I feel like fool when visited this exhibition. As an autodidact graphic designer I just thought that the only way graphic is the way that I know: using sketch and finishing it with computer touch. But I surprised –considering I never became a graphic student- that graphic has a long history. And the definition of graphic art or usually call printmaking also is they can duplicated as many as the artist want. But in every copy he/she do careful supervision and give their own mark or signature on it. After that, the master or plate that used already for made the arts copy will be destroyed. In this way of arts, there are several techniques. They are woodcut, dry point, linocut, etch, screen print, aquatint, stencil, canvas cut, hardboard cut, or lithograph. Of course the newest technique that I already know included, it is photocopy and digital printing. Like another kind of arts these printmakings also allowing using mix media technique. The exhibition itself already held at Bentara Budaya Jakarta on November 1-15, 2007 and Galeri Nasional Indonesia on November 2-11, 2007. Beside showing arts collection of Dewan Kesenian Jakarta (Jakarta Art Council), Bentara Budaya (Culture Habit) and Galeri Nasional Indonesia (Indonesian National Gallery), this exhibition invited 19 artists also. For art lover, this exhibition gave a brief history about graphic art in Indonesia. Illustration I used in this posting is one of the oldest lithograph by Affandi –latter became Indonesian famous impressionist artist- made at 1947 titled “Boeng, Ajo Boeng!” (“Man, Come on Man!”) which still in black and white (left picture). The other illustration is Sri Maryanto’s Mati Tersenyum (Death with Smile) which made at 2003 on hardboard cut (right picture).
Source: Hafiz (curator). 2007. Seni Grafis, Dari Cukil Sampai Stensil. Katalog Pameran. (Graphic Art, From Cutting until Stencil. Exhibition Catalogue). Jakarta: Bentara Budaya Jakarta.
