ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Indonesian Pavilion at Venice Biennale Reverses Discovery Narrative

exhibition · 2026-04-29

The Indonesian Pavilion at the 2026 Venice Biennale, called "Printing the Unprinted: The Reversal of World Discovery," flips traditional colonial stories by presenting an Indonesian kingdom as the one that explored the West. Curated by Aminudin TH Siregar, it features seven artists: Agus Suwage, Syarizal Pahlevi, Nurdian Ichsan, R.E. Hartanto, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, Mariam Sofrina, and Rusyan Yasin, who spent two months at the Scuola Internazionale di Grafica in Venice. This exhibit focuses on collaboration rather than finished works, using printmaking to explore alternative histories. The artists are creating a book inspired by a fictional 1486 travel diary. Supported by various Indonesian cultural organizations, the pavilion runs from May 7 to November 22, 2026.

Key facts

  • Indonesian Pavilion at 2026 Venice Biennale titled 'Printing the Unprinted: The Reversal of World Discovery'
  • Curated by art historian Aminudin TH Siregar
  • Features seven artists: Agus Suwage, Syarizal Pahlevi, Nurdian Ichsan, R.E. Hartanto, Theresia Agustina Sitompul, Mariam Sofrina, Rusyan Yasin
  • Two-month residency at Scuola Internazionale di Grafica, Venice
  • Artists creating a book based on fictional 1486 travel report by Datu Na Tolu Hamonangan
  • Project reverses colonial discovery narrative, presenting Indonesian kingdom as explorer
  • Commissioned by Directorate General for Cultural Diplomacy, Ministry of Culture of Indonesia
  • Supported by Danantara Indonesia Trust Fund
  • Runs from May 7 to November 22, 2026

Entities

Artists

  • Agus Suwage
  • Syarizal Pahlevi
  • Nurdian Ichsan
  • R.E. Hartanto
  • Theresia Agustina Sitompul
  • Mariam Sofrina
  • Rusyan Yasin
  • Aminudin TH Siregar
  • Datu Na Tolu Hamonangan

Institutions

  • Indonesian Pavilion
  • Scuola Internazionale di Grafica
  • Directorate General for Cultural Diplomacy, Promotion, and Cooperation
  • Ministry of Culture of Indonesia
  • Danantara Indonesia Trust Fund
  • Harajaon Pusuk Buhit Kingdom

Locations

  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Indonesia
  • Malacca
  • Archipelago

Sources