Biranul Anas – Pioneer of Fiber Art: Bandung, West Java

Biranul Anas, a contemporary fiber artist and a pioneer of fiber art in Indonesia, is displaying his latest works from May 4 through May 20 in an exhibition themed Transcultural Esthetics at the Selasar Sunaryo Art Space on Jl. Dago Timur 100 in Bandung.
For Anas, fiber arts is his unique medium of expression.

Fine arts observer Jim Supangkat said in his introduction to the solo exhibit that in 2004, Anas developed the techniques of tying, weaving and knitting into a language of expression for the creation of almost realistic pictures.

This innovation was not an overnight achievement, and involved transcultural studies of Indonesia’s traditional textiles, delving into knitting, weaving, drawing and dyeing techniques across various textile traditions, including motifs and symbolism.

According to Jim, Anas’ works showed in 2005 a surprising development in that they presented clear illustrations, particularly flowers of all kinds.

In his previous creations, he had incorporated almost no images, and his pre-2005 fibers were known for their revealing the beauty of the interlacing patterns in tying and knitting. The emergence of woven images and abstract figures coincided with the rise of hand-weaving techniques to the forefront of his artwork.

The flowers that fill his pieces in this exhibit do not copy reality, but rather they constitute an adaption of floral motifs from traditional Indonesian textiles. These attractive motifs generally indicate additional layers of alternative meanings and symbolism.

While not all such motifs are manifest in woven textiles, for example the traditional Javanese floral motifs typically used in batik, Anas has re-created these motifs in his weaving.

In his fiber art, the properties of fibers as well as the techniques and structures of tying and knitting consist the components of his language of expression.

Instead of merely demonstrating technique and skill, his works serve as an individual expression that seeks the cultural — and perhaps social — values behind the medium. Like most fiber artists in the world, Anas is open to the growth of this art form and appreciates the art of craft and related esthetic phenomena.

This open approach led Anas to the exploration of Indonesia’s traditional textiles to find a new language of expression on his path to contemporary fiber art.

Jim added that the art as developed by Anas was first recognized as his domain after the Museum of Modern Art in New York exhibited American contemporary fiber art in the 1970s.

Matdon