Whitestone Gallery Singapore is pleased to present "Happy Together: Visions of Gladness from Southeast Asia", an exhibition that explores how happiness is expressed, shared, and celebrated across cultures. From immersive installation to bold visual expression, it captures the rich emotional landscape of Southeast Asia — where laughter, tradition, and togetherness converge. It reveals happiness not as a fleeting emotion, but as something intentionally nurtured, shaped by the strength found in unity, even in adversity.

Yogyakarta-based artist Mulyana is known for his vibrant, whimsical world of soft sculptures made from yarn and recycled materials. In this interview, we explore how the artist blends craft with contemporary art and creates immersive installations inhabited by fantastical sea creatures and marine ecosystems. He emphasises environmental conservation and community engagement, often collaborating with local artisans and marginalised groups to create immersive art experiences.

Whitestone Gallery Singapore

- Your works are deeply rooted in marine ecosystems. What first drew you to the ocean as a source of inspiration?

Mulyana: The ocean holds a deep symbolic meaning for me, it represents vastness, memory, and transformation. I grew up in Indonesia, where the sea is ever-present, both physically and culturally. Its fluid, ever-changing nature became the perfect metaphor for my emotional landscape and artistic exploration.

- You created a unique character, Mogus. How does this symbolic figure represent you emotionally or spiritually?

Mulyana: Mogus is my alter ego. It allows me to externalize my internal world in a playful yet honest way. Through Mogus, I can express vulnerability, resilience, and joy qualities that are often difficult to articulate with words.

Mulyana “Tiny Mogus 117” 2025, 42.0 x 21.0 x 12.0 cm, Yarn, dacron, felt and beads

- Is there a particular experience, artwork, or artist that had a profound impact on your artistic vision early in your career?

Mulyana: Discovering modular origami in my youth had a big influence on how I approach structure and repetition. Later, seeing the works of Nick Cave and Joana Vasconcelos opened my eyes to how materials and forms can challenge social norms and expectations.

- Your use of crochet (a material often linked to traditional craft) in large-scale installations is very unique. How do you think this choice reshapes the way audiences perceive both the medium and the experience of installation art?

Mulyana: Crochet invites intimacy, it’s handmade, soft, and familiar. When scaled up into immersive installations, it creates a surprising contrast that makes people reconsider its value and potential. It turns something domestic into something monumental and communal.

(Left to right)
Mulyana “Tiny Mogus 54” 2023, 37.0 x 19.0 x 12.0, Yarn, dacron, felt and beads
“Luna 15” 2023, ∅ 2 meter, Yarn, dacron, cable wire and plastic net
“Tiny Mogus 118” 2025, 36.0 x 19.0 x 10.0 cm, Yarn, dacron, felt and beads
“Luna 10” 2023, ∅ 2 meter, Yarn, dacron, cable wire and plastic net

- Will there be any new themes or materials you are interested in exploring in your future projects?

Yes, I’m interested in exploring more modular systems using ceramics and recyclable materials. I’m also drawn to interactive formats that invite the audience to co-create, expanding the communal spirit of my practice beyond visual form.

Mulyana “Harmony 82” 2025, 97.0 x 184.0 x 45.0 cm, Yarn, dacron, cable wire and plastic net

Happy Together: Visions of Gladness from Southeast Asia