exhibitions. In 2019, Dwiky's engineered work titled X-SPIDER PUNX was selected for the Instrumenta Media Art Festival and displayed at the National Gallery of Indonesia. For Dwiky, collaborating and working in the local and global creative industry is an opportunity to learn a lot from people he admires. "Being a collaborator or part of a team is very enjoyable. I can understand their ideas directly and merge them with the ideas I create," shares Dwiky. Among the many collaborations, the most monumental for Dwiky is his work for Vans. "I managed to stick 'Jancox', the deathly word of all urban folks, to be mass-produced and distributed to almost the entire world," says Dwiky. This breakthrough has led Dwiky to receive messages of appreciation from various countries via the internet. Furthermore, this collaboration is iconic because it marks the first time Vans has collaborated globally with an Indonesian artist.
Plenty of works and achievements in the world of art and design do not stop Dwiky from exploring further. Dwiky says that the developments in the world through science, technology, and their relationship with humans ignite his spirit to continue being productive in creating fresh ideas. "These things create new exciting challenges," says Dwiky. As a visual artist, Dwiky hopes his work will remain relevant and grow with the times. "I also hope my work can bring the same energy no matter what form it takes," concludes Dwiky.
