Emphasising Frank on Jasper’s Dilemma by Mahaputra Vito

Vito's art has always been inspired by Western popular culture and cartoons such as Disney's, having been exposed to them from a young age. However, in recent years, he has found himself drawn to more "serious" abstract pieces by American painters such as Mark Rothko, Cy Twombly, and Frank Stella, despite their differences from his usual art influences.

His favourite remark from a Frank Stella interview is "My painting is based on the fact that only what can be seen there is there." Stella's unique perspective towards art inspired Vito to reinterpret his 1962 series of paintings and prints, known as Jasper's Dilemma—of which Stella himself took inspiration from another artist named Jasper Johns to create. Motivated by Johns' statement of "The more I work with colour, the more I start to see grey", Stella employed bands of colour in Jasper's Dilemma to create tension and illusion. For his piece, Vito chose to include additional colours along with his signature character, Dre. As a tribute upon a tribute, Vito questions whether his version examines the meaning of colour in the ways that Johns and Stella envisioned.

Artwork inspired by:

Jasper’s Dilemma by Frank Stella (1962)

Art Print Details:

Giclée Fine Art Print (SGD 300)

Limited edition of 100, hand-numbered, unframed
Comes with Certificate of Authenticity
310gsm Textured Fine Art Paper (100% Cotton, Acid-Free, Archival)
42 x 59.4cm (A2)

Digital Art Print (SGD 80)

Open edition, unframed
29.7 x 42 cm (A3)

Artist Bio:

Vito was born in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He majored in Visual Communication Design at the Indonesia Institute of The Arts, and currently works at a product design firm in Jakarta. The characters in his works are heavily influenced by the famous cartoons that he watched growing up; employing vibrant and eye-catching colours. His experience in product design inspires him to explore new materials in his art practice; and he enjoys the freedom of expression it provides in comparison to commercial work.

@mahaputravito

Artist Country: 

Indonesia