The overarching Gatot’s philosophy in making art is to explore the unnoticed things that appealed to him, from everyday life; the simple pleasure. He finds no satisfaction in major themes like socio-political or humans and identities, etc., as he feels one cannot be truthful in the realms of such topics. From his early days of conceptualising the wooden dolls, his army of love, Gatot is clearly reminiscing on simple things that look fun, a temporary pleasure perhaps. A hug, a smile, playing the guitar, washing hair, or gardening, all are simple things that always happened in our daily life, too common it often escapes to be observed or remembered. We forget that simple and ordinary things often bring happiness, although short but are very meaningful to our life. Today, Gatot paintings took a more mythical, fairy tale liked expressions, a hybrid of both world, real and fictional, but still brimming with simple things that is his signature on the canvas.
Gatot is the winner of 2016 UOB Southeast Asian painting of the Year Award.