S. Dwi Stya Acong was born in 1977 in Malang, East Java, Indonesia. Acong studied Fine Art at the Indonesia Institute of the Art, Yogyakarta. The way in which light is captured in Acong's paintings is reminiscent of the repertoire of the earlier Impressionists. Through his short, unblended brushstrokes, he achieves an effect of intense color vibrations. This makes further apparent the rupture between time and space, which is the recurring theme of his works. The anonymous men always seem out of place within the luxuriant hues of the paintings, yet they also make Acong's compositions particularly haunting and unforgettable. As S.Dwi Stya Acong renders absurd situations with stunning ease, he presents us with a fresh interpretation of Surrealist art. S.Dwi Stya Acong was one of the finalists for the Philip Morris Indonesia Art Award in 2000. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Taiwan. 

The blurred lines between reality and dreams frequently make our waking lives an inextricable mix of both. In his surrealistic paintings, S.Dwi Stya Acong explores this tension to great depths by presenting a disquieting mix of both the abstract and the physical. Acong's work commonly features men with their backs turned to the viewer, presenting forlorn figures amidst various isolated landscapes. Floating above these landscapes are gossamer-thin lines, which join to form otherworldly prismatic shapes suspended in mid-air. The jarring contrast between these strange glowing structures and the concrete, palpable colors of the background jolt the viewer into the realization that reality could be in either of these realms. Which world, then, do we live in? More importantly, which world should we choose? The idea that our existence is a choice is both disconcerting but also endlessly fascinating.

Awards

2012
Jakarta Art Award International Painting Competition 

2000
Finalist, Philip Morris Indonesia Art Award 

Solo Exhibitions 

2019
S. Dwi Stya Acong, Primae Noctis Art Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland

2018
Indonesian Identities - Contemporary Art in Indonesia, Primo Marella Gallery, Milan, Italy

2015
The Standing Man, G13 Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2008
"Seeds of Light", Afandi Museum, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2006
"Time Gong", Koong Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2002
"Interlude" Culture Pendapa Asdrafi, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Selected Exhibitions

2019
KunstRAI, Amsterdam – Gallery Lukisan

2018
Affordable Art Fair Brussels – Gallery Lukisan
First Art Fair, Amsterdam, Gallery Lukisan

2017
Affordable Art Fair Amsterdam – Gallery Lukisan
Antwerpen Art – Gallery Lukisan

2014
Legacy of Power Artjog 14 Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Tafsir Maestro Seni Rupa Indonesia "Ahmad Sadali" Gallery Nasional Indonesia
Art Expo Malaysia 2014 Gallery G13 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Sosio Landscape, National Museum Of Cambodia
UOB Painting On The Year 2014 Jakarta, Indonesia

2013
Maritim Artjog 13 Taman Budaya Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Art Expo Malaysia 2013 Gallery G13 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Idialekiaa Gallery Nasional Jakarta, Indonesia
UOB Painting on the year Jakarta, Indonesia
Recent Works Gallery G 13 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Under The Sun Asian Conemporary Art Gwangju, Korea
Enchanted Shadow Massachusetts Avenue, N.W Washington D.C USA

2012
Art Expo Malaysia 2012, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 
Nort Art Space, Jakarta Indonesia

2011
ArtJog 11 Yokyakarta Cultural Park, Indonesia
Jakarta Art Bazaar 2011 
Ritz Carlton Pacific Place, Jakarta, Indonesia

2010
Indonesian Art Now - The Strategies of Being, ArtJog, 10 Yokyakarta Cultural Park, Indonesia

2009
CIGE 2009, Koong Gallery, Beijing, China
Art Taipei 2009, Koong Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan

2008
"Manifesto," National Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2007
Series V-Art Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2006
"Waktu Gong," Koong Gallery, Jakarta, Indonesia

2004
The Journey of Indonesian Painting, Bentara Budaya, Jakarta, Indonesia

2003
"Saksi Mata," Bentara Budaya Collection, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Replay, Socitet Yogyakarta Cultural Park, Indonesia