Notes on Chetak 17
By Azzad Diah

Printmaking dates back more than 2000 years—print on paper developed from textile printing following the introduction of paper in China. Later, the industrial revolution brought printing into another dimension with the invention of the press and a large-scale printing factory. Today, printmaking is a form of art that still stand the test of time. The inception of new technology has seen digital print as a preferable means for utilitarian consumption. That puts traditional printmaking solely to its craftsmanship. Printmaking is concerned with how the artwork is reproduced and the working process involving different techniques and measures. While woodcut was widely used for its versatility and quick production, etching and engraving were more prevalent among artists. The method has been known for its meticulous and detailed process yet satisfactory and rewarding result. The association with mass production has inspired the artist to find a way to multiply their original artworks.

As a collective, Chetak 17 is not revolutionized printmaking movement. The goal is to share their interest with like-minded people and demonstrate the process behind printmaking to the public. As other groups of artists and activists use printmaking as a means for mobilizing the community and political tools for voicing discontent, Chetak 17 celebrates printmaking as the traditional technique and a platform for its practitioner to congregate, activating their studio as a place for sharing and knowledge exchange. Since its inception, Chetak 17 has been conducting many workshops and exhibitions around the country. But what about the collective that offers a platform for printmaking practitioners so relevant to our contemporary times?

Printmaking remains concerned with the technique and a medium focused on how to print and not the what. Printed matter's pervasiveness sought to be conceptualized in contemporary practice as a means rather than a goal or in itself. The printed medium presupposed the desire to disseminate knowledge to reach wider audiences through the medium's characteristics of multiplicity, accessibility and collaboration. Those desires are not only attached to artists who define themselves as a printmaker but welcome the interest of many artists within the field of contemporary art. In turn, printmaking should be relieved from its imperative of craftsmanship but pursue extensive practice concerning idea and action to achieve conceptual goals and allow the process of printmaking to be used as a tool for artistic action. In this case, Chetak 17 is on its way to inspiring more people to take an interest in these traditional art forms, not only because of their intrinsic value but the possibility of growing as a creative community and sharing their knowledge and expertise with the broader audiences.