02.02.26 — 09.03.26

alih

Solo exhibition by Handiwirman Saputra

Defining alih

In 2025, when I first heard the discourse surrounding the possibility of Handiwirman’s solo exhibition with Nadi Gallery, I felt immense joy and excitement. The feeling did not arise without reason. The conversations and discussions about a solo exhibition have actually been voiced several years prior, but due to less-than-optimal condition, began with the COVID-19 pandemic, we were having difficulties in making a deal concerning the schedule and theme of the solo exhibition. After several years of postponement, the realization of Handiwirman’s 9th solo exhibition with Nadi Gallery is indeed a very special moment for both me and Nadi Gallery.

The preparation process for this exhibition led Pak Biantoro and me to frequently travel to Yogyakarta and visited Handiwirman’s studio. He is affectionately referred to as Da Handi among fellow artist from West Sumatra who art part of Sakato Art Community. Within a few months of our initial visit, blank canvases and raw material has successfully transformed into amazing new artworks were a true delight to behold. Among the works that were displayed in the studio, one piece particularly steals my attention, a work measuring 204 x 125 x 100 cm made from resin fiber, brick powder and sand titled Tuturkarena. As part of ongoing series that will only be made when Da Handi intends to tell a story through the object affixed to its surface, Tuturkarena successfully piqued my curiosity and delve deeper into the conceptual framework underlying this solo exhibition, which he titled alih. What story or message does Da Handi want wish to convey this time?

The journey toward understanding the context and essence of this exhibition begins with an exploration of the meaning of its title, alih. With reference to Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI), alih is defined as to move; replace; exchange; transform. This definition became the starting point of my discussion with Da Handi, what exactly is being “shifted” or “transformed”?

According to Da Handi, understanding alih requires a deeper reading beyond merely analysing and dissecting the works presented in the exhibition. We must step back further and comprehend the initial idea behind the exhibition itself. This idea was born from his ability to shift or transform his way of seeing and his perspective on the conditions and environment in which he currently exists. At the core of this process of transition lies a search for a path forward, one that demands humility, the acceptance that there are external factors beyond one’s control, and thus an awareness of the need to adapt and negotiate with circumstances. Negotiation becomes essential due to the necessity of continuous growth and progress amid the rapid currents of contemporary development, without losing one’s essential identity, both personally and within one’s artistic practice.

This adaptive process is also reflected in Da Handi’s working methods. At first glance, all the new works created for this exhibition still present subjects he has explored for many years. Trivial and mundane objects commonly found in everyday life, such as cotton, thread, and sponge, are once again elevated as principal subjects. Visually, there appears to be no significant change. However, a deeper examination of the creative process reveals a meaningful adaptation. Previously, to create his paintings, Da Handi would first arrange or construct the desired objects using materials found in his surroundings before translating them onto canvas. This method presented obstacles that proved insurmountable, ranging from limited material availability to relatively lengthy production times. After engaging in a process of “negotiation” with himself, he decided to liberate his practice and no longer anchor it to finished objects. This act of self-liberation opened a path toward works unbound by specific forms. He gained greater freedom to apply the artistic techniques deeply rooted within him, engaging with far more liberated subjects and producing works that are wilder in nature without compromising the essence he has long cultivated.

Beyond methodology, Da Handi also seeks to reconstruct prevailing stigmas surrounding painting and objects within the contemporary art world. Today, painting is generally understood as a two-dimensional image applied to canvas, fabric, or paper, meant to be enjoyed by hanging it on a wall. Feeling constrained by this definition, Da Handi attempts to break through these boundaries and open alternative ways of experiencing painting. In his own manner, by placing paintings atop wheeled pedestals and painting on surfaces made to resemble brick and concrete walls, he treats paintings as three-dimensional objects. This newly opened path creates opportunities and possibilities that allow him to express and create freely, unconstrained by medium, dimension, or space.

This exploration does not stop there; the mode of experiencing the works also becomes a central concern. In an era dominated by digital catalogues filled with cropped images accompanied by captions, paintings risk being reduced to flat images viewed either in catalogues or on the walls of galleries and homes. This concern is articulated by Da Handi through both the exhibition catalogue and the spatial arrangement of the works. By minimizing cropped images and carefully orchestrating the display, such as placing works on wheels and dissolving the boundaries between the artworks and the interior space, he elevates the works themselves. The experience of painting becomes deeper, no longer limited to images mounted on walls, but instead integrated into the surrounding atmosphere and environment, where everything that envelops the work becomes part of how it is perceived and understood.

Such is the message Da Handi wishes to convey through the exhibition alih, that we should not be bound by current conditions or existing circumstances, but instead continue to negotiate and seek pathways for growth without destroying what already exists. For this, I extend my deepest gratitude to Da Handi, who has so remarkably and earnestly conceived this solo exhibition, as well as to his entire team for their exceptional support, both during studio preparations and in shaping the exhibition space at the gallery. My thanks also go to Mr. Agus Suwage for generously lending his musical prowess to enliven this exhibition, and to the entire Nadi Gallery team who worked tirelessly, day and night, to make this exhibition possible. Finally, I offer my heartfelt appreciation to everyone who attended and experienced the exhibition alih.

Enjoy the exhibition, and enjoy the works of Handiwirman.