Nasirun, Indonesian artist who drew on wayang tradition, dies at 60

Nasirun, a renowned Indonesian painter celebrated for his vibrant works influenced by Javanese wayang puppetry, has passed away at the age of 60. His art, marked by bold brushwork and textured impasto surfaces, utilized wayang imagery to provide modern political insights. One of his significant creations, 'Wayang Multinasional' (1999), emerged five years post his graduation from the Indonesian Art Institute, illustrating a collection of grotesque figures with white faces and sharp teeth, reflecting Indonesia's political challenges after the 1997–98 global economic crisis. Hailing from a farming family in Cilacap, Central Java, he gained recognition through local exhibitions in the late 1990s and later showcased his work internationally, including at the 10th Biennale Jogja in 2009 and the seventh Beijing International Art Biennale in 2017. Nasirun also built an extensive collection of Indonesian art, featuring works by Umi Dachlan and Emiria Sunassa, which serves as an important research archive. His pieces are part of the collections at the National Gallery Singapore and the National Gallery of Indonesia.