The Dono Code installations, sculptures, paintings

Heri Dono (b. 1960, Jakarta) exhibits his paintings, sculptures and installations worldwide, providing a critical commentary on contemporary politics and social issues in Indonesia.

In The Dono Code, two interpretive essays explore Dono as a glocal artist: a genre in which local tradition meets globalization. His art is essentially about the ever changing structure of Indonesian society, which is intrinsically connected with developments in the rest of the world. In addition to a biography, the work also includes a discussion with the artist.

Through his work, Heri Dono adopts the traditional role of the clown, who is able to level serious criticism using wit and irony. Illustrated throughout, this fascinating book echos Dono’s wit and inventiveness.

Wouter Welling is the curator of contemporary art at the Africa Museum in Berg en Dal. He is currently the guest curator at the Tropenmuseum for a future exhibition on contemporary art. As an art critic and exhibition designer he has written extensively on the theme of interculturality and globalization since the 1980s, and his work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and catalogues.

Helena Spanjaard is an internationally acknowledged expert in the field of Indonesian history and art.