One of Indonesia’s prominent pioneers in modern art is set to be celebrated in the upcoming Beyond Horizons exhibit.
Ratmini Soedjatmoko is a Jakartan best known as an art teacher, cultural ambassador, and wife of former Indonesian ambassador to the United States, Soedjatmoko Mangoendiningrat. She started her journey in the arts at a young age, when her parents gave her first-hand knowledge of batik kebaya designs through their hobbies and work. Ratmini was also the founder of Group Sembilan, a group of nine housewives-turned-artists who hold annual exhibitions across the country, and Wastraprema, an association specifically created for Indonesia’s wastra (textile) lovers. She later moved to Japan with her husband when he became the rector of the United Nations University in Tokyo, where she learned to paint sumi-e—a Japanese monochrome ink painting style—under the guidance of contemporary artist Shoko Ohta.
Photo from Hadiprana Gallery
Ratmini passed on October 1, 2022 at the age of 96, leaving behind a strong legacy and body of work. To commemorate her centennial year, Hadiprana Gallery curated the Beyond Horizons exhibition as a tribute to Ratmini’s art. The pieces here are an amalgamation of cultures and techniques, collated from different eras of Ratmini’s life as a diplomat’s wife, as a mother of three daughters, and as a social and cultural advocate.
The exhibit will feature 50 artworks, showcasing the different techniques and styles Ratmini learned in her travels. A highlight of the exhibit is the sumi-e series, which includes 18 acrylic paintings in the Japanese ink style. These pieces were only showcased once in Ratmini’s exclusive solo exhibition at the International House of Japan in Tokyo, making this a rare treat for art enthusiasts as it offers Indonesian viewers an opportunity to see them in-person for the first time.
Witness the beauty of cultures and artistic exploration in the Beyond Horizons exhibit at Hadiprana Gallery in Jakarta Indonesia until January 10, 2026.