JAKARTA – Komunitas Salihara recently launched a solo art exhibition for the famous cultural figure Goenawan Mohamad in Jakarta. Visitors can see this 18th exhibition, titled Teks, Gambar, Kitab until June 28, 2026. For many years, the public recognized Goenawan Mohamad, or GM, only as a poet, essayist, and public intellectual. However, this exhibition invites people to see a completely different side of him. He also works as a visual artist who creates drawings, prints, paintings, and text. Consequently, the show reveals his deep passion for visual expression. Furthermore, Asikin Hasan curated the collection, and the well-known artist Tisna Sanjaya opened the event. Hundreds of art lovers attended the opening ceremony on Saturday (May 23) to celebrate his visual creations.
In his curatorial notes, Asikin explained how images and words share the same space in GM’s artwork. He noted that the words do not always explain the drawings. Similarly, the drawings do not serve as descriptions for the words. Instead, both elements live in their own free worlds. On both paper and canvas, GM draws, prints, paints, and writes at the same time. The text and the images appear side by side, but they never explain each other directly. Therefore, they share the space while moving in their own separate directions. This approach opens up many different meanings for the viewers.
Most importantly, the exhibition highlights the concept of a book or kitab as its central theme. Asikin wrote that this specific idea caught his attention immediately. GM created several books for this exhibition. In these works, the text and images constantly change positions. Some parts look complete, but other spaces remain empty and open. Thus, these creations do not look like normal books. In conclusion, the exhibition at Salihara Gallery presents the complete creative journey of GM. He connects literature, philosophy, and visual art into a single experience.
Art enthusiasts can visit the exhibition from Tuesday to Sunday. The gallery opens its doors from 11:00 AM until 7:00 PM WIB.
Photo doc. Komunitas Salihara
