The theme Material Ways (Jalan Ragam Materi) in the ARTSUBS 2025 exhibition seeks to spark discourse on the role of painting and material-based artworks within Indonesia’s contemporary art landscape. Despite the vast scope of painting as an artistic practice, critical reflection and study—particularly in relation to Indonesian modernity—remain far from sufficient. This theme also has the potential to further encourage the exploration of diverse materials in Indonesian art, which is still largely dominated by painting. Considering the rich heritage of Indonesia’s traditional material culture, there is immense potential for artists to develop these artistic possibilities even further.

The significance of this theme is also deeply intertwined with Surabaya’s identity as a city oftrade and industry. As a key example of Indonesia’s pursuit of progress and industrial culture, Surabaya provides an “ideal” backdrop for exploring the relationship between traditional and modern materiality in art—and, on a broader scale, between materiality and immateriality, the physical and the virtual, the body and the soul. It is a space where the rapid acceleration of industrial culture (speed, scientific and cybernetic revolutions, ecological crises) meets the enduring rhythm of nature (slowness, the evolution of life on Earth, and humanity’s survival).

Curators
Asmudjo J. Irianto & Nirwan Dewanto