Arin Dwihartanto Sunaryo
Terra Nova: Bentang Lain (Other Scapes)
kohesi Initiatives, Yogyakarta

Upon entering the dark gallery space of Kohesi Initiatives in Yogyakarta, visitors encountered a pair of seemingly shattered paintings which opened Indonesian artist Arin Dwihartanto Sunaryo’s solo exhibition “Terra Nova: Bentang Lain (Other Scapes).” Aptly titled Fissura and Fissura #2 (both 2025), these earth-toned works feature volcanic ash from Mount Merapi, palm oil charcoal, and coal, overlain with large shards of resin that create a fractured surface. 

Sunaryo is long known for his distinctive technique of painting with pigments derived from ash, mud, soil, coffee grounds, and more. Unlike conventional paint, such organic ingredients requires intense precision in its handling, which imbues his works with a dynamic immediacy and motion that recalls cosmic fusion processes—a source of energy for stars, including our sun. “Terra Nova” presented more than 20 new tableaux and sculptural projects that embodied the artist’s signature terrestrial style and materials.