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Familiar with the world of art and culture since childhood, Subandi Giyanto (born in Bantul, 1958) began learning to carve and paint Yogyakarta-style wayang kulit puppets at the age of 7. He is an artist, cultural practitioner, and retired teacher whose artistic practice focuses on wayang kulit, murals, and painting. He frequently incorporates traditional motifs into his work, such as the punakawan figures in his paintings. A new theme featured in his work—in the form of cars—represents a long journey of self-discovery. Since 2009, Subandi has developed and introduced several innovations in his practice, such as creating murals, following the advice of Samuel Indratma.
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Subandi Giyanto has been familiar with the world of wayang since childhood and began earning a living through the craft of tatah sungging at a young age. His natural interest in art was later deepened through formal education. In 1975, he continued his education at the Indonesian School of Fine Arts (SSRI), which was renamed the Secondary School of Fine Arts (SMSR) in 1977. It was during his time at school that he began to explore various disciplines of visual art beyond wayang kulit and took the initiative to develop his skills, transitioning from a wayang craftsman to a wayang painter.
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Throughout his artistic career, Subandi’s works have consistently highlighted the theme of traditional wayang. He not only creates wayang kulit puppets for performances but also paints wayang figures on various media, from canvas to glass. When crafting wayang kulit, he places great emphasis on quality by using buffalo leather.
His captivating talent and technique have made his wayang paintings highly sought after by art collectors. The market value of his works ranges from millions to tens of millions of rupiah, depending on their size and level of complexity. His masterpieces and dedication have earned him prestigious recognition, including being one of the State Palace’s regular artists (as reported by KRJogja).
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Beyond his artistic practice, the most inspiring aspect of Subandi Giyanto is his full dedication to nurturing the next generation of young artists. Amid the dwindling number of artisans in Gendeng, he founded the Subandi Giyanto ArtStudio to ensure this cultural tradition does not die out. He regularly invites children and the general public to learn the art of tatah sungging. Thanks to this passion, his studio is often chosen as a venue for international workshops, including one for students from the National University of Singapore.
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