Tracing the Path of Contemporary Printmaking through Marka/Matriks
Komunitas Salihara's first exhibition of 2025, Marka/Matriks, was officially opened on Saturday, April 19 at Salihara Gallery. The exhibition will run for a full month, featuring over 105 works by 30 local and international artists who are showcasing a wide array of contemporary printmaking techniques.
Marka/Matriks celebrates the role of contemporary printmaking as more than just a technique of transferring images onto surfaces, but as a vibrant space for experimentation, dialogue, and interdisciplinary collaboration. From traditional techniques such as woodcut, etching, lithography, and screen printing to the integration of photography, digital technology, and artificial intelligence, printmaking is a field that champions evolution, blurring the lines across media and transcending conventions to embrace a new way of thinking and expressing.
The works on display encompass both conventional methods–woodcut, etching, lithography, screen printing–and digital-based experimentations that reflect the participating artists' bold approach. In a written statement, Asikin Hasan, curator of the Salihara Gallery, noted that the exhibition opens up new avenues for exploration while contributing to the broader discourse of Southeast Asian printmaking: “The works in this exhibition show how printmaking can move beyond its traditional functions to become a space for artists to express ideas that speak to the contemporary moment,”.
In the same curatorial text, Hasan emphasized that the artists did not merely rely on established techniques but also explored alternative materials and unconventional tools. “This exhibition demonstrates how printmaking serves as a bridge, connecting various media and opening up space for further exploration,” he added.
Several works that caught our attention include Pengetahuan Bagian Badan and Tanpa Obat by Syaiful Ardianto, who uses silkscreen techniques on found book covers and pushes the boundaries of composition and form. Following this, Prihatmoko Moki presents four series of prints on collage that blends playful graphic spaces with dynamic visual narratives. Meanwhile, Cecil Mariani’s works, Distan Shaman Kins and Dragons Praying to be Dove 4: Earth – Maikuth, brings poetry into print that materialised through the Hahnemühle cotton board.
Other participating artists in Marka/Matriks include Adi Sundoro, Fuad Pathil, Agugn, Garis Edelweiss, RW Mulyadi, Agung Kurniawan, Goenawan Mohamad, Satria Nugraha, Amnat Kongwaree, Gunawan Bonaventura, Septa Adi, Amorn Thongpayong, Haslin Ismail, Syahrizal Pahlevi, Arpatsarin Khunnarong, Henryette Louise, Krack Printmaking Collective, Theresia A. Sitompul, Devy Ferdianto, M. Muhlis Lugis, Tisna Sanjaya, Edi Sunaryo, Maharani Mancanagara, Ucup Baik, Firman Lie, Ong Hieng Fuong, and Vimonmarn Khanthachavana.
Marka/Matriks is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM (last entry at 6:30 PM), until May 18, 2025. Tickets are available at tiket.salihara.org for Rp50,000 (general admission) and Rp25,000 (students).
