Legacy

by Melissa Sunjaya

THE LEGACY is a series of heritage artwork from the New East Indies. The term 'East Indies' stems from the geographical fact of Indonesia, which was once known by the West to be the endless source of nature's best. The attribute 'New' stands for a fresh perspective about the generation who believe in themselves. This new generation will inherit this archipelago. At the heart of freedom, they will cultivate this earth, celebrate individuality, and love their peers without any prejudice.

I have two daughters. They were tiny toddlers when I began my voyage in art and storytelling. An extensive volume of my pen-and-ink artwork blooms from this colorful journey. Someday their great-granddaughters may cherish the essence behind these heirloom collections. Every woman should view her journey as a fight for her own freedom. Every gain she earns in finding this freedom is about discovering something new about herself and every loss she faces is about learning her strength. This has been a personal discovery on the value of freedom. I am talking about an odyssey of battling my own mental cage, for the sake of health, wealth, and peace. It took a great deal of courage and determination for me to break through the conventional molds so that I could project my true potentials to the world. This is a legacy that I will leave to my daughters.

– Melissa Sunjaya, Jakarta 2018