About Page
Artist Statement
Ferril Nawir
My Indonesian heritage is rooted in a world where mysticism thrives alongside industrial progress. How to link this Asian world of the mystical and primal with Western contemporary reality has been my life-long quest. How to bridge these worlds, to bring the ancient into modern relevance, to find the unity in seemingly opposing truths is the drive behind my art.
I found the bridge in the approach. Where artists approach a canvas with oils, watercolors and acrylics, my cultural heritage gave me a three dimensional gift, where art is brought out from the depths of the canvas, rising to the surface. Color is transferred in dyes, saturating and layering, colluding and meshing, only to be disciplined and guided by the power of wax. Water becomes an active player in coaxing the images to the surface, readying the canvas for deeper stratums of penetration, until finally, the image that I held in my mind reveals itself, expanding from deep within the canvas. Sustained, held, captured.
This is Batik.
My canvas is fabric and wood.
Through this portal, I pull forth my art, where the spirit of my ancestors, and the mysticism of their world, finds a place to belong, today.
Resume/Bio of Ferril Nawir:
Born in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Immigrated to the U.S in 1965 - currently lives in Los Angeles, CA.
Education:
Los Angeles Valley College.
Gotex Enterprises, Solo - Indonesia,for Textile silk screening & Batik screen production processes.
Home Industry factories throughout Central Java for hand & stamped Batik processes.
Cap Cili textile factory, Gianyar - Bali, for Ikat weaving processes.
Art Students League of New York.
Solo Exhibitions
2001: Solo Exhibition at Design Group Gallery, Long Beach, CA.
2001: Spring Art Walk at the Brewery Project, Los Angeles, CA.
2000: Fall Art Walk at the Brewery Project, Los Angeles, CA.
1999: Sunshine Gallery, West Dennis, MA.
1986: One Man Traveling Show, throughout Art Centers in Southbridge, MA
1985: Grove Street Gallery, Worcester, MA.
1983: First National Bank, Boulder, CO.
Group Exhibition
2009: Mar - Presidential Batik Exhibition &
Showcase celebrating the batik
collection of the late Ms. Ann
Dunham (President Obama's Mother)at
The Indonesian Consulate in Los
Angeles, CA.
2009: Jan - An evening of Art at Barnsdall
Gallery Theater - Hollywood, CA.
2008: Jan - An Evening of Art at Barnsdall Gallery
Theater - Hollywood, CA.
2007: Dec - Monthly Art event festival thru
The Gallery at the End of the World in Altadena, CA
2007: Dec - Deck the Walls at Satsuma Gallery.
North Hollyood, CA
2007: July Summer Triangle Group Exhibition celebration Hush Champion Prod. curator.
Los Angeles, CA
2007: July - Lotus Festival 30th Anniversary group art competition. Echo Park Los Angeles, CA
2nd place Appreciation award received.
2007: July Open Call 2007 at Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery Barnsdale Park Los Angeles, CA
2006: Sept Art Crawl 9 at Echo Gallery, Echo Park Los Angeles, CA
2005: Oct Flower Power A Special Appearance Show at Jaffin Art Gallery, Monrovia, CA.
2005: Dec - Tropicalismo Winter Art Gift fair
at Tropico de Nopal gallery L.A, CA
2005: Oct - Special appearance show at Jaffin
Art Gallery, Monrovia, CA
2005: June - Wax Eloquent Juried Exhibition
World Batik Conference Boston 2005
Mass. College of Art, Boston - MA
2005: June - Gala Opening Exhibition 2005
Jaffin Art Gallery, Monrovia, CA
2004: Sept - Natural Accents Gallery Taos, NM
2004: June - In Da Brewery group exhibition at The Brewery Art Colony, Los Angeles, CA.
2003: Period Gallery, Omaha Nebraska (Intnl juried group show) Award of Excellence.
2003: January - Its a Small World, Juried Group Show at Lankershim Art Gallery, North Hollywood, CA.Honorable mention award.
2002: November - Art Soup Feed Your Mind, Juried Group Show at Lankershim Art Gallery, North Hollywood, CA.
2001: October - CWA National Multimedia Juried Show at Walker Education Center, Huntsville, TX.
2001: Septemberfest International Juried Exhibition at Period Gallery, Omaha, NE.
2001: National Juried Show at The Eleanor Bliss Center for the Arts, Steamboat Springs, CO.
2001: Realism III International Juried Art Exhibition at Period Gallery, Omaha, NE.
2001: Independents Show at Puna Contemporary Art Center, Pahoa, HI.
1999: Spring Open Studio Art Walk at the Brewery Project, Los Angeles, CA.
1995: International Furniture Expo, Jakarta Convention Hall in Indonesia.
1993: Hawaiian Center for Contemporary Worlds Art-Chamber of Commerce, Honolulu, HI.
1986: New York Fabric Show, New York, NY, "Ferina
Collection".
1985: New York Fabric Show, New York, NY, "Ferina Collection Debut".
1984: Renwick Gallery of the Museum of American Art at the Smithsonian Institute, Washington D.C., "The Colorado Artist/Craftsman Exhibit".
* Colorado Artist/Craftsman Annual Exhibition
Boulder,CO
* Gallery 2 West, St. George , UT. ( Juried group show )
* The Donnel Public Library in New York (in conjunction with the Verbena Gallery of New York, NY) titled "Nine Modern Batik Masters".
* HFM Gallery at Mauna Lani Hotel, Honolulu, HI.
* National Fashion and Boutique Show presented by Ideas International New York, NY.
Commissioned Overseas projects, Murals, Design Projects.
1997: Bali Nirvana Resort, Bali, Wood wax/dye resist panels for furniture and interior for all rooms. Courtesy of PT Intra Adhistana Interior contractor.
1997: Sheraton Laguna Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, Wood wax/dye resist panels throughout the corridors. Courtesy of PT. Intra Adhistana.
1996: Nusa Dua Gallery Apartment/Condominium Project, Nusa Dua, Bali, Wood wax dye/resist panels (PT Intra Adhistana)
1996: Melia Benoa Bali Hotel, Bali, Indonesia, Wood wax/dye resist art panels for the lobby and bar areas, elevators and all standard and executive rooms, banquet hall area(PT Intra Adhistana)
1995: Matoa Golf & Country Club, Jakarta, Indonesia. Murals & Silk Batik Tapestries(PT Intra Adhistana).
1995: Bali Padma Hotel, Legian, Bali, Renovation Project. Wood wax/dye resist art panels for standard rooms (PT Intra Adhistana)
1995: Menteng Jakarta Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia. Wood wax/dye resist art panels (PT Intra Adhistana)
1995/96: Nusa Dua Beach Renovation project, Nusa Dua - Bali. Batik silk tapestries thruout the hotel.
1994: Travellodge Hotel, Jakarta, Indonesia, Two large murals at hallway to conference hall, nightclub and bar area and silk paintings for the standard rooms.