In his early career, leading Malaysian artist printmaker Juhari Said had worked predominantly with woodblock prints on paper or canvas. However, in 2007, after nearly 25 years of creating prints using the same methods, he began to struggle with this process. Realising that there was only so much he could do with prints, Juhari Said then decided to take printmaking to the next level, through incorporating the use of the blocks of wood as his artworks. Blocks that had previously been used to create the woodcuts.

For this latest body of work, Juhari Said pondered upon “solitude”, a word that is generally misunderstood as one in the same vein as loneliness. Juhari Said, however, clarifies the definition of the two words as complete opposites. Loneliness is a negative state, marked by a sense of isolation and feeling that something is missing. Solitude, on the other hand, is a state of being alone without feeling lonely. It is a positive and constructive state of engagement with oneself. To him, his solitude represented a period of self-discovery in his works.

The Solitude Series is the latest outcome in Juhari Said’s ongoing quest to further explore new methods and techniques to elevate printmaking. At first glance, the abstract forms of wood may not resemble a printmaker’s creation. Often times, the layman would assume that they are sculptures. The artist, however, begs to differ. Juhari Said explains that unlike a sculpture which focuses on the malleable form, his artworks focus on surface. This is evident in the shape of the wood which is formed in a way that creates large flat areas on either side. The carved markings and the texture of the wood are all techniques of printmaking that Juhari Said has accumulated over the years.

Alongside the “sculptures”, Juhari Said will also be exhibiting woodblock prints on washi, a type of Japanese handmade paper. The prints were made in 2010 for a solo exhibition he had in Tokyo, Japan. The prints have not been exhibited anywhere else since then, and are an expression of his extended influence from Japan.

Juhari Said is a renowned Malaysian printmaker with a career that spans over 35 years. Over the years, he has been involved in numerous exhibitions and art fairs both locally and internationally in Austria, China, France, Indonesia, Japan, London, Macau, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Tunisia and Vietnam just to name a few. Juhari has also been involved in various local and international residencies such as the ‘Bare Hands Residency’ in Jordan, Indonesia and Japan. Juhari Said works as a full time artist.

‘The Solitude Series‘ will be showing from 5th May to 17th June 2017 at Wei-Ling Gallery. Wei-Ling Gallery is located at 8, Jalan Scott, Brickfields, 50470, Kuala Lumpur. Please call 03-22601106 or email weiling.johnlim@gmail.com