Finally, after this long time of hiatus from writings, I now dare to share a story again about my experience in the art world.
Last year, in the early 2021 accidentally I’ve watch an instagram post belong to my fellow artist Asun about The 9th International Print Exchange Program from India. It’s a very interesting program that allows the artist to submit their work and then exchange it with another artist participant from the rest of the world. Later, the artist can hold an exhibition from the print work received and even sell it to the collector. After gathering information from the website https://www.ipepindia.com/ such as the exhibition’s theme, timeline, guide, etc. I decided to create a new work that will be specially submitted to the program. One thing unique about this program is that the artist must submit the sketch of the work first. Then, the committee will curate it before the rest of the selected artists produce their work and then send it.
This is a sketch I made for the submission. Short story it is a representation of the human condition during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021. In the last two years, humans have been in a state of worry. As people who believe in the existence of a creator, this is a reflection where humans have absolutely no power to evade their will. It prompts us to reflect on what we are for and what we have done for ourselves and others. The sky that we usually see when we contemplate symbolizes the most sublime thing. It becomes a symbol of the threshold space between where humans will return to their creators or will remain under them to play their role in the world.
Time goes by, and I get a notification email that my sketch work is accepted and have been waited for the print result to join the program. So, I start to produce the final print on my studio.
This print work are made by reduction hardboard cut print technique which consist of 5 layers color. With reduction technique I only use one print matrix which will be cut and printed simultaneously to create a complete image.
To join this program the artist should create 46 editions of the traditionally hand-pulled printmaking work and will send those to the committee in India to later distribute to another artist participant involved.
Also you can download the complete artist’s work (click here)
Unboxing video of the works package!
