Interview with Emte, contributor to the exhibition Toponymy

As part of the exhibition Toponymy, one of the participating illustrators came to Quebec city to visit his work on site. Emte is an illustrator based in Jakarta, UNESCO city of literature (website, Instagram). 

Emte, you’ve come a long way to see your art. Do you work internationally a lot?  

Yes! I consider myself an independent artist, but my work is in galleries internationally. Before the pandemic, I participated in an excellent art fair in London, England and in 2019, my art was in Seoul and New York. So, I can tell my friends I’ve been to New York, Frankfurt, Shanghai…  

Did you have a formal education as an artist? What is your history? 

I studied graphic design in my college in Jakarta, the Jakarta Institute of Arts. I graduated in 2004, majoring in graphic design. That’s why I can do the design and layout for my books. I also love to draw, that’s why I became an illustrator. But I think illustration and graphic design help each other.  

Yes, the result in your new book, Life as We Know It, is very cohesive. We feel as if we are in the city, and we know it a little bit. 

Yes, I want to be as honest as I can because, yes, Jakarta is full of pollution. Of course! And that’s why I draw it. I don’t try to make some fake illustration of what Jakarta is. No, I’m telling Jakarta as it is! When I make a work of art, it’s important to be honest. In this book, there are many situations that you can see in Jakarta. People buying vegetables in cars, people selling food in the streets... Maybe you can see similar situations in other Asian countries, but it’s the same in Jakarta.  

You presented Life as We Know It at the Frankfurt Book Fair this year. The style is very similar to what you did for Toponymy. Did you base your illustration for Toponymy on this book? 

No, not at all. The book is based on my personal experience of living in Jakarta, a crowded city, with traffic jams everywhere. I think the people who live there all know Jakarta has many shortcomings, but that’s what shapes us as citizens. It’s what makes us tough people who can adapt to any situation. That’s why I draw a lot of motorcycles and bicycles, because that is a temporary solution to traffic jams in Jakarta. People do their activities a lot by motorcycle: selling vegetables, being a taxi, selling goods…  

What you just said about the city echoes the text on the Jakarta Toponymy panel by the writer Fariq Alfaruqi. Do you know him personally? 

Of course, yes. I met him first when we went together to the London book fair. And we have friends in common. Fariq is a good writer. That’s why he wrote such a good text. I remember I just wrote the concept for my illustration, and based on that he wrote his text and was able to add context to my work.  

The drawing you did for the panel is all watercolour. Do you work with other mediums as well? 

Sometimes, yes. I use watercolour, but I also I use acrylics. The last time I had an exhibition, I used liquid acrylics. I like the transparency, the layering technique and the fluidity. 

When I look at your illustrations, it’s like every drawing is a little story. 

Yes, always. It’s an extra process in making a work of art, you need a story to tell, whatever story you want to tell. That’s why I integrate into in my artwork whether it’s for painting, illustration or comic books.  

Jakarta is a UNESCO City of Literature since 2021. Do you see any impacts on the relation between visual artists and writers? Does it provide more opportunities to work together on projects like this? 

Of course, yes! There are a lot of projects in Jakarta that involve artists and writers. I have many illustrator friends who are doing projects on Jakarta with writers, so many children’s books and illustration festivals. When there are festivals or illustration fairs, that’s where we can meet each other, share our projects and make friends and potential collaborators. 

Do you have anything you want to add or say about yourself? 

Oh, I don’t know. I just enjoy the process. I’ve been an artist and illustrator for 20 years. I’m enjoying the process. All of it. And my work brings me to places like Quebec now. That’s what I love about illustration: getting involved in projects like Toponymy. 

Thank you!