Born in 1960 in Jakarta, Heri Dono studied at the Institut Seni Indonesia but dropped out of school to study wayang kulit (shadow puppet). He uses the traditional art form wayang kulit (shadow puppet) and adapts it as his contemporary medium of expression in his art. In addition, the influence this traditional art form can also be seen in Heri’s installations, performance arts as well as his paintings.The concept behind “Superman dan Wanita” is that of duality - male and female, peace and violence, good and evil - personified by the two figures. The male figure, wearing a vest with an "S" emblem of Superman, and the female figure are depicted on either side of a narrow middle ground in which the figures negotiate their antithesis. Here, a personification of evil and aggression, the paradox between the Superman of popular fiction and the evil that he personifies here may be intended as a commentary on false appearances. The stylized manner of wayang kulit puppetry is adopted in their poses and hairstyles. Despite the difficult theme, the work is injected with a bawdy humour and wit.
