"Passages"

With time ticking on, Ramon Markus Kadi came to the realization
that the generational shift had progressed the way it should: his
parents have firmly taken their positions in the place of their former
parents’, Kadi had moved up to his parents’ spot, and his nieces
and nephews had replaced him where he used to be.

This may explain why of late he had been obsessed with taking
photographs of cluttered alleyways and empty backstreets, of mile
long paths and dead-ended lanes; or in general, of passages and
pathways. They serve as a metaphor for a life that is both chaotic
and ordered; for a two-way road that not only sends you away but
also brings you back; and for a seemingly never-ending life that
can sometimes grind to a halt.

Selected Works

Dr. J. Kadi had led a successful life as an ophthalmologist in Surabaya, but few realized
that his first love was Art. He had originally wanted to become an artist but was persuaded
by his father to opt for a career that would bring a stable income to foster a family. Being
a good son, he heeded his father’s advice and went on to become an Eye Surgeon, but he
never let go of his first love, Art.

In his extremely hectic life, he still made time to exercise his artistic skills in drawing,
painting, and filmmaking. When he suffered a massive stroke in 1995, he lost the ability to
use his working hand (his right hand), along with his speech and right leg. Eventually, he
started doing watercolor painting with the help of his left hand. The work exhibited in this
show featured works done after his stroke.

This exhibition was held on 04 October 2007 – 04 November 2007