Let’s get to know Muhammad Ilyas Ruhiyat, an artist from Indonesia who is making a name for himself worldwide. He started loving painting when he was in elementary school, and instead of choosing a regular job, he decided to follow his passion for art. Even though being an artist doesn’t guarantee a fixed salary, Ilyas chose this path with determination, showing us a story of strength and creativity.
Muhammad Ilyas Ruhiyat: Early Days and Love for Art
Ilyas began his painting adventure back in elementary school, deciding early on that he wanted to be an artist instead of doing a regular job. Even though being an artist is not always easy, Ilyas found joy and purpose in creating art.
Talking about money, Ilyas admits that artists like him don’t have a fixed salary, but because he loves painting so much, he keeps going. For him, painting is not just a job; it’s something he loves to do with all his heart. Even when things get tough, he always overcomes challenges to make beautiful art.
Muhammad Ilyas Ruhiyat: Choosing Art Instead of College
Ilyas shares a bit about his school journey, saying he picked being a painter even though he left Universitas Negeri Semarang (Unnes) after the sixth semester. He took a break in the fourth semester and decided to focus on painting, making an active choice to follow his passion.
“Yeah, I used to study at Unnes, took a break in the fourth semester, and dropped out in the sixth semester to focus on painting,” he remembers while talking about it on a Thursday at Sanggar Kreasi.
Art as a Business
Being an artist is not just about making art; it’s also about sharing it. Ilyas, besides painting in his unique style, takes requests from people who want specific paintings. Prices for his paintings can range from Rp50,000 to several hundred million. He talks about a painting competition he entered in East Java, where he made it to the top 10. This got him noticed by art collectors, celebrities, and even art fans from other countries.
“I once got an order from Ivan Gunawan and from upper-middle-class individuals, with prices ranging from tens of millions per painting. I’ve also had customers from abroad, almost reaching Rp100 million,” he shares.
Artistic Inspiration and Style
Ilyas’s way of making art called expressionism, which about spontaneous and capturing emotions while creating. He finds inspiration in artists from both Western and Indonesian cultures, like Zinlim from Korea and Afandi from Jogjakarta.
“My painting style is mostly inspired by Western artists like Zinlim from Korea, and from Indonesia, I get inspiration from Afandi in Jogjakarta,” he adds.
Subjects and Dreams
Ilyas mostly paints famous people from Indonesia and other countries, like Soekarno and KH Hasyim Asyari. As an artist, he dreams of his work becoming famous worldwide, making Indonesia known for its amazing art on the global stage.
With Muhammad Ilyas Ruhiyat, art becomes a way to connect people and create something that will remembered far beyond the borders of his home country.
