Living and working in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Kataragis (b. 1998) is a visual artist and graphic designer whose practice moves fluidly between digital media, illustration, and object-based experimentation. With an academic background in hospitality and early studies in puppetry at the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta, Kataragis brings an unusual sensitivity to storytelling—one shaped by service, empathy, and performative imagination.
At the heart of his practice is Kuningo, a recurring character that has become both visual anchor and philosophical vessel. Born from the symbolism of the egg yolk, Kuningo represents the most fragile yet potent point of life: a state of becoming where potential, warmth, and consciousness quietly gather. More than a character, Kuningo functions as a state of being—one that continuously negotiates between design and art, logic and intuition, playfulness and introspection.
Kataragis’ works often unfold in soft palettes and rounded forms, resisting rigid perfection in favor of impermanence and flow. Fried eggs, childlike figures, and dreamlike domestic scenes recur as motifs—symbols of memory, innocence, and imagination that persist beneath the surface of adult life. These elements do not seek nostalgia, but rather open reflective spaces: How do we grow without losing our sense of wonder? How do we carry light while moving through complexity?
In works such as Breakfast of Thoughts (2025), Kuningo appears with three stacked heads, each representing layers of emotion and cognition. Thinking becomes a daily ritual—cooked, scrambled, and served anew—transforming introspection into something tactile and almost edible. Similarly, Eggwater Dream (2025) suspends Kuningo in a quiet sea of beige stillness, where the egg becomes both origin and identity, drifting between consciousness and dream.
Emotional vulnerability is central to Kataragis’ visual language. Pieces like Waktu yang Menangis (The Time That Weeps)_ and Scary Day capture moments of silent unease, sorrow, and uncertainty—feelings rendered not through drama, but through restraint. The recurring series From Tears to Peace (I–III) traces an inner journey of grief, reflection, and acceptance, reminding viewers that healing arrives softly, often after emotional rainfall.
Beyond two-dimensional works, Kataragis extends Kuningo into object form. Philosophy of the Mickey (2025), a 3D resin-printed sculpture, explores how simplicity can hold profound meaning. The egg-shaped head and golden yolk symbolize the core of life—where authenticity, creativity, and courage originate. Here, design is not merely visual, but emotional: something to be felt rather than explained.
Across his practice, Kataragis positions Kuningo at the threshold—between childhood and adulthood, design and art, stillness and movement. Each work is approached as a journey rather than a conclusion, emphasizing process over outcome. Through warmth, humor, and quiet contemplation, Kataragis invites viewers to pause, to feel, and to reconnect with the small, fragile light that once lived—and still lives—within.
