SA NU BA RI is Fadli Mokhtar’s fifth solo exhibition, where he continues to study the act of “making” within his practice as a printmaker.

His recent works serves as a metaphor of his spiritual voyage as a man and an artist, in which he explores the concept of life as a journey and process of self-discovery. Comprising layered imagery and surreal elements, this series is akin to a mindscape of an escape from reality.

Human beings are always looking for ways to better understand themselves and their life’s purpose. The need to understand the reason for our existence are tendencies inherently tied to human nature; perhaps our constant craving to question and reason aligns with our need to find peace and balance in our lives. Investigating memories, dreams, hopes, uncertainties, and more, this series explores the complex manner in which our thoughts and experiences actively shape us. Through the use of semiotics, abstraction, and representation, he attempts to walk the line between reality and our desires. Evidently, his work is a meditative way to address these soul-searching questions, and to achieve harmony and balance between mind, body, and soul.

As the creation of his work acts as a means of self-discovery and reflection, the arrangement of his collages is highly spontaneous and intuitive. His work presents as a combination of printmaking, collage, and paper cutting - all of which play an important role in reaching the end product. His background in print has instilled a deep-rooted appreciation for the unique marks produced in printmaking. Using monoprinting as a printmaking technique, he experiments with various types of papers to create diversity in the results. The type of ink, surface, and pressure used to print are also contributing factors to the distinctive marks and patterns produced.